Interview
Markos Kampanis
Markos Kampanis was born in Athens in 1955. He studied painting in London. Mainly a painter but has also worked with printmaking, book illustration and church murals. He has done many one-man exhibitions and participated in numerous group shows in Greece and abroad. His work may be described as realistic, however with many technical and stylistic variations. His great, almost fetishistic, interest in materials and techniques, works alongside his academic interest for the history of art that led him to editing books and curating exhibitions. The subject matter is vast, focusing on landscapes, still life, trees but also on the actual process of painting itself and the world of his painting studio. During many years, his work was centered on Mount Athos, the independent monastic society in Greece. He is particularly interested in the relation between tradition and contemporary art. His recent projects are centered mainly on two subjects, Ruins and the topography of the Odyssey. Major exhibitions include shows at the Byzantine Museum (2010), the Greek National Library / SNFCC (2023-24) and the Benaki Museum in Athens (2025).
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I have been painting since childhood. My first ‘real’ painting was done at the age of 13 and it is a large oil painting on wood. It was evident from early on that I would devote myself in art. I have never thought I would immerse myself in my life in anything different. After finishing high school, I moved to England and studied painting at St. Martin’s School of Art in London. Apart from the actual studies there I think I was really taught by the almost daily visits to the National Gallery, the Tate and other Museums as well as numerous private galleries. It was the 70’s and as art students we used to see the latest creations of artists like Fr. Bacon, Lucian Freyd, Frank Auerbach and so on. It was this environment that shaped my aesthetics. In addition, eager to learn as much as possible about techniques and materials I was visiting regularly an art conservation studio, helping there and learning. Oddly enough It was there that I was introduced to the magic world of Byzantine painting that meant to have a profound impact on my style later on.”
What inspires you?
“I would say anything! I do not believe in such thing as is commonly understood by the word inspiration. I believe in hard daily work. I have ideas or sentiments, and try to give them form through painting, drawing or printmaking. I may be inspired by any subject matter, people, nature, history, as long as I come up with a way to make a visually interesting image. I totally agree with a definition of an artist I once read, saying that an artist is a person that goes to his studio every day. I believe it cannot be truer. True inspiration comes from the work itself. Every line, every tone, every shape once applied on the painting surface it immediately produces ideas for something new; it provides inspiration for the next painting. The way a painting is executed is more important than subject matter. Painting should communicate through its material qualities.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“The subject matter is vast, focusing on landscapes, still life, trees but also on the actual process of painting itself and the world of my painting studio. Art History itself has been an actual subject matter, like in the series of paintings I called ‘A Museum of Trees.’ It was a group of paintings presenting a visual history of painting from ancient times till modernism using the tree as a vehicle. During many years, my work was centered on Mount Athos, the independent Orthodox monastic society in Greece. I am particularly interested in the relation between tradition and contemporary art. My recent projects are centered mainly on two subjects, Ruins and the topography of the Odyssey. The last series of works was presented a few months ago and was inspired by Homer’s Odyssey, a series of mixed-media works, mainly artist’s books. My approach was not about illustrating scenes from the epic but creating a second Odyssey, a pictorial journey based on an imaginary and painterly geography, the product of my imagination and art. Political and social issues affect me as they do all fellow artists. Commenting on such issues does not form the core of my artistic practice. I have never left my art to be dominated my such issues, not even by my beliefs. I find more appropriate and aesthetically intriguing to let such kind of issues function in the background, to be implied rather than form the primary subject matter. Painting can be inspired or based on current problems but it is not a visual social comment.”
How would you describe your work?
“My style can be described as realistic with many diversions. I do not seek to follow a specific path but leave myself free to be guided by instinct. Each group of works prepares me for the next step. I am passionate with different techniques from true fresco murals to a digital photo. It is extremely varied both in subject and technique. I move freely from painting from nature to abstract compositions or from large scale religious murals to small size collagraphs or monotypes. I do not consider this approach as manifest of any kind of contradiction or lack of true commitment. I like to experiment and explore variations not only in art but also in life itself. I sometimes compare this to my musical preferences, I can easily listen during the same day classical opera or Greek folk music, hard rock or medieval madrigals, and pre-classical music or Indian without feeling confused. In any case, I am more interested in ethos rather than style. I am conscious of the fact that I do not seek to create and serve a certain recognizable style. Although it may at times be financially beneficial, the worst thing that can happen to an artist is copying his own personal style only to create a ‘brand.’”
Which artists influence you most?
“I have been influenced my seemingly very different movements or artists. Mainly by the Greek tradition and Byzantine art but at the same time by modern masters such as George Braque, Lucian Freud or British and American pop artists. I love looking at paintings that have seemingly nothing to do with my own approach to art, for example works by Francis Bacon or Mark Rothko and certain elements of their art has definitely influenced my aesthetic vision. A great source of inspiration are Medieval illustrations and early Renaissance masters like Paolo Uccello and Piero della Francesca.”
“My style can be described as realistic with many diversions. I do not seek to follow a specific path but leave myself free to be guided by instinct.”
What is your creative process like?
“I tend to work balancing between spontaneity and precision. I begin with a general sketch or a loose idea, and as the painting progresses, more precision emerges. Although my decision-making is highly intuitive, I do work on certain series that require a lot of research and investigation through the help of books, libraries or the internet. As a matter of fact, I feel equally at home working in a library or in my studio. I let my painting evolve organically, responding to its own needs and not to preconceived ideas of mine. There are many times that while working on a particular theme I will try and do variations with a different material or technique. Of course with easel paintings can be more flexible and easy going, while for large-scale murals I need to plan more meticulously, preparing detailed real size drawings and planning the color palette beforehand.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“That depends greatly on time and place we are talking about. It has never been the same in the course of History. Nowadays, I believe art can help raise people's awareness, It can help make people think in a different way than the one through logic and words. It can act as a mirror in a way and make people realize issues that have not been apparent to them. However, I do not believe that it may ‘change the world’ as many like to believe. After all it is sad but true to say that serious painting reaches only an extremely small minority of mankind. When during past centuries art was closely related to the Church or the state, then it had a vast audience to appeal to or to influence. Today it can challenge dominant narratives. It can help bridge cultural and ideological divides. It can universalize local stories or personalize global issues. Without being protest at it may introduce new visions.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“Apart from gallery shows I would mention the 2010 exhibition at the Byzantine Museum in Athens were my work done in relation to the monastic society of Mount Athos in Greece was exhibited. More recently during 2023-24 a retrospective exhibition took place at the National Library of Greece, ‘Works 1990-2020.’ A few months ago, my recent work based on Homer's Odyssey was shown at a truly spectacular exhibition at the Benaki Museum in Athens.”
