Spyros Vassiliou, Athens

The composition

In the work Athens, Spyros Vassiliou captures the Greek capital at a time when its façade is changing. Old neoclassical houses coexist alongside newly built apartment buildings, all together spreading out in an almost suffocating sequence. A multitude of antennas and scaffolding tower over them. Almost no part of the painting surface is left unused and the composition exudes an intense yet visually fascinating anarchy.

Athens as a theme

The urban landscape, and more specifically Athens, is a theme that greatly occupied Spyros Vassiliou and has a special place in his work. Throughout his long creative journey, the artist depicted various views of the Greek capital at different times.

Aesthetic palimpsest

The influences from folk and Byzantine art in Spyros Vassiliou works are also evident in Athens. The golden background that unifies the painting surface evokes the golden depth of Byzantine icons.

However, Vassiliou enriches his artistic language with constructivism elements, such as the:

• Strict geometrical forms of the buildings
• Vivid red, blue and green hues

At the same time, the detailed depiction of neoclassical elements enhances the sense of the historical and aesthetic palimpsest that Athens represents.

His life in a nutshell

Spyros Vassiliou (1902/3-1985) was born in Galaxidi. He came to Athens in 1921 and studied Painting at the Athens School of Fine Arts until 1926, under Nikolaos Lytras.

He taught in various art and theatre schools for many years. Other than painting, he worked in scenography, icon painting and engraving. As of 1927, he started creating stage sets for many plays and films.

In the years of the German Occupation of Greece, he turned to engraving. He secretly published woodcuts, illustrated manuscripts and handwritten editions. His artistic creations also include book illustrations.

Artistic influences

Vassiliou was an important representative of the so-called Generation of the 30s and more specifically of the Athens School. His work is centred around Greekness. As with all the representatives of this generation, he promoted the need to return to the roots of modern-Greek art.

In his works, folk and Byzantine art meet the contemporary movements of his time. Vassiliou, with a folk-like style, turned select elements of the Greek tradition into forms of constructivism, surrealism, pop art and photo-realism.

Favourite themes

Vassiliou’s works depict landscapes, scenes of everyday life and compositions with a lyrical or dream-like feeling.

The painter represented natural and urban space using oils, temperas and watercolours. His favourite themes include portraits, still life and scenes from everyday life.

A recognised artist

Vassiliou began to exhibit his work in 1926. In 1929 he held his first solo exhibition at the Stratigopoulos Gallery. In 1930 he won the Benaki Award for designing the murals at the Agios Dionysios Areopagitis Church.

He was a founding member of the Techni (Art) and Stathmi (Level) groups and participated in their exhibitions. He also participated in the Venice Biennale (1934, 1964), the Alexandria Biennale (1957) and the São Paulo Biennale (1959).

In 1960 his work Lights and Shadows was exhibited at the Guggenheim Museum and honoured with the local award of AICA Hellas. In 1975 and 1983 his works were exhibited at the National Gallery.

Spyros Vassiliou in the Alpha Bank Art Collection

The following works by Spyros Vassiliou are also part of our Art Collection:

• Drosoula
• Galatsi
• Ardittos

The last 2 date back to the late 1920s and are among the artist’s early works. They depict views of the Athenian landscape and are marked by plain design and a soft, dull colour palette that evokes Byzantine art.

The work of art in our publications

The work Athens by Spyros Vassiliou is referenced in the following Alpha Bank publications:

• The Alpha Bank Collection. Paintings – Prints – Sculptures, edited by Irene Orati.
  
  Buy the publication The Alpha Bank Collection. Paintings – Prints – Sculpture (only available in Greek) on the Alpha Bank e-shop.
  
  
• The Alpha Bank Collection. Greek Art from 1950 until Today, edited by
  Irene Orati. The publication accompanied the same-titled exhibition, held in 3 cities in Cyprus (Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca) in 2008.

In other literature

The piece is also referenced in the publications:

• I. Orati, Contemporary Greek Painters. Spyros Vassiliou, 2009
• C. Kampouridis, Modern Greek Landscape Painting from the 18th to the 21st Century, 2009
  
  And in the catalogue of the exhibition “URBANOGRAPHY. City Life in the 1950s-1970s”, where the Alpha Bank Art Collection participated with 3 works:
  
  
• URBANOGRAPHY. City Life in the 1950s-1970s, National Gallery – Alexandros Soutsos Museum, 2023

The Alpha Bank Art Collection is not open to the public.

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