Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at 7:00 p.m.,

we are pleased to inaugurate the art exhibition

by Anthi Gehrmann and Eleni Koronaki

entitled

“Forms”

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The exhibition “Forms”, bringing together painting and sculpture respectively by artists Anthí German and Eleni Koronaki, shares a common thematic inspiration: the human form.

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Two distinct yet equally significant artistic bodies of work meet across time, reflecting social evolution and the changing ways of life, customs, and traditions of each era, as characteristically expressed through the faces and outward appearance of the figures portrayed.

An exhibition that arouses interest through the silent dialogue that unfolds between the two bodies of work, creating a visual passage from antiquity to the contemporary era.

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The human form, whether presented as a naturalistic portrait or as a stylized, recognizable presence, lies at the artistic heart of the exhibition. The timeless search for an interpretation of the human gaze remains central, as does the expression of emotion through the features and lines of the face. Stylistic appearance identifies the historical period and place, while also defining social status and professional identity.

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Between past and present, communication remains powerful. Each form conveys a fragment of history and passionately seeks to captivate the viewer.

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CERAMICS — ELENI KORONAKI

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The ceramic portraits of Eleni Koronaki are inspired by Archaic reliefs, the melancholic Fayum portraits, and Byzantine sacred imagery.

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Faces, rendered with the utmost naturalism in their features, are sculpted from the hard substance of clay. They bear the marks of time, emerging and being excavated from the rich texture of the surface, carrying with them memory, knowledge, and spirituality.

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Static, three-dimensional and often fragmented figures, classical in style and austere in expression, gaze intensely, enigmatically, and with solemnity at the viewer. They draw the viewer in, conveying a sense of serenity, contemplation, tranquillity, and mysticism.

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Ancient motifs traverse time, retaining their timeless allure while meeting the contemporary artistic quest.

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The colour tones reveal elements of antiquity through metallic reflections, while the polished contours leave traces of precious material and sanctity. Without hesitation, the artist intervenes with strong contrasts and dynamic hues, introducing contemporary, relevant decorative elements imbued with symbolic associations of the divine and eternity. The interplay of light and shadow highlights the anatomical features and intensifies depth and volume.

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The clay reliefs of Eleni Koronaki—images of ancestors, fragments of nostalgia and time—awaken our memory:

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“Shine while you live. Regret not a moment.

Life is short, and time demands its end.”

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(Funerary epigram from Tralles, present-day Aydın, Turkey.)

 

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PAINTING — ANTHÍ GEHRMANN

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The painted figures of Anthí German are naturalistic portraits characterised by the distinctive style and aesthetic of the interwar period, with clear references to and elements of Art Deco, the painting of Amedeo Modigliani, as well as examples of Japanese Ukiyo-e woodblock prints.

Female figures appear arranged as though on a theatrical stage. They possess a mysterious quality and convey a gentle melancholy, tenderness, and serenity.

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The whiteness of the skin, the delicate yet clearly defined face, the large almond-shaped eyes, the striking, fiery-red lips, the linear features, the elongated, pronounced neck, and the graceful, slender silhouette define the style and suggest subtle elements of self-portraiture.

The stillness of the body, together with the unsurpassed elegance of urban society in the 1920s, the refined femininity expressed through sophisticated fashion—with enormous black hats—and the finesse of Japanese aesthetics, represented by the fan, make Anthí German’s art immediately recognisable.

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The two-dimensional, flat colour surface, with its planar pictorial rendering, consistent use of primary tones and bold contrasts, enhanced by golden reflections that impart radiance and luxury, engages the viewer directly. It brings dynamism to the stylised forms and figures within a poetic atmosphere.

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The modern character of the compositions and the creator’s free spirit, inspired by Thessaloniki, her place of residence, find a correspondence in the following verses:

“You forgot that tune the Chileans used to sing,

Saint Nicholas, protect us, and bless the sea,

a blind girl guides you, child of Modigliani…”

— Nikos Kavvadias, “Thessaloniki”

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Annita Patsouraki — Art Historian