Contemporary Greek-born Australian artist, Paul Laspagis will unveil his latest creations in an exhibition titled “Hellenic Fields,” at the Victorian Artists Society Hammond Gallery from February 7 to February 20.
Centering on landscape, Laspagis explores the connection between reality and the artistic essence that lies within spaces.
“I’m interested in the landscape, the reality of the big spaces in which life happens,” says Paul Laspagis to Neos Kosmos.
The artist shares that “the light and the presence of the place come through in his work,” adding that “the drawings were directly created in the landscape of Greece.”
Born in Lemnos, Greece, Laspagis openly acknowledges the special significance the Greek landscape, holds for him, admitting that his Hellenic background has played a pivotal role in shaping him as an individual.
“As I grow older, I tend to fall back to my memories because I was born in Greece,” adds the Greek Australian artist, underlying the importance that lies in the realisation that regardless of one’s background – Greek or not – everyone is fundamentally an individual.
“In the bigger picture, there are two basic realities. There is the physical reality of light, form, and space in which all life exists and there is the metaphysical reality within the spirit of each conscious individual. For me, as a practicing artist, painting and drawing function as records of the dialogue between the two.”
Arriving in Melbourne as a young boy in 1957, Laspagis studied at the National Gallery Art School with John Brack and Alun Leach-Jones.
Over the years, he has “evolved a pictorial style which focuses on a structured subliminal order underlying the presence of the landscape and the figure.”
Identifying himself as “a mix of Melbourne and Greece,” Laspagis, currently residing in Melbourne, makes sure to regularly visit Greece every two or three years.
With around 30 solo exhibitions, he remains a committed painter, driven by his interest in sharing the broader perspective of landscapes with other human beings.
Having participated in group exhibitions in Athens and showcased his work at a contemporary Balkan art venue in Lemnos – “a beautiful building with a good collection from artists across the Balkan countries.”—the Greek-born artist, is actively engaged in the arts scene.
Planning a trip to Greece this year, he highlights that his drawing kit is his loyal travel companion – a constant source of inspiration wherever he goes.
“Whenever I go overseas in Greece, I take my drawing materials with me. Inevitably, I’ll get up every morning, go out drawing, bring the drawings back and perhaps develop them into something else.”
When: 7-20 February 2024
Where: Victorian Artists Society, Hammond Gallery, 430 Albert Street, East Melbourne, VIC
Opening: Saturday, 10th February, from 4.00 pm to 6.00 pm
