Ikia Garipis is an art institute based in the island of Mykonos. Our approach is not about selling the artworks but helping potential collectors understand art. Contemporary art is born out of the anxiety to sell. We, on the other hand, want to present art that cannot be bought and sold, a non time based art, a non ephemeral art.

Our aim is to present what is worth looking at in an art fair. The art fairs should be a place in society where the general public comes in a state of open minded curiosity, a place of wonder and questioning and discovery and civic togetherness, a place where we come together expecting to see something that will challenge us, an open space, a democratic space, a space where new ideas emerge.

At a moment of art fair fatigue we choose to focus on just one artist. This artist is Giorgos Stathopoulos. Giorgos Stathopoulos is a 73 years old Greek painter who does not plan to stop working anytime soon. He is painting every single day and painting keeps him young. His work is disciplined like an Ancient Sparta soldier, but he’s Athenian in person: very funny and personable. For Giorgos Stathopoulos any painting must be related in some way to nature. The aim of the current exposition at Thessaloniki, a town steeped in culture, is to create a new meaning and perhaps a new analysis of Giorgos Stathopoulos in terms of his context or in terms of vanity, when death becomes art and death subjects a means to rekindle life.

It is a learning experience to work with artists, to think about art and art production. Ikia Garipis and Giorgos Stathopoulos wanted to give people some excitement and surprise, a pendulum between chic and choc. We enjoyed ourselves, we enjoyed creating these artworks. The artworks we are presenting is a game with the viewer because what you are looking at is not really what you expect to see.