Alexandros Vasmoulakis

Alexandros Vasmoulakis’s vision and work are grounded in his Greek background, specifically the visual tensions between the ancient and the contemporary present in his hometown of Athens. Considering the aesthetics of ruins as well as graffiti, the artist explores the beauty that can result from destruction, a central tenet in his practice. Inspired by influences ranging from Abstract Expressionism to botanical art, Vasmoulakis draws on these different movements and genres to produce dizzying canvases that, while entirely abstract, sometimes offer hints of organic forms. Within the kaleidoscope of color and pattern, the viewer may find suggestions of a flower, the sun, the sea, or perhaps of a microscopic organism.

In his works––striking abstractions that materialize through vibrant colors––Vasmoulakis tirelessly pushes the boundaries of what abstraction can be through innovative techniques. Using a high-pressure water cleaner—the same kind used to clean graffiti from buildings—the artist scrapes away layers of oil paint and crayon to reveal traces underneath. His use of powerwashing speaks to his interest in using a subtractive method to create new textures and new abstractions. Another technique has been to incorporate crayons, which the artist makes from scratch using beeswax and oil. In the past, Vasmoulakis has collected candles from Greek Orthodox churches and melted them to create these crayons.

Vasmoulakis was born in Greece in 1980. He has held solo exhibitions at Eins Gallery, Limassol, Cyprus; The Breeder Gallery, Athens; Art Expertise, Athens; and Le Basse Projects, Los Angeles. His work has also been included in a wide range of group exhibitions, including Fondation Cartier, Paris; Antikenmuseum, Basel; Benaki Museum, Athens; and Bozar, Brussels, among others. He lives and works in Athens, Greece.