Tassos Mantzavinos
Kostas Papanikolaou

Tassos Mantzavinos and Kostas Papanikolaou depict the primal symbol of the sea. Whether familiar or remote, friend or foe, the sea has kept secrets from the time of Homer. A tool of the gods, an element of fairy tales, a part of our folk heritage, an emblem that is geographical, cultural and symbolic of the origins of every Greek, it inspires mixed and contradictory feelings: fear, nostalgia, opening, endurance, protection.

Mantzavinos works in the closed world of a primal fear: he depicts the dark side of dreams, mythical sea beasts, the threats of childhood and adolescence, people’s dark fears.

In contrast, Papanikolaou paints a soothing view of the sea, picturesque, familiar landscapes, the serene intertwining of land and sea, the safe colours: a common reference.

These two artists, friends and collaborators, complement each other and have painted works together, in an effort which combines the two views and endeavours to create a synthesis.