Images Through Matter – Rena Papaspyrou

This is the first London exhibition by one of the foremost post-war Greek artists. The body of work created by Rena Papaspyrou since the 1960s is inspired by the architecture of the Athens neighbourhood where she was born and raised. Papaspyrou uses found bricks, tiles, mosaics and sections of old walls as her foundation, enhancing the accumulated cracks, dents and marks of their lifetime with pencil and paint to create images, sculpture and installations.

The exhibition Images Through Matter illuminates the approach which Papaspyrou has developed and refined over the past six decades. It comprises 22 representative works, spanning from the 1970s until today.

Nayia Yiakoumaki, Director of the Hellenic Centre, says, “This exhibition presents a thorough body of works by a female contemporary European visual artist. In presenting her long-overdue UK exhibition debut, we are immensely proud to introduce Rena Papaspyrou to this country; this is entirely in keeping with our intention of bringing the best of Greek culture to London.”

The exhibition is curated by Inês Costa, Curator, Focal Point Gallery and Nayia Yiakoumaki, Director, Hellenic Centre, with Grace Strasen, Public Programme & Events Co-ordinator, Hellenic Centre.

The exhibition is supported by Orphee Beinoglou, Fine Art Services.

About the artist:

Born in 1938, Rena Papaspyrou studied at Athens School of Fine Arts (1956–61) and at École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris (1963–67). She was Professor at Athens School of Fine Arts (ASFA) from 1993 until 2005, where she has been Emeritus Professor since 2006. She was director of Painting Workshop C (1993–2005), the first female professor at ASFA to ever direct their own workshop. She lives and works in Athens. Since her first solo exhibition in Paris in 1966, she has exhibited extensively throughout Europe as well as the USA, Brazil and China.