Petros Efstathiadis’ work is based on the creation of sculptures and sets using an array of primitive raw materials he finds in the village where he grew up in Greece. ‘The performance’ is a playful representation of strange personalities, their unique experiences, their dreams, ambitions, hopes and failures… Once documented and photographed, the sculptures are dismantled and returned to their normal everyday state. The only thing remaining is the photograph, a document of the distorted memory which idealizes a country seeking an identity between East and West…
In Liparo & Bombs, Efstathiadis explores the modern paranoia that exists within society. There is an underlying frustration experienced by young people in relation to the expectations and misplaced values of roles in society. Efstathiadis explains that there was a time when the riots in Greece were seen as a show put on for the media. Petrol bombs everywhere, Athens was on fire. But the bombs that he creates are like children’s toys, they reflect war and fear, yet are completely harmless – a powerful and peaceful response to the absurd nature of modern day society which is in a state of general confusion.
A graduate from the University of creative arts, Farnham (Great Britain), Petros Efstathiadis lives in his native country, Greece. He contributed towards a collective exhibition at Xippas gallery in Athens in 2009 (Realities and Plausibilities) and in 2011 at the Ego gallery (Where the wild ones are), Barcelona. His work has been published in Wallpaper* and Monocle.
FESTIVAL
Hyères, International Festival of Fashion and Photography
April 26 – 29, 2013
Villa Noailles
83400 Hyères
France
