Bitsakis Emmanouil (1974)

He was born in 1974 in Athens. Initially he studied at the Vakalo Art & Design College (1991-1994) and the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens (School of Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, Pedagogy and Psychology). He went on to study painting at the Athens School of Fine Art, under Chronis Botsoglou (1996-2001). He presented his first solo exhibition in Athens in 2004 (Nees Morfes Gallery).
From his early works to date, he insists on the miniaturist depiction of persons and landscapes, with an emphasis on detail. He blends diverse motifs, which he handles with both humor and skillfulness. His narrative scenes and portraits give the impression of an irrational order, with depth and flattened perspective alternating, while paradox motifs interpose out of proportion, deconstructing the sense of reason. It is not a representation of reality, but a reflection on its structure. Allusions to art history and the past converse with personal experience and contemporary reality. The artist uses techniques of diverse origin, ranging from the medieval miniatures and the icon paintings of the Cretan School, to the early Renaissance and pop culture, composing a complex collage of references. The viewer is called to decipher the mystical and rather theatrical atmosphere of the works, paying attention to the details.
He has presented his work in solo shows in Greece and the United Kingdom. He has participated in numerous group exhibitions and international art fairs in Greece and abroad (Italy, Turkey, United Kingdom, U.S.A.). Selected works by him have been presented in two exhibitions of the ΒP Portrait Award (2007 and 2008: National Portrait Gallery, London). He was also given the BP Travel Award (China, 2008). In 2009, he published a notebook with drawings (facsimile reprint).