white space

THE SENSE OF ORDER

2010-06-28T08:57:00.000-07:00

Margini Arte Contemporanea

via dei margini, 11

54100 Massa

Toscana Italia

Tel +39 0585 42048

www.marginiartecontemporanea.it

03.07.2010 - 12.09.2010

NIKOS ALEXIOU
THE SENSE OF ORDER
by Paolo Emilio Antognoli Viti

The Sense of Order, Nikos Alexiou’s first solo show in a private gallery in Italy, is the final result of a process in continuous development, it’s almost the final section of a uninterrupted process. In fact, Nikos Alexiou loves going back to his first ideas, to his initial techniques. He belongs to a generation of artists who, in the 1980s, extended art into the field of installations in a highly sensual and evocative context.
The End was the title of installation presented at the 52nd Biennale of Venezia and inspired by the mosaic floor of Iviron Monastery on Mount Athos. Through an incessant fusion of an-conical forms, colours, patterns, fibre and metal grids, shadows, printed fabrics and video-projections, Nikos Alexiou faithfully reproduces the opus sectile floor of Iviron Monastery till revealing its most secret movements.
On the other hand, The Sense of Order, from the homonymous essay by Ernst Gombrich, follows San Marco di Venezia 2010, a huge installation dedicated to the lagoon city after his experience in Venice.
In this show, recently presented at Daphne Zoumboulakis gallery in Athens, the artist presents a vast installation consisting of a series of large-scale prints and other materials projecting the floors of the square and the Basilica of San Marco in Venice as well as Doge’s palazzo, galleries and alleys around the square.
The artist considers this area as a stone carpet, a precious open-work memorial, a wide collection of materials, sophisticated techniques and knowledge from most diverse parts of Oriental Europe. Nikos collects and re-designs the floors of the whole internal and external areas of the Basilica. It is a huge work being possible just thanks to the aim of the artists to understand the semantic structure and thus capture the whole logic behind it.
Basing on prints, books, photos and visits to the venue, Nikos has re-designed a sort of lucid and spectral passage built as a patchwork. Finally, the installation looks like a huge boat, the bridge of a vast boat adrift. Here is, in the era of Google map, how a pure, almost hallucinated planimetry drawing becomes a work of art.
In Nikos Alexiou’s work, there is a connection between digital drawing and waving, manual and immaterial. In an interview with Marinos Christophoros, the artist reveals to be grown up among the architecture of Aris Kostantinidis and scientific magazines. He observes how, in some illustrations, the grid looked like the blankets woven by his mother.
Nikos Alexiou’s predilection for craftmanship seems to be opposed to the spectralization of the world as well as to the desire of digitalizing each of its aspects and so hiding the pain of the contemporary era. However, as Yorgos Tzirtzilakis says about Nikos’ artistic processing sensitive to the reminder of death „Alexiou (…) takes us back into a state of spiritual apathy and delight, a kind of reverie and idleness, around what we define as minor, fleeting, fragile, transparent, immaterial, negligible: “the last crumbs on which the Shape survives.”

ALEX HEIM, NIKOS ALEXIOU

2010-06-28T08:54:00.000-07:00

Margini Arte Contemporanea

via dei margini, 11

54100 Massa

Toscana Italia

Tel +39 0585 42048

www.marginiartecontemporanea.it

SATURDAY 3 JULY 2010 7 PM

ALEX HEIM / FORDES

NIKOS ALEXIOU / THE SENSE OF ORDER

curated by Paolo Emilio Antognoli Viti

MARGINI arte contemporanea is delighted to present The Sense of Order by Nikos Alexiou and Fordes by Alex Heim, two solo shows both presented on Saturday 3 July 2010.

The Sense of Order, curated by Paolo Emilio Antognoli Viti, is Nikos Alexiou’s first solo show in a private gallery in Italy. The artist has already exhibited in the Greek pavilion at 52 Biennale of Venice (2007).

Alexiou (…) us back into a state of spiritual apathy and delight, a kind of reverie and idleness, around what we define as minor, fleeting, fragile, transpa rent, immaterial, negligible: “the last crumbs on which the Shape survives.” (Yorgos Tzirtzilakis)

The exhibition follows San Marco di Venezia 2010 - an installation consisting of a series of large-scale prints recently exhibited in Athens. In The Sense of Order, Nikos’ works, selected between different projects realized by the artist during his career, represent a synthesis of his artistic research expressed through digital drawing and weaving, through material and immaterial.

In his first solo show in Italy, London based artist Alex Heim is presenting new sculptures, which he has produced during a one month residency project initiated by Margini arte contemporanea, along with different media works such as video , sound , drip drawing and paper sculpture.

In Fordes Heim’s works result from the artist’s will to show how is undeniable a contamination between natural and man-made. In the last sculptures, moreover, the duality between mass production and craftsmanship is faced by inserting ready-made car part into marble and bronze pieces representing cartoon-like marine creatures.

Nikos Alexiou (1960, Rethymnon, Crete) lives and works in Athens.

Alex Heim (1977, Hamburg, Germany) lives and works in London.

03.07.2010 - 12.09.2010

cv

2010-05-12T06:43:00.000-07:00

Nikos Alexiou

1960 Greece
Lives and works in Athens

1982 Akademie der bildenden kunste Wien
1984 Athens School of Fine Arts

Solo Exhibitions (selection):

2010
"The Sense of Order" Margini Arte Contemporanea, Massa, Curator: Paolo Emilio Antognoli Viti
"San Marco di Venezia 2010" Zoumboulakis Galleries, Athens, respondent: Emmanouil Zacharioudakis

2008
"The End" Museum of Byzantine Culture, Thessaloniki, Curator: Υorgos Tzirtzilakis

2007
"The End" 52nd Intemational Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia, 2007, Greek Participation, Curator: Υorgos Tzirtzilakis
"The End" Zoumboulakis Galleries, Athens
"The End" Françoise Heitsch, Munich

2004
Unlimited Contemporary Art, Athens

2003
Lola Nikolaou Gallery, Thessaloniki
Rebecca Camhi Gallery, Athens

2002
Gallery 3, Athens

1998
Athens Art Gallery, Athens

1994
Gallery 3, Athens

1989
Gallery 3, Athens

1987
Gallery 3, Athens

1985
Desmos Art Gallery, Athens

Group Exhibitions (selection):

2009
Celestial Contrakt, Cur. by Christina Mitrentse and Jonas Ranson, Schwartz Gallery, London
Expanded Ecologies, Cur. Daphne Vitali, emst, Athens

2008
Captivated by Bakhchisaray, Bachchisaray, Crimea,Bakhchisaray State Historical and Cultural Reserve / Moscow Museum of Modern Art / The State Museum of Contemporary Art Thessaloniki / Contemporary Art Center BM (Istanbul) / Gallery "Collection" (Kiev), Cur. M. Tsantsanoglou, B. Madra, O. Lopuhova, O. Bayshev
Athensville, Parallel Plan, Art Athina 2008, cur. M. Fokidis
Games without Frontiers, Zoumboulakis Galleries, Athens, cur, T, Stathopoulos

2007
Disco Coppertone, Locus Athens, cur. Maria Thalia Karas & Sofia Tournikiotis, OLP Piraeus
Heterotopias: Recreation maid in Greece, 1st Biennale of Contemporary Art Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, cur. T. Stefanidou
The Workshop - locus Athens, Zouboulakis Gallery, cur. Maria Thalia Karas & Sofia Tournikiotis, Athens

2006
Apolis, Hellenic American Union, Athens, cur. C. Velonis
Totems of the City, Underground Station, Chalandri, Athens, cur. T. Moutsopoulos
22 Winter Festival Seragevo, Hotel Evropa, Serajevo, cur. C. Petrinou
23rd Biennale of Alexandria, Benaki Museum, Athens, cur. C. Petrinou
The Scarecrow, Institution E. Averof, Metsovo, cur. Ο. Danyilopoulou
An Outing, L. Beltsios Collection, Trikala, cur. S. Bahtsertzis

2005
23rd Biennale of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt, cur. C. Petrinou

2004
Athens by Art, Athens, cur. C. Petrinou
Aus der Ferne, Aus der Nähe, Aus der Mitte, Galerie Françoise Heitsch, Munich,
Aus der Ferne, Aus der Nahe, Aus der Mitte, European Patent Office, Munich, cur. F. Heitsch, M. Poalas
Breakthrough! Greece 2004, Sala Alcala 31, Madrid, cur. K. Gregos, D. Zacharopoulos, S. Papa

2003
Outlook, Athens, cur. C. Joachimides
Deste Prize 2003, Deste Foundation, Athens
The Pioneers, L. Beltsios Collection, Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art, Thesasaloniki, cur. D. Zacharopoulos
Free Transit(!), Zappeio, Athens & Porto Caras, Halkidiki, Greece, cur N. Argyropoulou
Sketching Out Today, Tommorow, Yesterday, Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art, Thesasaloniki, cur. L. Tsikouta

2002
The Pionners, L. Beltsios Collection, Kalambaka, cur. D. Zacharopoulos

2001
Glossalgia, Hellenic-American Union, Athens, cur. M. Stefanidis & N. Argyropoulou

2000
P + P = D, Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art, Thesasaloniki, cur. Y. Tzirtzilakis

1999
P + P = D, Deste Foundation, Athens, cur. Y. Tzirtzilakis

1998
Greek Artists - Quests 1950-2000, Centre for Contemporary Art, Rethymnon, Crete, cur. M. Maragou

1995
Alexiou-Varotsos-Totsikas-Tsoklis, Mayia Tsoklis Gallery, Athens

1994
Magasin, House of Cyprus, Athens, cur. A. Von Fürstenberg
International Meeting of Sculpture, European Cultural Centre of Delphi, Delphi, cur. S. Papa

1992
Spira 1, Circulo de Bellas Artes, Madrid, cur. S. Papa
Egoism, House of Cyprus, Athens, cur. K. Stavopoulos

1990
Borderline 80-90, Municipal Art Gallery, Athens, cur. M. Stefanidis
Itérations, Fondation Danae, Pouilly, France
2nd Minos Beach Art Symposium, Minos Beach, Agios Nicolaos, Crete, cur. D. Koromilas

1989
Revolution, French Institute, Athens

1988
5 Greek Artists - 30 Works, Salle de Conferance de la Communaute Europeenne, Brussels, & Laiterie Centrale, Strasbourg, cur. N. Misirli
Meetings, Highlights, Conflicts, Municipal Gallery, Athens, cur. K.Stavropoulos

1987
Jeune Sculpture 87/1, Porte d’ Austerlitz, Paris
3rd Biennale of Young Mediterranean Artists, Barcelona, Spain, cur. S. Papa

1986
2nd Biennale of Young Mediterranean Artists, Thessaloniki

1985
5th Biennale of Sculpture, Skironio Museum Polychronopoulos, Megara

Set design works (selection):

Medea 2
Conceived, Directed and Choreographed by Dimitris Papaioannou
Set Design by Nikos Alexiou
Athens Festival – 1-5 June 2008 - “Meet in Beijing”, National Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing – 1 and 2 August 2008 - Pallas Theatre, Athens – from 1 October 2008

Medea - Euripides
Directed by Giorgos Lazanis
Set Light and Costumes Design by Nikos Alexiou
Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, 1995

Suppliants - Aeschylus
Directed by Stavros Doufexis
Set Design by Nikos Alexiou
Light Design by Nikos Alexiou and Eleftheria Deco
Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, 1994

Memoria del Olvido
Directed and Choreographed by Denise Perdikidis
Set Design by Nikos Alexiou
Teatro Olimpia de Madrid, 1994 - tour in Germany, Switzerland, Festival de Teatro Clásico de Mérida, Dansa Valencia, Cabildo Insular de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 1994

Medea
Visual Concept by Nikos Alexiou and Dimitris Papaioannou
Set Design by Nikos Alexiou
K.N.S. Theatre, Antwerp – Belgium, 28-29th September 1993 - Kotopouli – Rex Theatre, Athens - Greece, 20-25th April 1994 - Ypsikaminos, Patra - Greece, May 1994 - Argos Ancient Theatre, Argos - Greece, June 1994 - 2nd International Dance Festival, Kalamata - Greece, July 1996 - 4th Festival of Contemporary Expressionistic Dance, Chania - Greece, August 1996 - Ferres and Komotini - Greece, August 1996 - 1st Musical Theater Meeting, Ancient Dimitriada, Volos - Greece, September 1996 - Melina Merkouri Amphitheatre, Veroia - Greece, September 1996 - Dassos Theatre, Thessaloniki - Greece, 17-18th September 1996 - Vrachon Theatre, Melina Merkouri, Athens - Greece, October 1996 - Riverside Studios, London - UK, 12-14th March 1998 - Anfiteatro na Doca, EXPO ’98, Lisbon - Portugal, July 1998 - Theater De La Croix Rousse – 8th Biennale of Dance, Lyon – France, 14-18th September 1998 - Pattichio City Theater, Limassol - Cyprus, September 1998 - City Theater, Nicosia - Cyprus, September 1998 - Pattichio City Theater, Larnaca - Cyprus , September 1998 - Anderson Center for the Arts, Concert Theater, Binghamton University / - Performing Arts Center, Albany University / - The Performing Arts Center, Purchase College, New York - USA, 9-16th October 1999 - Ataturk Kultural Center, Grand Hall, 12th International Istanbul Theatre Festival, Istanbul - Turkey, 18th May 2000 - Gerard Bechar Theatre, DancEuropa Festival, Jerusalem - Israel, June 2000 - Suzanne Dellal Center, Tel Aviv - Israel, June 2000 - Papagou Municipal Theater, Athens – Greece, June-July 2000 - Nikos Kazantzakis Theatre, Heraklion - Greece, July 2000 - San Marino Stage Fesival, San Marino, August 2000

Ηλέκτρας κομμοί - Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides
Directed by Roula Pateraki
Set Design by Nikos Alexiou
Athens Concert Hall, Athens, November 1993

The songs
Edafos Dance Theatre In collaboration with Nikos Alexiou
Artists' Building, Athens - from 17 April 1991

Catalogues & Books (selection):

"Patterns 2. Design, Art and Architecture" by Barbara Glasner, Ed. Schmidt Petra 2008

"The End" Catalogue for the 52nd Intemational Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia, 2007, Greek Participation, Curator: Υorgos Tzirtzilakis, Texts: Dimitris Liakos, Christopher Marinos, Υorgos Tzirtzilakis, published by Ministry of Culture, Athens 2007

"Nikos Alexiou - Angel rolling up the Heavens", Texts by Alexandra Koroxenides and Christina Petrinou, Cube Art Editions 2005

"Breakthrough!, Grecia 2004" Texts by K. Gregos, S. Papa, D. Zacharopoulos, published by Comunidad de Madrid, 2004

"ausderferne ausdernähe ausdermitte" Texts by Kristine Schönert, Sotirios Bahtsertzis, Thanassis Moutsopoulos, Publisher: European Patent Office Munich, 2004

"OUTLOOK" curated by Christos M. Joachimides, Catalogue texts by Yorgos Tzirtzilakis, Daniel Birnbaum, Boris Groys, Arthur C. Danto, Nicolas Bourriaud and Nikos Daskalothanassis, Athens 2003

The Pionners, L. Beltsios Collection, Text by D. Zacharopoulos, Futura editions, 2002

"Spira I" Text by Sania Papa, edited by Circulo De Bellas Artes Madrit, Greek Minister of Culture, European Cultural Center of Delphi, 1992

Recent Publications & Reviews (selection):

"Athens - Ancient and Modern: Athens in the Twenty-First Century" by Marina Kotzamani, "PAJ: A Journal of Performance and Art, Volume 31, Number 2, May 2009 (PAJ 92)"

"Was bedeuten all die wilden Kringel?" by Michael Pilz "Die Welt" 16 November 2007

"I Padiglioni dei Sensi" by Laura Larcan "La Repubblica" 9 June 2007

"De Venise à Athènes, les biennales se suivent et se ressemblent" by Georges Férou "L' Humanité" 7 July 2007

"L’art contemporain en Grèce, de Byzance à Venise" by Yves Kobry "L' Humanité" 7 July 2007

"Nikos Alexiou" by Alexandra Koroxenidis "Frieze Magazine" Issue 74, April 2003

"An artist’s vision of Mount Athos" by Alexandra Koroxenidis, "Kathimerini English Edition" 5/2/2003

"Nikos Alexiou, diversified artist, full of surface contradictions" by Alexandra Koroxenidis, "Kathimerini English Edition" 15/11/2001