Konstantin Kakanias (born September 18, 1961 in Athens) is a contemporary Greek painter and multimedia artist. He currently lives and works in Los Angeles and Greece. Throughout his career Kakanias has created drawings, paintings, sculptures, performances, ceramics and books.
Kakanias' work does not belong to any single style. He is known to explore a range of themes in his work from the light and comic to the dark and psychologicalFrancois Jonquet " La foret ou nous pleurons" 2008
Career
Kakanias moved to Paris in 1979. He attended the Studio Berçot where he studied Fashion and Art (1981-1984). He was also taught by the Italian artist and stage designer Lila de Nobili. Kakanias started his career at 22, working as an illustrator for newspapers and magazines such as French Vogue and Vogue Italia. He created textile designs for Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Lacroix.
1984, Kakanias moved to Luxor, Egypt to study Ancient Egyptian art and remained there for a year. His art has been influenced by this experience. "Echoes of pharaohs and hieroglyphs reverberate in many of Kakanias' drawings today."Nathan Cooper "Konstantin's empire" C magazine, April 2006
Athens, Greece He has been working with Rebecca Camhi gallery for more than 30 years and has been extensively showing his work. Notable solo exhibitions of him at Rebecca Camhi Gallery are: 1998, "Yes, Yes, Yes," (exhibition and performance), Rebecca Camhi Gallery, October 22 - December 12 2009, "Daniel," Rebecca Camhi Gallery, October 12 - November 28 2012, Tependris Rising, Rebecca Camhi Gallery, October 24- December 22.
New York In 1988, Kakanias moved back to New York City where he collaborated with Tiffany and Barneys New York. His drawings were published by The New York Times and Vanity Fair. In 1991 he dedicated himself completely to making art. In 1995 he had a breakthrough exhibition "No More Stains" at the Postmasters Gallery in New York with sculptures and a performance.David Rimanelli, “Ars Immaculata.” Going On About Town. The New Yorker, May 22, 1995
In 1996 Kakanias introduced his fictional heroine Mrs.Tependris for an illustrated New York Times Magazine article. Mrs. Tependris, Kakanias' "alter-ego," is a caricature of an art collectorGavin Lambert, Introduction for the book Mrs. Tependris … just before the Olympics, published by the Greek Ministry of Culture, 2004 and a high society doyenneHamish Bowles, Introduction for the book Her Contemporary Years Rizzoli International 2002 who Kakanias uses as "a metaphor for the state of contemporary art and its superficial reception by the public".Alexandra Koroxenidis, “Putting oneself in the picture: The life of a fictional art collector“ Kathimerini-International Herald Tribune English edition, May 20, 2002 Mrs. Tependris has become a cult figureAlexandra Koroxenidis, “A cult figure's latest adventures“ Kathimerini-International Herald Tribune English edition, April 5, 2004 in the art community. In 1997 he created his first book Freedom or Death based on the adventures of Mrs. Tependris.
Los Angeles Kakanias moved to Los Angeles in 1997. For several years he continued working on the adventures of Mrs. Tependris and in 2002 published In 2004 Kakanias was commissioned by the Greek Ministry of Culture to create a book for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
Kakanias has exhibited around the world in museums and galleries, notably "Time Goes By So Slowly" at the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art in 2006 and "A Tribute to Antonis Benakis" at the Benaki Museum in 2004-5. In Rebecca Camhi gallery in Athens, Greece "Yes, Yes, Yes," (exhibition and performance). In 2008 he collaborated with Diane von Fürstenberg to create the comic book (DC Comics 2008). He has done numerous private commissions. In 2004 Kakanias frescoed a church in Spain for Carolina Herrera Jr.
Publications
Exhibitions Thirty Nine (Anna Wintour Glasses), Rebecca Camhi Gallery, 2012
References
External links Rebecca Camhi Gallery Hunter Drohojowska-Philp, “Meet the Artist’s Very Good. . Er, Friend.”, September 3 2000, Calendar, Los Angeles Times Alexandra Koroxenidis, “Putting oneself in the picture: The life of a fictional art collector“ Monday May 20 2002, Kathimerini-Herald Tribune English edition Alexandra Koroxenidis, “ A cult figure’s latest adventures “ Monday April 5 2004, Kathimerini-Herald Tribune English edition Volandes Stellene "Olympic Talent" Departures Magazine Jul/Aug-2004 Alexandra Koroxenidis, “ Cutout figures and motifs create a sculptural ensemble “ Monday January 3 2006, Kathimerini-Herald Tribune English edition YouTube: Konstantin Kakanias show "Pearl's Dreams", Lightbox Gallery, Los Angeles, 2006 Irina Aleksander, “Diane von Furstenberg Channels Her Inner Wonder Woman, But Do Superheroes 'Work' In Fashion?“ October 7, 2008, The Observer Christos Paridis, “Religion Should Be Like Sex“ 2009, 10percent.gr