STATEMENT

My artistic and research work addresses issues related to the social and political dimensions of sound, image and objects, the structures and possible uses of public space as well as the anthropocentric approach to nature. I often explore and focus on the contradictory manifestations inherent in the human agency, the power structures and life conditions it develops, as well as the relationship between idealization and reality. I make use of the associative possibilities of the work of art in an attempt to subvert institutional narratives and entrenched perceptions. My research methodology and artistic practice often include fieldwork and interviews, archival research and the use of found footage. I have developed work in a wide range of media, including installations, sound, painting and drawing, public interventions, video, music and radio productions.

 

ΒΙΟ

Nikos Arvanitis (b. 1979 – Athens, Greece) studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, at the Athens School of Fine Arts in Athens, GR (Erasmus scholarship) and at the MFA course “Public Art and new artistic Strategies” at the Bauhaus University of Weimar, DE with scholarships from the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) and the A. S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation. Since 2018 he is Tenured Assistant Professor at Athens School of Fine Arts (ASKT)

He won the first prize on the “ZeitGenosse Schiller” competition for public art, Weimar DE (2005), was nominated for the 5th DESTE Prize of the DESTE Foundation, Athens GR (2007) and he won the 2nd Prize of the Spyropoulos Foundation Award, Athens GR in 2009. In 2005, he co-founded the artist-duo Barking Dogs United with Naomi Tereza Salmon.His work has been exhibited, between others, at the National Museum of Contemporary Art- EMST (GR), MOMus- Museum of Contemporary Art in Thessaloniki (GR), State of Concept Athens (GR), Goethe – Institute Athens (GR), Les Ateliers de Rennes – Biennial d’Art Contemporain, Rennes (FR), 2nd Athens Biennial (GR), Halle 14 (DE), Locust Projects, Miami (USA), Townhouse Gallery of Contemporary Art, Kairo (EG), Deste Foundation Centre for Contemporary Art, Athen (GR), Institute of Contemporary Greek Art, Athen (GR), BWA Wroclaw Galeria Awangarda, Wroclaw (PL), Bâtiment d’Art Contemporain Le Commun, Geneva (CH) and at the Salon of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade (RS).

He has conducted so far 8 solo exhibitions at a.antonopoulou.art gallery, Athens (GR), Cross Section Archive space, Athens (GR), Kunstraum Memphis space, Linz (AU), Artcore Contemporary gallery, Bari (IT), ACC Galerie, Weimar (DE).