(known as Philolaos)
Greek Sculptor (1923–2010)
Philolaos Tloupas, internationally known simply as Philolaos, was one of the most prominent Greek sculptors of the 20th century, achieving major recognition primarily in France, where he lived and worked for most of his life. He is often called “the architects’ sculptor” for his collaborations with architects and his focus on large-scale public monuments that integrate seamlessly into urban environments.
Born on March 4, 1923 in Larissa (Thessaly, Greece), into an artistic family—his brother was the renowned photographer Takis Tloupas—he showed an early talent for sculpture and painting. He studied at the Athens School of Fine Arts (1944–1950) under teachers such as Michalis Tombros, drawing inspiration from ancient Greek art and modern European avant-garde movements.
In 1950 he settled in Paris, continuing his studies at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. There he developed his distinctive style, blending abstraction and geometric forms with innovative use of industrial materials like stainless steel, concrete, and iron. His works range from figurative pieces (portraits, anthropocentric sculptures) to purely abstract compositions, conveying a strong sense of movement and balance.
He created numerous monumental public sculptures, mainly in France, including:
The iconic double water towers in Valence (57 meters high, awarded first prize for open-air sculpture in France in 1981)
A stainless steel fountain-sculpture at the Paul Eluard school in Bagneux (Paris, 1961)
Many other works in cities such as Grenoble, Paris, and surrounding regions, often designed in collaboration with architects for parks, squares, and urban landscapes.
In Greece, his pieces are held in public spaces and collections, and his legacy continues to be celebrated through retrospectives (e.g., exhibitions marking the 100th anniversary of his birth in 2023).
Philolaos’s works are held in prestigious private collections worldwide, including that of the renowned Polish artist, gallerist, and collector Mariusz Stokowiec (owner of Prosopo Art Gallery in Santorini, where Philolaos’s sculptures are exhibited and offered for sale), as well as other distinguished collections across Europe and beyond.
He passed away in Paris on September 18, 2010, at the age of 87, leaving behind a rich body of work that bridges Greek tradition with contemporary international sculpture, emphasizing material innovation, abstraction, and architectural integration.
Mariusz Stokowiec, a Polish artist, gallerist, and collector, was born in Luban Slaski, Poland, in 1971 . Stokowiec arrived in Greece in 1988 and began his journey as an artist. He spent years honing his craft and developing his unique artistic style. Stokowiecs dedication and hard work paid off, as he became a successful artist and the owner of one of the best galleries in Santorini Oia, Prosopo Gallery . Stokowiecs journey as an artist is a testament to the power of passion and dedication in achieving ones goals.
Prosopo Gallery, owned by Mariusz Stokowiec, is a beautiful space located on Oias main road, overlooking the Caldera. The gallery features paintings of Santorini landscapes and portraits, as well as sculptures created by Stokowiec himself . Visitors are invited to admire the stunning artwork and experience the beauty of Santorini through Stokowiecs eyes. The gallerys success is a reflection of Stokowiecs talent and passion for art, as well as his ability to connect with his audience .
Mariusz Stokowiecs artistic style is characterized by his ability to capture the essence of his subjects through his sculptures and paintings. His works are known for their unique blend of realism and abstraction, as well as their emotional depth and complexity . Stokowiecs sculptures, in particular, are highly praised for their attention to detail and their ability to convey a sense of movement and life. Stokowiecs works have been featured in galleries and exhibitions around the world, and his reputation as a talented and innovative artist continues to grow . Through his art and his gallery, Mariusz Stokowiec has created a legacy that will continue to inspire and captivate audiences for years to come.
Permanent exhibition in Santorini, Oia, Greece
Galeria London Obèlisk Gallery,- Gallery Sztuki Wspó??czesnej V.A. Poznan, Poland-Paris Exhibition, Gdansk Poland Centrum Sztuki Wspo??czesnej ?aznia 1-Tokyo Atelier Sopho, Prague Art Gallery, New York-Venice Biennale Merlin Gallery, Lyon History Gallery, Lyon Art Gallery, Warsaw Zach?ta – National Gallery, Lyon Venice Biennale French Academy, Berlin KÖNIG GALERIE Germany (Galerie de la Gare), Bonnieux, Vaucluse The Estrine Hotel, Saint-Remy-de-Provence Saint Albon Golf Course, Galeria Sztuki Grodzka Kraków Poland, Chilli (prints) presentation at the Symposium About Sculpture, French Monumental Sculpture Exhibition, Galeria Studio BWA Wroc??aw, Wroclaw, Poland, Hébert Museum, Grenoble, France Retrospective, Galerie Jean – Louis Danant ParisFrance, Warsaw Foksal Gallery or Galeria Foksa Poland, Tzimas Gallery Kifisia Greece, Diatypos – Kolonaki, Athens
(Agamemnon Makris / Makrisz Agamemnon)
Greek Sculptor (1913–1993)
Memos Makris stands as one of the most important Greek and European sculptors of the 20th century, renowned for his monumental works, his anthropocentric vision, and his strong political engagement.
Born on April 1, 1913 in Patras, Greece, he spent his early childhood there before his family moved to Athens in 1919. He studied sculpture at the Athens School of Fine Arts (1934–1939) under teachers such as Konstantinos Dimitriadis, Michalis Tombros, and Epameinondas Thomopoulos. Early on, he joined the avant-garde group «Neoi Protoporoi» and became actively involved in the artistic and intellectual life of 1930s Greece.
During World War II he fought on the Albanian front and participated in the National Resistance against the German occupation. After liberation, he continued his studies in Paris (1945–1950). In 1950, due to his leftist political beliefs, he was expelled from France and granted political asylum in Hungary, where he lived and created for over two decades (1950–1975).
In Hungary he established himself as a leading sculptor, received numerous state honors, and became a member of the Artists’ Association. His works largely aligned with the aesthetics of socialist realism, while retaining a deeply humanistic and expressive character. He produced dozens of monumental sculptures that adorn squares, parks, and public buildings throughout Hungary.
Among his most notable works are:
The monumental sculpture “Mauthausen” (1959–1962) at the former concentration camp in Austria, dedicated to the victims of Nazism
The monument to Hungarian volunteers of the Spanish Civil War in Budapest
The Liberation Monument in Pécs
Numerous other public works across Hungary, as well as later pieces in Greece (e.g. “In Honor of the Fallen” related to the Athens Polytechnic)
Makris’s sculptures are also held in prestigious private collections worldwide, including that of the renowned Polish artist, gallerist, and collector Mariusz Stokowiec (owner of Prosopo Art Gallery in Santorini, where Makris’s works are exhibited and offered for sale), as well as in collections of other prominent international figures and collectors across Europe, the Americas, and beyond.
In 1975 he permanently returned to Greece, where he continued working until his death. He passed away in Athens on May 26, 1993, leaving behind a rich legacy in bronze, stone, marble, lead, and terracotta — always centered on the human figure and infused with profound social and political meaning.
Memos Makris remains a bridge between Greek and Central European art, one of the most emblematic sculptors of his era.
(Date of Birth: 07/01/1979/ Born in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia).
1862 East 14 St., Brooklyn, New York, 11229.
Mobile: (1) 929.281.8473
Giorgi is an active Georgian artist working in a variety of styles and mediums including oil painting, watercolor, acrylic, mixed media, pastel, graphite, lithography, etching, lithography, woodblock printing, jewelry and sculpture. He is looking for new ways to further his composition.
Appreciating the art of Giorgi Vepkhvadze means entering a world of abstraction while allowing glimpses of figuration and meaning. In his dreamlike landscapes, Vepkhvadze allows us to enter the subconscious and its complex and expressive ambiguities, where we initially feel inexplicably lost. Then, like Turner, a certain feeling emerges from the fog to provide us with a meaning to seek—but only in the most subtle ways. The results are more impressive than representative, and, fascinatingly, very satisfying. Vepkhvadze work belies the bluntness that greets us, leading us to discover the slightest hint of something concrete but ephemeral that each viewer brings to their own experience. Artists lead us there, but each of us goes on our own individual journey.
Exhibitions
2015-Personal Exhibition in Jewelry- “Extension” in Baia Gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia,
2014- “Georgian cultural days”- Consulate of Republic of Georgia, New York, USA.
2014- ’’ Sense of Georgia’’, Contemporary art gallery, - Iapo, Israel.
2014- “Georgian art”, Art Expo, New York, USA.
20130- Georgian Artists Union -80th Anniversary, Georgian National Museum, Tbilisi, Georgia.
2010- Gallery “Opera”, Permanent Exhibition, Santorin, Greece.
2008- Charity exhibition, Gallery”Kopala”, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia.
2007- Gallery “Orient”, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia. 2007- Charity Auction, Athens, Greece.
2007- “From the country of the Golden Fleece”, Gallery, Madrid, Spain.
2007- “Chardin Gallery”, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia.
2005- Academy of Fine art, Tbilisi, Georgia.
2004- State Museum of Janashia, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia.
2003- Gallery “N-gallery”, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia.
2003- “Contemporary Georgian Ex Libris”, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia.
1999- Private Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland.
1998- Private Gallery, Hattingen, Germany.
1994- Gallery, Otzenhausen, Germany.
1993- Gallery, Essen, Germany.
1990- Gallery, Helsinki, Finland.
Vahan rozwija?? swoje umiej�?tno??ci rysowania w Armenii, kiedy dzie?? po dniu jego nauczycielka z liceum wysy??a??a go do miasta z poleceniem szkicowania scen z ??ycia codziennego. Pó??niej, jako student rze??by, Vahan eksperymentowa?? w swoich kompozycjach z ró??nymi mediami, czasem u??ywaj�?c w�?gla i pasteli. Jednak naprawd�? rozwin�??? swoje umiej�?tno??ci w tych mediach po przyje??dzie do Polski w 1993 roku, uzbrojony jedynie w o??ówki, papier i zestaw pasteli. Przez pierwsze lata w Polsce koncentrowa?? si�? na rysunku, pasteli i malarstwie.
Podstaw�? wszystkiego, co Vahan przekszta??ci w pe??nowymiarowe dzie??o, jest niezmiennie rysunek. Ka??dy z jego obrazów, rze??b lub pasteli mo??na przypisa�? do rysunku, z których wi�?kszo??�? ma wielko??�? d??oni. Rysunki te, stanowi�?ce solidn�? podstaw�? pracy, s�? pochowane w niepor�?cznych archiwach. Cz�?sto s�? one wykopywane ponownie wiele lat pó??niej i wykorzystywane jako matryce genomowe, z których mo??na wygenerowa�? nowe prace, cz�?sto na innym pod??o??u. W ten sposób, cho�? s�? niemal identyczne pod wzgl�?dem kompozycyjnym, nowe wersje nabieraj�? unikalnych cech, poniewa?? s�? przekszta??cane, na przyk??ad pastelami, a nie olejami, i gdy s�? inspirowane aktualnymi do??wiadczeniami artysty. ??wietnym tego przyk??adem jest centralna posta�? pastelowego wrze??nia w Jeleniej Górze (1997) o wymiarach 50 x 70 cm, która pó??niej znalaz??a si�? na 100 m2 muru w Zgorzelcu.
Wyprodukuj�?c naprawd�? ogromne rze??by, obrazy olejne, scenografie i projekcje multimedialne na koncerty, Vahan zda?? sobie spraw�?, zw??aszcza za pomoc�? pastelu, ??e cz�?sto im mniejsze dzie??o, tym bardziej mo??e by�? monumentalne.
Pastele Vahana nie s�? p??askimi, dwuwymiarowymi sprawami: stara si�?, aby jego postacie by??y namacalne w trójwymiarowej fakturze. G??�?boko??�? jest starannie zaplanowana w kompozycji, a nast�?pnie o??ywiona w procesie wykonawczym, w którym z drobiazgowym, karz�?cym perfekcjonizmem nak??ada si�?, usuwa i ponownie nak??ada warstwy.
Po odkryciu, ??e mo??e zastosowa�? narz�?dzia swojego rzemios??a rze??biarskiego do pasteli i oleju, Vahan odkry??, ??e musi opanowa�? element, do którego rze??biarze nie s�? przyzwyczajeni: kolor. Podej??cie Vahana do koloru jest intuicyjne, w tym sensie, ??e nie przestrzega zasad wpajanych w szko??ach lub przekazywanych z pokolenia na pokolenie. Jego intuicja nie otwiera jednak bram do niekontrolowanego wylewu emocji. Kolor „wydaje si�? s??uszny” lub „czuje si�? potrzebny”, poniewa?? jest symboliczny, poniewa?? dociera do g??�?bokiego poziomu pierwotnej symboliki. Chocia?? jego prace cz�?sto maj�? intensywn�? tre??�? emocjonaln�?, emocje s�? destylowane i dopracowywane w skrupulatnie i mozolnie rze??bione symbole. Vahan ceni m�?dro??�? szamanistyczn�? ponad bana??y osobistej ekspresji.
Vahan opisuje siebie jako „filtr do??wiadczenia”. Wszystkie jego prace czerpi�? z impulsów, do??wiadcze?? i obserwacji ??ycia codziennego. W konsekwencji jego pastele stoj�? w ostrym kontra??cie z abstrakcyjnymi eksperymentami z kolorem, które charakteryzuj�? prace tak wielu mu wspó??czesnych. W przypadku Vahana praca mo??e by�? wywo??ana wiadomo??ci�?, przyja??ni�? lub rado??ciami i tragediami mi??o??ci, ale wydarzenia te s�? filtrowane i przekszta??cane w symboliczne pomniki uchwycone w br�?zie, na p??ótnie lub karcie.
Dobrym przyk??adem tego procesu jest pastel My??li Babilonu, który powsta?? w odpowiedzi na wiadomo??�?, ??e Waldemar Milewicz, polski korespondent wojenny, zosta?? zastrzelony w Iraku, w maju 2004 roku, gdy by?? w drodze powrotnej do obozu Babilon. Wstrz�?saj�?ce pi�?kno gotowego pastelu oddaje cze??�? Milewiczowi, a jednocze??nie jest bardziej uniwersalnym symbolem nostalgii i oczekiwania.
Ten uniwersalny potencja?? w symbolice Vahana wida�? w pastelu The Brushwood Gatherer (2004). Po zobaczeniu z??otego Jaguara mijaj�?cego osob�?, która powoli, cierpliwie zbiera??a zaro??la na poboczu drogi, Vahan zda?? sobie spraw�?, ??e wszyscy, ka??dy na swój sposób, i bez wzgl�?du na to, jak bogaci jeste??my, zbieraczami zaro??li. Wszyscy jeste??my zaanga??owani w pierwotny biznes dodawania patyczków do naszych ma??ych tobo??ków. Z tego powodu The Brushwood Gatherer mówi uniwersalnym j�?zykiem i jest rozumiany i doceniany wsz�?dzie, gdzie by?? wystawiany. To wyryty w pastelach pomnik, dzie??o ponadczasowe, uciele??niaj�?ce archetypow�? ide�?: pokor�? cz??owieka.
Pastel jest równie?? wyj�?tkowym medium dla Vahan, poniewa?? z cierpliwo??ci�? i rygorem mo??na go wyczarowa�?, aby wyczarowa�? magiczne tekstury i warstwy ukryte w ??wiecie przedmiotów, które przyjmujemy za pewnik.
Copyright © 2012-2021 Vahan Bego
Vahan Bego is first and foremost a sculptor. That does not mean that his works in other media—whether pencil, ink, oil or pastel—are of secondary importance to his sculpture; rather, it means that he approaches his compositions in these media with the eye and technique of a sculptor.
Vahan developed his drawing skills in Armenia, where day after day his high-school art teacher sent him into the city with the assignment of sketching scenes from everyday life. Later, as a sculpture student, he experimented with various media in his compositions, sometimes using charcoal and pastels. It was only after arriving in Poland in 1993, armed with nothing more than pencils, paper and a set of pastels, that he truly refined his mastery of these techniques. During his first years in Poland he focused intensely on drawing, pastel and painting.
The foundation of everything Vahan eventually transforms into a full-scale work is invariably drawing. Every one of his paintings, sculptures or pastels can be traced back to a drawing—most of them no larger than the palm of a hand. These drawings, which form the solid bedrock of his practice, lie hidden in unwieldy archives. Very often they are unearthed many years later and used once again as genetic matrices from which entirely new works are generated, frequently on a different support. In this way, although compositionally almost identical, the new versions acquire unique characteristics: they are executed, for instance, in pastel rather than oil, and they carry the imprint of the artist’s current experiences. A striking example is the central figure from the 1997 Jelenia Góra pastel (50 × 70 cm), which years later reappeared—enlarged to 100 square metres—on a wall in Zgorzelec.
Having produced truly monumental sculptures, oil paintings, stage designs and multimedia projections for concerts, Vahan came to an important realisation, especially through his work in pastel: very often the smaller the piece, the more monumental its presence can become.
Vahan’s pastels are never flat, two-dimensional objects. He strives to make his figures palpably three-dimensional through texture. Depth is carefully planned within the composition and then brought to life in the execution process—a meticulous, almost punishing perfectionism in which layers are applied, removed and reapplied again and again.
Once he discovered that he could bring the tools and mindset of his sculptural craft to pastel and oil, Vahan realised he had to master an element sculptors are not accustomed to: colour. His approach to colour is intuitive in the sense that he does not obey the rules taught in academies or handed down through generations. Yet this intuition does not open the door to uncontrolled emotional outpouring. A colour “feels right” or “feels necessary” because it is symbolic, because it reaches a deep level of primordial symbolism. Although his works frequently carry intense emotional content, those emotions are distilled and refined into scrupulously carved symbols. Vahan values shamanic wisdom far above the clichés of personal expression.
He describes himself as a “filter of experience”. All of his work draws on impulses, encounters and observations of daily life. Consequently, his pastels stand in sharp contrast to the abstract colour experiments that characterise so much of the work of his contemporaries. For Vahan a piece may be triggered by a piece of news, a friendship, the joys or tragedies of love—but those events are filtered and transformed into symbolic monuments captured in bronze, on canvas or on paper.
A powerful example of this process is the pastel Thoughts of Babylon, created in response to the news that Polish war correspondent Waldemar Milewicz had been shot dead in Iraq in May 2004 while returning to Camp Babylon. The haunting beauty of the finished pastel pays tribute to Milewicz while at the same time becoming a more universal symbol of longing and waiting.
This universal quality in Vahan’s symbolism is equally evident in The Brushwood Gatherer (2004). After watching a gleaming golden Jaguar speed past a person who was slowly, patiently gathering brushwood by the roadside, Vahan suddenly understood that—regardless of how wealthy we may be—we are all, each in our own way, brushwood gatherers. Everyone is engaged in the primordial business of adding sticks to our little bundles. That is why The Brushwood Gatherer speaks a universal language and has been understood and appreciated wherever it has been shown. Engraved in pastel, it is a timeless monument embodying an archetypal idea: human humility.
Pastel is also a uniquely suited medium for Vahan because—with patience and rigour—it can be coaxed into conjuring magical textures and hidden layers within the everyday objects we usually take for granted.
Permanent exhibition in Santorini, Oia, Greece
Galeria London Obèlisk Gallery,- Gallery Sztuki Wspó??czesnej V.A. Poznan, Poland-Paris Exhibition, Gdansk Poland Centrum Sztuki Wspo??czesnej ?�aznia 1-Tokyo Atelier Sopho, Prague Art Gallery, New York-Venice Biennale Merlin Gallery, Lyon History Gallery, Lyon Art Gallery, Warsaw Zach�?ta – National Gallery, Lyon Venice Biennale French Academy, Berlin KÖNIG GALERIE Germany (Galerie de la Gare), Bonnieux, Vaucluse The Estrine Hotel, Saint-Remy-de-Provence Saint Albon Golf Course, Galeria Sztuki Grodzka Kraków Poland, Chilli (prints) presentation at the Symposium About Sculpture, French Monumental Sculpture Exhibition, Galeria Studio BWA Wroc??aw, Wroclaw, Poland, Hébert Museum, Grenoble, France Retrospective, Galerie Jean – Louis Danant ParisFrance, Warsaw Foksal Gallery or Galeria Foksa Poland, Tzimas Gallery Kifisia Greece, Diatypos – Kolonaki, Athens