 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
NIKITAS FLESSAS (Greece, Messenia, Thouria b. 1936 / act: Athens) |
Nikitas Flessas was born on 15 September 1936 at Thouria in the prefecture of Messenia in the Peloponnese, Greece. He studied with Yorgos Manousakis (1914-2003). He has been a painter by profession since 1966, and held his first exhibition in 1969 at Heraklion, Crete. Since then he presented his work in more than 27 personal exhibitions and took part in many group exhibitinos , as well as all the Panhellenic exhibitions.In Flessas' first years, using oils and temperas, his painting is schematic, reflecting influences from the academy. Around 1976 he adopted egg tempera as his main material. The artistic atmosphere of that era, which inspired experimentation, led him to a personal style and in the years that followed he proposed a realism with evident spirituality and metaphysical elements. This evolution of his personal style gradually revealed that his interest does not focus on the external representation, but on an internal reading. This choice became more obvious in 1991 with the presentation of the Archetypal Images series. Thenceforth he run through the basic characteristics and the composing elements of this cycle, that he developed and altered, each time aiming to emphasize on a different aspect, on reaching a different artistic result. These paths are characterized by an obvious subversion of realism's pretexts. His deviations of design and the use of surprising colour, dynamically form an original artistic proposal, which continuously evolves and transforms. In this evolution many unities are formed, which organize and project a work spirit mainly, while simultaneously echo his deeper view on art, as a space of multiple reading of the world, as a means of free personal interpretation.
Nikitas Flessas presented the following personal exhibitions: Art Gallery, Heraklion, Crete (1969); Art Gallery, Kalamata (1970); Diogenes Gallery, Athens (1971); Astor Gallery, Athens (1973); Ora Cultural Center, Athens (1975, 1991); Kreonidis Gallery, Athens (1976, 1978); Kochlias Gallery, Thessaloniki (1979); Argo Gallery, Athens (1984, 1987); Art Gallery, Trikala (1984); Agathi Art Gallery, Athens (1985); Panselinos Gallery, Thessaloniki (1985); Hyakinthos Gallery, Kifissia (1988); Astrolavos Art Gallery, Piraeus (1989); Skoufa Gallery, Athens (1993, 1996, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2009); Ekfrasi Gallery, Thessaloniki (1994); Magna Gallery, Athens (1997); Wigmore Fine Arts, London (1997); Trigono Gallery, Kifissia (1997); and Polygnotos Gallery, Heraklion, Crete (1999).
Artworks by Nikitas Flessas are kept in the following collections: Alpha Bank, Athens; The American College of Greece, Agia Paraskevi; Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Athens; Teloglion Foundation of Art, Thessaloniki; Municipal Art Gallery, Kalamata; Museum of the City of Athens, Athens; National Bank of Greece, Athens; National Gallery - Alexandros Soutzos Museum, Athens; Pinakothiki Kouvoutsaki, Kifissia; Public Library, Kalamata; Portalakis Collection, Athens; Vorres Museum, Peania.
Nikitas Flessas currently lives and works in Athens. He is a member of the Chamber of Fine Arts of Greece - EETE.
[Megakles Rogakos 09/2010]
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
STEFANIDIS, MANOS The Boundaries of Precious in Nikitas Flessas - Tensions/Magnifications 2009 Skoufa Gallery, Athens
