Costis Georgiou ? Bleeding of picturesManos Stefanides, Curator of the National Gallery

Cornilios Castoriades during one of his lectures in Thessaloniki in 1993 underlined that ?? the role of intellectuals ? in the broad sense ? has unfortunately become negative starting some years ago. Basically, intellectuals contribute to the general commercialization and overall spectacle. They strive to discover what is there to be sold in the market of ideas, of books, of art etc. On the other hand in view of the oncoming barbarity, people, including all of us, may not be described as innocent?

Costis Georgiou is a painter who very early in his carrier chose in his art to be confronted but also familiar with the barbaric and archetypal element of expressionism, in order to precisely deal with this dawning barbarity in a drastic way and within the framework of a seemingly civilized society. This is the barbarity of perfect media, of high biotechnology, of robotic behavior, but also of vague objectives. Georgiou also very early opposed the tender violence of his explosive colors to the hypocrisy of all professionals of tenderness. Thematic entities of his picturing are sacrificial animals, totems, figures undressing themselves and animals sometimes functioning as persecutors and executioners and sometimes as defenseless victims. In his painting the demonical element co-exists with the holy in a vague way: while a profuse bleeding is ministered, the demon of painted flesh on the one hand, at the same time a catharsis is officiated through inner spiritual participation and transgression. His artistic field is realized at many levels, including tension, explosion, but also plastic tranquility and painted silence.

His form, mature and adequately restrained within its exuberance, is performed either through loudly expressing the euphoria of existence, or through mourning the drama and terror, also involved in existence. Drama in Costis Georgiou painting becomes visual action and terror becomes a trembling surface under inner tremors. However, quite paradoxically, under the fear one detects a subcutaneous sense of humor, the laughter of those determined in the face of their oncoming end. In a world with a dark future art has the task to safeguard its future, our future. Consequently, the game called ?future no future? acquires another, almost metaphysical dimension?It places art to an act of survival.

Today art bears the responsibility of resistance in the way that Castoriades suggested. Art, even though facing this difficult period of crisis, remains our firm right in dreaming. This dream on its own has the power to expand and eventually to reverse reality, whatever this might be.

Costis Georgiou the painter of warm colors and of even warmer gestures performs painting in order to pursue his right in dreaming and to exercise his other right in crying out?

14/05/99

Manos Stefanides
Curator of the National Gallery

What does the future hold for the world?
Is it only based on life-style and economy?
Is this a future where basic spiritual values will be replaced by shining material substitutes?
Is this a future where International Law will be without remorse replaced by arms and destruction?
I am crying out for the world and I choke.
I say BE AWARE OF PANDORA?S BOX
honorable governors of this world, as there will be
NO FUTURE.

17/05/99

Costis Georgiou