Aristedes Georgiou - Human Metamorphosis
The Gallery Cafe, 10 September to 6 October
An exhibition, his first solo show, of paintings by a local artist inspired by the natural world – its beauty and inspiration through resilience, constant growth and search for the light.
Ari is a self-taught artist who was very creative from a very young age. Constantly making things and appreciating the materials around him, he was nurtured by his art teacher at school. He remembers being transfixed by a book of Salvador Dali’s work, in particular the strange animals and melting clocks and at 10 years old, he found his mind exploring and growing with ideas. He called this Mind Adventures.
He was not academic at school but excelled at Art and Home Economics. His passion and great ability continued through college and university with one teacher comparing him to Gianni Versace, because he would never stop creating. As Ari says, ‘if the teacher wanted five good drawings within a term, I would produce 30 or 40, it was a nice feeling and I felt I’d achieve a mission’.
After university, Ari found a textile agent and very soon his designs where being sold all around the world. An amazing experience for him, as he relished being able to create unique designs and and felt his mind and imagination evolving and growing. However this creative period came to an abrupt end when his agent passed away and Ari lost his passion.
Lockdown found Ari wondering what to do so he bought some oil pastels and a watercolour palette and started to paint again. Inspired by what was around him, he created works depicting flowers in a loose and impressionist style. These expressive works have an ease and confidence about them and show a great sense of colour. Keeping the format to A4 and A3, he made work almost every day whilst chatting to his mum.
His recent body of work explores a more botanical theme. With a nod to Victorian botanical drawings and paintings, these works have a slight surreal aspect that keeps you engaged. These works are inspired by and dedicated to his mum who lives with dementia. He observes ‘how the mind changes and evolves be being a child again’ and ‘we must all grow together and appreciate what we have. Let’s all live and move forward, never give up, just move towards the future and the light’.
IG : @aristedes_art
Got an idea for an Exhibition?
We have two exhibitions spaces at St Margaret’s House, perfect for emerging artists & curators to formally exhibit work for the first time. If you have an idea for an exhibition - even if it is the very beginnings of an idea - fill out the below proposal form and someone from the Exhibitions Team will be in touch.