CONSTANTINE LIANOS’ SURREAL PORTRAITS OFFER A WINDOW INTO A DIFFERENT WORLD
Constantine Lianos is an Athens-based artist with a unique line in surrealism, utilising a range of different materials and techniques, from oils to marine paints and bold lines to pointillism. His dark paintings often have futuristic or fantastical themes, and although the stories behind them may sometimes be obtuse, they are striking and evocative images nonetheless. This is because Lianos is a master of capturing expressions – the emotion conveyed on the faces of his subjects, whether fear, resignation or surprise, catches a moment in time and hints at a rich story behind the painting.
Lianos, who is holding an exhibition in Athens this year, says that he is influenced by art as disparate as classical paintings and comic books. He describes his own work as, “directing some of my reflections, concrete or abstract, creating allegorical images”. As a result, his work stays in the mind long after viewing – a thought-provoking and slightly haunting depiction of half-discovered worlds.
Written for now-defunct arts, tech and culture website CubeBreaker.com