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| Greek artist Angeliki Angelidis poses with her painting "Dream," which references cherry blossoms of Korea and almond blossoms of Greece, at Keumsan Gallery in central Seoul, April 13. Angelidis's works combining Korean and Greek elements are on view at her exhibition "Climbing," which runs through May 9. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yoo |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Greek Angeliki Angelidis's works are full of colorful flowers and symbolic representations of both Korea and Greece. Her fascination with Korean cultures has led Angelidis to incorporate Korean history and philosophy into her artwork, creating a fusion of the two cultures reflected in her vibrant and vivid paintings.
Angelidis holds her first exhibition in Korea titled "Climbing," under her artist name Cheonsa, which means "angel" in Korean, at Keumsan Gallery in central Seoul.
"Upon learning Korean, I found numbers to be a challenge, except for the number 1,004. My teacher informed me that in Korean, it is pronounced the same as the word for 'angel.' Given that my Greek name includes 'angel,' I felt a sense of fate and adopted it as my artist name," the artist told The Korea Times at the gallery, April 13.
The exhibit, the first for the artist in Asia, features 24 artworks, expressing Angelidis's thoughts on cultural diversity and energy through the object of flowers.
"In the exhibition you will not see the pale colors of Oriental art or women with traditional clothing and hairstyles that look toward the East," she said.
"I present stories, proverbs and sayings of Korea, as they were imprinted through my own Greek point of view. I have created works with elements of Korean history and culture, tied to corresponding Greek elements, and from this fusion, the colorful and vivid stories that I want to tell have emerged."
Angelidis, who originally worked in the field of management and marketing in the beauty industry, shifted her interest to visual art and Eastern philosophy and studied at Vakalo Art and Design College.
She discovered similarities between Korea and Greece, as both countries have experienced invasions by foreign powers.
"I fell in love with Korean culture even more deeply and wanted to know more about Korea, which serves as a passage between China and Japan. I started Korean philosophy, culture and language, with a particular focus on how the language can unlock the secrets of the culture," she said.
"My work represents Korea, but there are also Greek elements in it. Greece is a bright country with a lot of light and I found that light in Korea which reminded me of Greece."
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| Greek artist Angeliki Angelidis' works are on display at her exhibition "Climbing" at Keumsan Gallery in central Seoul. Courtesy of Keumsan Gallery |
An example is her series of paintings titled "Air-Sky," "Fire," "Water" and "Earth," which symbolize the four elements depicted in the four black trigrams of the Korean flag, also known as geon-gon-gam-ri.
"The Korean symbolic elements are complemented by the blue shades and waves of the Ionian and Aegean seas, representing Greece's cultural and historical significance," Angelidis explained.
The "Dream" series may evoke the image of cherry blossoms for Koreans, while Greeks will find almond flowers in the painting. The artist hopes that everyone, regardless of nationality, will find something in her works that reminds them of home.
"I want people to know that my journey from Greece to South Korea was extraordinary. I paint for myself, and I want people to look at my paintings and see my soul," the artist said.
The exhibition is a part of the celebrations for the 70th anniversary of the armistice of the 1950-53 Korean War, organized by the Embassy of Greece in Seoul.
Greek Ambassador to Korea Ekaterini Loupas said Angelidis' exhibition in Seoul serves as a platform for cultural exchange between Greece and Korea, shedding light on the decades-long friendship between the two countries, dating back to when Greek soldiers and nurses participated in the Korean War.
"We are very happy to be able to invite Angeliki to Korea for different reasons than 70 years ago," the ambassador said, adding that she hopes that art will inspire and bring the two countries closer together.
The exhibit runs through May 9.
