Skylakos Vasilis (1930 - 2000)

Born in Kiato, Corinthia in 1930, he studied at the Fine Arts Academy of Rome (1957-1960). He then lived for two years in Copenhagen (1960-1962) an two years in France (1962-1964) before settling in Athens in 1964.
Initially he practised painting, but soon went into wooden constructions and later, in 1972-1973, into experimenting with iron. In his wooden and iron construction the most disparate elements are combined into highly coherent wholes. He is gradually led to asystematic engagement with assemblage, creating compositions of existing small objects which, removed from theiroriginal context,trigger a mysterious feeling as well as the viewer’s curiosity. Old timepieces, earrings, bracelets, forks, glasses and fragments of dismantled objectsmake up new wholes with a new symbolic content, often emphasising a kitsch aesthetic together with a strongly humorous approach.At the same time, however, they constitute a clear social critique as the obsolete objects the artist employs often attest to the futility of a culture that seeks to determine its actions on the basis of material objects.
As a natural step forward, the artist creates environments which turn gallery spaces into familiar, universal everyday settings. A typical example is the exhibition of his studio, presented first at Desmos (1991) and later at the 7 Gallery.
He presented his work in solo exhibitions in Athens, Thessaloniki, Ioannina and in various cities abroad, and participated in dozens of group exhibitions in Greece as well as in major international events: Salon de la Jeune Sculpture (Paris 1976), Contradiction 77, (Centre Americain, Paris 1977), Contemporary Greek Painters and Printmakers (National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin 1979), Europalia 1982 (Brussels 1982), Peinture Grecque 1968-1988 (Brussels 1988), La Sculpture Grecque Contemporaine (Maison de l’Architecture, Paris 1991),etc.His works can be found at the National Gallery of Greece, the Vorres Museum, the Municipal Gallery of Rhodes, etc.