Vlassis Caniaris Born 1928 in Athens, Greece

Died 2011 in Athens, Greece

While living in Rome (1956-1960), Caniaris’ practice still focused on two-dimensional images, drawing inspiration from the works of Giorgio de Chirico and symbolic realism. His turn towards the abstract dates to his time in Paris (1960-1967 and 1969-1973), when he was also seeking to dissolve the surface of his works and opened his practice to three-dimensionality and assemblage.

The political situation in Greece and his experiences in Berlin with a DAAD grant (1973-1975) heightened his interest in the aesthetics of sculpture and contributed to the growing socio-political dimension of his works. During this time there was a growing global crisis concerning the numbers of migrant workers in Europe when after the 1973 oil crisis, the same countries that invited workers from southern European countries began to close their borders in an attempt to protect their own citizens. Around this time Caniaris began to focus on matters of national identity, social inequality and migration and produced during this period his most significant body of works. Using indigenous elements and found household objects such as used clothing and toys as materials, he gradually initiated to create a human form; a physical proposition: the person-object, which was not only a political or social subject but an ontological, existential figure. The figure of loneliness or marginality expressed through aesthetic means. Caniaris has been influencing a number of artists ever since.

Vlassis Caniaris is considered one of the most important protagonists of Greek post-war art. He changed the dynamics of the Greek art scene and his distinctive visual language was cutting-edge for his time and earned him invitations to exhibit at the Venice Biennale (1964, 1988, 2003, 2013) and documenta 6 and 14 in Kassel (1977, 2017). Relevant early solo exhibitions include the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (1970); Moderna Museet, Stockholm (1972); ICA Institute of Contemporary Arts, London; Kunstverein Hannover (1976) and Centre Pompidou (1996). More recent solo shows were held at the The Hellenic Centre, London (2023); Cultural Foundation of Tinos, Greece (2016); Wiels Centre d’Art Contemporain, Brussels, (2015); Kadel Willborn Kunstgalerie, Düsseldorf (2015); The Breeder, Monaco (2013); GAK - Gesellschaft für Aktuelle Kunst, Bremen (2012); Henry Moore Institute, Leeds (2012); Team Gallery, NY (2011) and the Benaki Museum, Athens (2009). He participated at group shows at MKK, Frankfurt (2024); National Gallery Athen (2024 & 2023); Kunstmuseum Bochum (2021); Palazzo Reale, Milan (2021); Musem am Ostwall, Dortmund (2020);  Akademie der Künste, Berlin (2016); Palais des Beaux Arts, Bruxelles (2014); European Parliament, Bruxelles (2014); Gwangju Biennale (2014); Municipal Gallery of Athen, Athen (2014); Palais de Tokyo, Paris (2013); National Archeological Museum, Athen (2013); Venice Biennale (2013, cur. Massimiliano Gioni); Faggionato Gallery, London (2011) and Thessaloniki Biennale (2011). Works by Caniaris are found in the collections of the following institutions (selection): Fonds National d'Art Contemporain, Paris; Musée d’Art Moderne de Saint-Étienne; MMCA Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art, Thessaloniki; Museum of Modern Art, Warsaw; National Art Gallery - Alexandros Soutzos Museum, Athens; National Museum of Contemporary Art - EMST, Athens; Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich; the Museum am Ostwall, Dortmund;  SMAK Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, Gent; Ludwig Museum Cologne, Tate Modern, London and The Israel Museum, Jerusalem.