Yorgos Stamkopoulos »Untitled«

Untitled, 2024

Yorgos Stamkopoulos presents a new series of untitled ceramic works, the first time ever he has worked with clay. The series is crafted from a negative print of one of the artist's earlier works—a sort of artistic footprint. Once the painting was made, it was intentionally destroyed, yet its essence remains captured. Stamkopoulos employs this technique to retain the memory, aura, and impact of the original piece, all without the need for its physical presence. The fired clay, subsequently glazed, lends the work a charming naivety and playful allure. Unlike painting on canvas, where control over the medium is more evident, here Stamkopoulos had to exercise restraint in the process. Ultimately, this series serves as a poignant reflection on the intricate interplay of memory and time.

Yorgos Stamkopoulos

The works by Greek artist Yorgos Stamkopoulos (*1983, Katerini) defy conventional boundaries of the process of painting by challenging the norm where control over the artwork is often deemed crucial. His work becomes a play between control and unpredictability, structure, and chaos. By layering and removing paint on the canvas, the artist achieves a dynamic surface that bears both the traces of his hand and those of chance. His works are not just visual representations but multifaceted explorations of the artistic process itself that are not limited to the medium of painting but extend to ceramics and bronze sculptures. The dazzling compositions feature abstract forms, expanses of colour, and seemingly endless lines. Within his process, the artist applies a casting material, forming a skin-like layer over the canvas. Subsequent tiers of paint are added by the artist, only to be later removed, yielding his sublime paintings.

Read our studio story with Yorgos Stamkopoulos.

Photo: (c) Patrick Desbrosses