Abstract Intervention | Moodboard
The moodboard draws inspiration from Abstract Intervention of Greek visual artist Yannis Moralis. The human, particularly female, form is the main subject of Yannis Moralis’s work. The academic approach of his early career gave way in the ’50s to more abstract formulations. In a quest for harmony and balance, in accordance with the fundamental spirit of classical antiquity, Moralis selected geometry as the ideal means of rendering space and the figures which inhabit it. Rhythm, order, a shunning of detail and description, and the simple palette which he gradually imposed in the course of an organic evolution underscore an archaic sense of grandeur and fullness.
Hilton Athens main façade
A peak moment in his architectural career was when he designed the two façades of the Athens Hilton Hotel (1959-1963), one of the ‘biggest’ – literally – artistic compositions to ever adorn a building in Greece, making the Hilton Athens a true open space work of Art. The project was a major challenge for the artist, as the two façades were gigantic: 39.90X16.10 = 626 sq. m. for each side. Moreover, the theme was not only clear but strictly imposed by the project commissioners: ‘Scenes from Ancient Greece’.
The main façade features a sort of a cross on top, which symbolizes the sun and whose sides create a pediment on which stands an Owl. On the left is the goddess Athena wearing her helmet and holding a spear and a small Nikē, the goddess Victory, in her hand. A shield and an olive tree lie at her feet, while next to her are an altar and two canephors presenting their offerings. The lower section depicts three avlitrides, and below it a chariot with its rider.
Yannis Moralis (1916-2009) is considered one of the most influential Greek artists of the 20th century. His influence on the Greek art scene has been overwhelming, while his contribution to the broader cultural sector has been outstanding, for which he deservingly got the title of ‘The Nobleman of Greek painting’. Yannis Moralis also expressed his artistic nature in his architectural creations. He donated the total of his architectural sketches to the Benaki Museum.
Contemporary Outfit
- Attiki shoulder bag | Zeus+Dione
- Stark cardigan & leggings | The Artians
- Thryallis marble candle holders | Two Is Company
- Amphitheater earrings | Fey Papanikou
