Alekos Fassianos: Milan Exhibition and New Athens Museum

Galleria Tommaso Calabro in Milan presents 'Fassianos', a comprehensive exhibition dedicated to Greek artist Alekos Fassianos (1935-2022), running in spring 2023. The show features over forty paintings and works on paper spanning the artist's career from the 1960s to his death, alongside design pieces including bronze bird-shaped wall lamps, a red wood-and-glass table, and a ceramic vase. The exhibition coincides with the opening of the Alekos Fassianos Museum in Athens, housed in the family building transformed into a Gesamtkunstwerk in the 1990s by architect Kyriakos Krokos and Fassianos himself. The museum, previously accessible only to the artist and friends, will open to the public with exhibitions, talks, and educational programs. The Milan show marks over forty years since Fassianos's 1972 exhibition organized by gallerist Alexander Iolas at Paolo Barozzi gallery, and continues Tommaso Calabro's research on Iolas initiated with the 2021 show 'Casa Iolas. Citofonare Vezzoli'. Fassianos's work is characterized by intense blues, reds, and golds, drawing on ancient Greek and Byzantine motifs, with recurring elements like bicycles and cigarettes bearing his signature. The exhibition includes drawings and paintings with naive style depicting everyday figures within Hellenistic auras, plus design objects confirming his foray into industrial design and craftsmanship.