Omiros - Modern Artist - 1927-2010
Artist of Greek background and French national. Lived in Paris, France from 1953 to 1970. From 1970, he resided mainly in the United States and at times France, working both in Europe and the United States.
In the mid 1950s, Omiros established the concept of 'Free Space' based on the idea that emptiness of a canvas must translate a mind set free of any prejudgment or ideology, and a place where creativity is pure and uninfluenced. This spurred the Minimalist movement in the late 50s. Though the minimalist artists stopped there in this style, Omiros did not make it a restrictive ideology contrary to his concept of free space. This opened the way to dismiss style from influencing freedom of expression, including the very notion of abstract art itself, which at the time had set a restriction away from thematic realism. Freedom also meant to not stay within the confounds of a style.
Omiros' search of the purest form of artistic creation rejected any form of restriction in style. He always evolved as one can see in his 60 year career. However, there is a consistency and continuity throughout his works, where he always managed to incorporate opposites. He said that true innovation can be found at the place where extremes clash. Whether opposite colors, materials, or opposite styles, Omiros fearless faced the challenge and made them work together in one painting, not allowing cancelling effect rather use them to create something new. This is why he successfully introduced thematic expression all the while maintaining abstraction.
Selected solo show
1957 - Camille Renault Gallery, Paris, France
1958 - Gallery New Vision, London, England
1959 - Gallery One, Paris, France
1963 - Gallery du Haut Pavé, Paris, France
1965 - Gallery ‘Le Carrefour des Arts’, Sion, Switzerland
1972 - Clifford Furnas College at McDonald Hall, State University of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA (Byzantine paintings exclusively)
1977 - New York City Press and Information Center, 601 Fifth Avenue, New York City, NY
(Byzantine paintings exclusively)
1980 - The Armenian Genocide, Kavookdjian Hall, 630 Second Avenue New York City, NY (In the framework of his work on the Genocides and Massacres of the 20th. Century)
1981 - Athletic Club of New York, 180 Central Park South, New York, USA - Byzantine paintings exclusively)
1982 - Omiros Studio, 347 West 39th Street, New York City, NY, USA
1984 - Omiros Studio, 380 Mountain Road, Union City, NJ, USA
1988 - Omiros Studio, 45, rue de l'Echiquier, Paris 10, France
1991 - Omiros Studio, 380 Mountain Road, Union City, NJ, USA
1995 - The National Museum of Catholic Art and History, Olympic Tower, Fifth Avenue, New York City, USA (Byzantine paintings exclusively)
1995 - 1996 - Der Edenhaus Gallery, 43 Budapester Strasse, Berlin, Germany
1996 - Duo Automobile Coupé 77, 1 Berlin, Germany (Exhibition of Formula paintings)
1996 - Gallery Arttrust, 1375 Main Street, Sarasota, Florida, USA
1996 - Cultural Center of Casa Lamm Gallery, Alvaro Obregon No.99, Mexico City, Mexico
1996 - Modern Art Café, Coconut Grove, Miami, Florida, USA
1998 - Arttrust International, Inc., 501 Brickell Avenue, Suite 506 Miami, Florida, USA
1999 - Arttrust International, Inc., Falkenstrasse 4, CH-8008 Zurich, Germany
1999 - Erik Schaix Couturier, Fashion paintings exclusively. Paris, France
2000 - Arttrust International, Inc., Nürnberger Str. 8 D-10787 Berlin, Germany
2008 - Byzantine and Christian Museum, Athens, Greece. (One man show June 1 to September 1, 2010)
Omiros was consecrated as a master in modern byzantine iconography. The first artist who systematically rethought and recreated the entirety of religious iconography in modern art.
Murals and swimming pool in public space
1954 - Frescoes in Nice, Cimiez, France - For the ceiling of a private property
1963 - Two murals in Sologne, France - Property of Mrs. Segard
1963 - One mural in a private property, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
1966 - One mural in ceramic in rue de Transvaal, Paris, France
1967 - Two murals on cement in 38 and 44, rue des Envierges, Paris, France
1968 - One mural in ceramic in 21, Megalou Alexandrou, Salonica, Greece
1969 - One mural in ceramic in Kolonaki, Athens, Greece
1969-70 - 2 ceramic murals and 3 stained glass windows in the property of the art-dealer, Remy Narboni, in Vaucresson, 11, Allée des Genêts, France
1970 - One mural in ceramic in a College in Niort, Deux Sèvres, France - Commissioned by the Ministry of Cultural Services of the French Government
1971 - Decoration of a swimming pool 46 x 26 feet (14 x 8 meters) in Sands Point, Port Washington, Long Island, New York, USA
1976 - One ceramic mural and one stained glass, one ceiling in glass, one mural in plastic material, Union Turnpike and Springfield Bld., Flushing, L.I. USA
1989-90 - Entire decoration of Antipolis Cultural Center, Skhimatari, Beotia, Greece - Including two ceramic murals and the decoration in ceramics of a large swimming pool 66 x 33 feet (20 x 10 meters), ceiling decoration and a permanent display of 36 paintings
1995 - Decoration of a swimming pool 92 x 33 feet (28 x 10 meters) 380, Mountain Road, Union City, New Jersey, USA
2008 - Decoration of the ‘Omiros Building’. Bayonne, New Jersey USA - Including three rotating murals (8.5 x 33 feet each) and a fourth mural (12 x 19 feet) as water fall, all in ceramic tiles. Four stain glass round windows, 5 feet diameter
Publications
1981 - Book Publication of "Byzantine Art, A Contemporary View" edited in 3 languages, 416 pages, with 420 color illustrations.
2001 - Book Publication of "Abstract and beyond" edited in English, 500 pages, with 430 color illustrations.
2008 - Book Publication of second book "Byzantine Art, A Contemporary View #2" edited in English, 480 pages, with 435 color illustrations.
2008 - Book Publication of "Olympics Games and Beyond" edited in English, 290 pages, with 248 color illustrations.
2010 - Book Publication of "Mythlogims" edited in English, 290 pages, with 248 color illustrations.
Television Show about Omiros
1983 - CBS - Half-hour television program 'For Our Times'
Contact
Paul Hriso
Omiros Art Foundation
The Omiros Building
354 Avenue C, Bayonne, NJ 0002