“Others speak about themselves when they talk about abstract things. I speak about others when I talk about myself,” Lukas Samaras said, the pioneering Greek-American artist who passed away at the age of 87, leaving behind a significant body of work.
His name is rightfully included among the most important representatives of post-war modern art as he opened new paths in artistic creation.
He was born on September 14, 1936, in Kastoria, and in 1948, at the age of 12, he emigrated with his mother to New York to join his father, who had been living there since 1939.
In 1955, he became a naturalized American citizen himself.
Starting with painting, he continued to explore sculpture and printmaking before ultimately embracing photography, which he gave a different, revolutionary dimension.
His works, primarily human-centric, reflected various aspects of himself and served as a unique form of self-exploration.
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Throughout his artistic journey, he participated in numerous major international art exhibitions, and his solo exhibitions were hosted in the most prestigious venues worldwide, from the Museum of Modern Art in New York to the Center Pompidou in Paris.
His works were also exhibited in Greece as part of exhibitions held, among others, at the National Gallery and the Museum of Cycladic Art, while in 2009 he represented our country at the Venice Biennale.
