Agora Gallery to Host Contemporary Greek and Italian Art in NYC

The original works of three gifted Greek artists, Inna Orlik, Antonis Hambas and Maria Kavvou-Vlataki, will be on display in “The Odyssey Within: an Exhibition of Fine Art by Greek and Italian Artists”, a purely Mediterranean exhibition to be hosted at Agora Gallery, NYC, from December 23, 2011, through January 12, 2012.

The opening reception will take place on Thursday, December, 29, 2012, at 6 p.m., while the Gallery will be open to the public from Tuesday to Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (530 West 25th St, New York City).

Besides the main three Greek artists, the exhibition will host the works of several remarkable Italian artists, such as Vito Aroma, Fausto Arrighi, Fulvio Biancatelli, Perry Bianchini, Nietta d’Atena, Mara Fabbro, Veronica Ghio, Maurizio Giarnetti, Guglielmi Giovanni, Giovanna Grannò, Paola Guerra, Lisa Londi, Luciana Manelli, Ermeti Martina, Joshef Matè, Vito Matera, Ilde Maurizi, Monica Morganti, Armida “Pupa” Nardi, Palma Nasoni, Norma Picciotto, Bruno Pozzi, Adolfo Pretorino, Luciano Primavera, Alessio Ranaldi and Floriana Rigo.

All artists express themselves through their individual creative mediums. Touching and reflecting both personal journeys and events of public importance, these works contain aspects of vital truths accessible only through experience, and through the transformative power of art.

Celebrate the holiday season by bringing the warmth and energy of the Mediterranean to your day through art that will stay with you for a lifetime.

 

About the Greek artists

With a striking freedom and versatility, Greek artist Antonis Hambas moves between styles and subjects at will, exploring a variety of artistic avenues in his determination to express his philosophical inner thoughts and emotions in paint. Working in oil on canvas as well as occasionally with acrylic and spray paint, Hambas’ abstract works are visually complex, filling the surface with geometric repetition and texture.

Bottle caps, chains, canvas and other mixed media elements are layered beneath the paint, creating a striking dimensionality while often obscuring hidden imagery of representational portraits and nudes beneath his active abstractions. Other paintings are based more on an appreciation for graphic patterning of colors and shapes, or on the aesthetic visual appeal of the female body.

An artist from an early age who put his creativity aside for a time to focus on the family business, Antonis Hambas returned to his original passion in 2009 and soon after began exhibiting publicly in Athens, Greece.
Greek artist Maria Kavvou-Vlataki brings to life a love affair with paint as she abandons herself to the sensuous and sensual nature of her medium. Nude figures bathed in mood and mystery, flowers brilliantly exploding into bloom and glowing visions of natural beauty emerge in these wondrous creations.

In a style of both abstract and expressionist realism, Kavvou-Vlataki finds freedom in paint, fearlessly exploring new textures, methods, and subjects in watercolors on paper or acrylic on canvas, with occasional strategic touches of charcoal and mixed media. “My goal is to follow the painting where it leads me!” she exclaims.

Maria Kavvou-Vlataki recently renewed her career in painting with a triumphant return after an extended absence spent focusing on family and her work as a guide at various historical archeological sites and museums. Born in Greece on the island of Crete, the artist studied at the Privet Fine Arts School and now divides her time between studios on the islands of Crete and Paros.
Inna Orlik is a painter extraordinaire. Her paintings are intensely beautiful, populated by graceful figures, lovely plant-life, and idyllic landscapes. She is versed not only in painting, but in murals and art restoration, and so she easily navigates from oils to acrylic to tempera, ink, and modeling paste. Her paintings are rich and multilayered. A simple still life of a floral arrangement becomes a ravishing study of color, texture, and light.

Orlik pairs vivid contrasts with delicate line work, conveying to us the beautiful fragility of life. Some works celebrate the natural world and seasonal rhythms while others offer moments of quiet solitude. “Art is something never-ending and I would like to reach a point where I can find my place in the universe,” she explains.

Besides her personal art, Inna Orlik is a successful painter of religious icons, and has done work in a number of churches and monasteries. Her artwork may be found in collections around the world including in New York, Paris, Rome and Moscow. She lives in Greece.
About Agora Gallery

Agora Gallery is a fine art gallery, established in 1984 and located in the heart of New York City’s Chelsea art galleries district. It is famous for showcasing a spectacular array of talented artists from around the world and around the corner, while providing quality and original art to collectors. Exhibitions are usually group exhibits, presenting the work of a number of artists, but sometimes solo exhibitions focus on the work of one particular artist.

The gallery publishes ARTisSpectrum Magazine, a bi-annual magazine that is distributed to museums, galleries, art institutions and art schools around the world. It provides artists, collectors, museums, galleries, art organizations and enthusiasts with access to the work of international talented artists as well as feature articles, reviews and interviews.

Agora Gallery is the proud sponsor of ARTmine, one of the most comprehensive resources available worldwide to view and purchase fine art. The gallery also runs Agora Art Blog, a blog designed to provide helpful information and advice for artists while providing a forum for artists to help one another by sharing their experiences and thoughts.