Munich Exhibition Explores Balance Through Sculpture and Painting

The Munich gallery Filser and Gräf is presenting an exhibition titled 'Medèn ágan – Nothing in Excess,' featuring artists Paris Giachoustidis and Toshihiko Mitsuya. The show, which runs until May 2, 2026, uses the ancient Greek maxim 'Nothing in excess' as its conceptual foundation, originally inscribed at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. This principle guides an exploration of equilibrium, scale, and humanity's position in the universe. Toshihiko Mitsuya, who works between Germany and Japan, creates intricate sculptures from thin aluminum sheets. These pieces are cut and folded into forms that suggest natural elements such as flora, while also appearing futuristic. The reflective surfaces interact with light and the gallery environment, emphasizing the relationship between the artwork, the viewer, and the space. Paris Giachoustidis, originally from Greece, contributes a series of paintings that draw from 1990s visual culture and incorporate imagery from both historical and contemporary sources. His works depict extraterrestrial landscapes and motifs related to space exploration, engaging with themes of posthumanism and the Anthropocene. Specific pieces like 'Optimistic Hand' (2026) and 'Sternenwanderung II' (2026) feature elements like a discarded glove with a flower or a helmeted figure, suggesting futures where earthly boundaries are transcended and human scale diminishes in significance. The gallery notes that the interplay between Giachoustidis's cosmic themes and Mitsuya's delicate constructions prompts reflection on transience, the limits of understanding, and ethical considerations in a fragile world.