Giorgos Zongolopoulos

As Zongolopoulos notes in the introduction of the exhibition catalog Cinetic Art (Athens 1971): 

“When everything we have been creating no longer pleases us, it means we must let our intuition begin again to search for the secret of creation”. 

And it is a fact that his long-lasting artistic activity which covers a period of 80 years (he was 92 years old when he created Umbrellas and 100 when he participated with Five Circles in the Venice Biennale!) is distinguished by incessant rejuvenating mood and constant development.

The main characteristic of his work is the continuous quest for new materials, shapes and mediums. His sculptures are organically connected to the environment. He was one of the first Greek artists (along with Chryssa and Takis) who incorporated movement in their works. He also experimented with other neoteric, for the era, mediums such as water, air and light.

As an artist he received many honorary distinctions, he represented Greece in 11 Biennale institutions, he was member of many art societies and his works are exhibited in greek and foreign collections and museums.

His special interest for the coexistence of his sculptures with the surrounding space is expressed in many works in public spaces in Greece, Europe and America. 

Some of his emblematic public sculptures are Umbrellas in Thessaloniki and Brussels, Atrium at Syntagma Square, Shield at the European Cultural Centre of Delphi, Cor- Ten or Sculpture Deth ,one of the first large-scale abstract sculptures in greek public space, Five Circles in Omonoia Square, the hydrokinetic sculpture the artist describes as a living organism by saying that “water is the blood of the sculpture” and Dance of Zaloggo, the biggest monument devoted to women worldwide. 

In 2004 he established George Zongolopoulos Foundation where he bequeathed all his oeuvre. Many of his and his wife’s’ Eleni Zongolopoulou works are exhibited in the Open-Air Glyptotheque in Psychiko.

He was methodical, always innovative, a tireless explorer of new expressive means. Those qualities are depicted in the items of the following Thematic Exhibition which includes sculptures, scale models of his monumental works, paintings, drawings and portraits of the artist.