“Every artist must first and foremost be a person of their time”

THE WELL-KNOWN HERAKLION-BORN PAINTER SPEAKS TO “P” ON THE OCCASION OF HIS EXHIBITION AT THE BASILICA OF ST. MARK

By Antonia Koutsaki

In his works, his experiences, thoughts, and emotions are metabolized, creating a rich, internal dialogue with the viewer. After all, Nikos Moschos firmly believes in the interactive relationship between the viewer and the artwork before them.

This is the experience visitors will have at his exhibition, titled “Marginally Human”, hosted at the Basilica of Saint Mark from today, Friday, July 12th, until August 29th.

As the painter himself stresses in his interview with “P,” “Works cannot exist unless they carry ideas and emotions. When they have no reason to exist, they become mere decorative objects.”

Moschos’ work is a form of allegorical diary and, as such, he has not remained unaffected by life and socio-economic developments. “I consider it a given,” he says, “that every artist must first and foremost be a person of their time, with everything that entails.”

Born in Heraklion, he came into contact with painting and the codes of art very early on, largely influenced by the environment in which he grew up. It is no coincidence that his father is also a well-known artist, Takis Moschos.

He feels happy to be returning to his birthplace. “It is a great honor for me,” he notes, “that the exhibition is hosted at the Basilica of Saint Mark, a place with incredible energy and centuries of history. This space is deeply connected with my childhood and teenage years, as I received very significant aesthetic stimuli there.”

The full interview follows:
Nikos Moschos
“Works cannot exist unless they carry ideas and emotions”

– What inspired the title “Marginally Human” for your exhibition?

– The title of the exhibition came from the text by Christoforos Marinos and specifically from his reference to German philosopher Peter Sloterdijk. Sloterdijk argues that after the dominance of mass media and networking, human coexistence and culture have been placed on new foundations. He calls these “posthumanist” or “marginally human.”
This adverb, “marginally,” gave us the idea for the title, as I believe it also directly relates to the way my works have been structured in recent years.

– What connects the works created between 2012 and 2019 with the pieces being exhibited for the first time?

– Since 2012 my works have been born from associations that begin in reality and, through mental shifts and transcendences, return back to it. This perception evolves constantly. I would say it is the recording of an allegorical diary, so there is conceptual and artistic continuity from past to present.

– Are you interested in conveying messages through your works?

– My relationship with painting is experiential. My works metabolize my experiences, thoughts, and emotions. Through them, I attempt to create an internal dialogue with the viewer. I firmly believe in the interactive relationship between artwork and viewer. Works cannot exist unless they carry ideas and emotions. When they lack a reason to exist, they become mere decorative objects.

– What are the roots of your art and the influences behind it?

– The influences are countless and began when I was very young. I have been shaped equally by the things I identify with and the things I feel completely alien to. That’s how I understand it as I grow older and discover things I never knew about myself.
Consciously, I can recognize references in my painting that range from Baroque, Expressionism, and New Objectivity to comics, cinema, and Dada mechanical sculptures. These, however, are fluctuating points of reference that enrich my personal idiom without imposing themselves on it.

– Why do you think the words “amalgam,” “alloy,” “maelstrom,” “fusion,” and “crucible,” as art historian Christoforos Marinos says, best represent your work? What elements do you combine to create a painting?

– I believe that with these descriptions, Christoforos accurately referred to my works—especially those from 2012 to 2016.
I shape my images through the mixture of recognizable and abstract elements. Although initially unrelated, they end up penetrating one another, forming a narrative that does not belong to a specific place or time. Nevertheless, it approaches reality in an allegorical way.

– How did you discover your talent in painting, given that your father was already an established artist?

– My exposure to painting and the codes of art began very early, mainly because of the environment in which I grew up. I perceived it as a completely natural, everyday process, without any sense of obligation or time constraints.
The need to create, after a certain point, does not take into account any encouragement or discouragement you may encounter externally.

– Did your parents encourage you, and in what way?

– My parents encouraged me to attend the School of Fine Arts, although they didn’t necessarily expect me to make a living exclusively from painting. The idea seemed somewhat far-fetched to them, as they did not have a clear picture of the art market in Athens, let alone abroad.
It is also well known that in Crete those who mostly earned a living from their art were (and still are) icon painters, so they also considered that a potential path.

– How easy was it to develop your own artistic identity?

– What we call identity or personal style is formed gradually and continues to evolve, just like my perception and character. Like many artists, in my early years I subject myself—consciously or unconsciously—to various challenges through the mediums I used. I explored my expressive limits and through them, myself.
There are certainly common threads from then until now, which developed alongside me. As time passes, the self gains ground over the rules and doctrines that shape one’s understanding of this art form.

– Do contemporary socio-economic conditions influence your work?

– As I mentioned earlier, my work is a form of allegorical diary, and I believe this holds true for most artists in one way or another. You cannot remain untouched by life. Even in artists who do not directly reference socio-economic developments thematically, you can see how their “handwriting” has changed.
I consider it a given that every artist must first and foremost be a person of their time.

– What is Heraklion missing in order to become your base?

– If I had chosen a different lifestyle from the one I have now, Heraklion and Crete would be ideal.
Artistically, however, what concerns me and what I’ve been developing all these years would not find fertile ground in the relatively calm life of Crete. My character matured in Athens, though my roots remain intact. The stimuli in Athens differ both in quality and intensity. In Crete I would paint differently—I would be a different person.
Also, in economic terms, there isn’t an organized system of galleries, collectors, art historians, and other contributors who could collectively support an artist’s career development.
This is not only a “disadvantage” of Crete; everywhere in the world, the strongest art-supporting mechanisms are found in capital cities.
In Heraklion, things happen in a more fragmented way compared to Rethymno or, even more, Chania. Lately I also see Agios Nikolaos becoming active. The scene is becoming more dynamic and could lead to something more integrated and promising.

– You also studied photography. Has this influenced your painting?

– During my studies, photography may have influenced my work to some extent. However, in recent years, as pictorial space and time have condensed in my works, I am certain that I draw more inspiration from cinema.

– Do you make a living from your art?

– I have lived from my painting from early on. I worked obsessively from my first years at the School, and I was fortunate that the right eyes saw my work. In my third year, during a student exhibition, Manos Stefanidis—then director of the Frissiras Museum—noticed my work. A few days later, Frissiras bought several pieces and exhibited them.
There, Angelos Delivorias saw them and sent me a letter asking me to create a portrait of Antonis Benakis for the new Benaki Museum on Pireos Street. I was still in my fourth year. Before I even graduated, collectors had already begun acquiring my work.
Then followed collaborations that went unexpectedly well commercially, which helped my career progress, allowing me to devote myself entirely to what I love.

– What does returning to your hometown mean to you?

– The invitation from the Region of Crete and especially from the Deputy Governor of Culture, Mr. Kostas Fasoulakis, made me incredibly happy from the very beginning. I am delighted to present works from recent years to my fellow Cretans and beyond.
It is a great honor for me that the exhibition will be hosted in the Basilica of Saint Mark—a place with immense energy and centuries of history. This place is deeply connected with my childhood and teenage years, as I received significant aesthetic stimuli there.
Despite being quite young at the time, I have vivid memories of exhibitions such as those dedicated to El Greco, the Fayum portraits, and many more. It is meaningful for me that this exhibition inaugurates the renovated Basilica, and I would like to thank the Municipality of Heraklion and especially the Deputy Mayor of Culture, Ms. Aristea Plevri.

– What places in Heraklion would you recommend to a visitor?

– Assuming that an archaeological site would be a priority, I would suggest the Archaeological and Historical Museum.
In my recent visits, I always make time for the Historical Museum and its periodic exhibitions—such as those from the Portalakis Collection—and the exceptional examples of Cretan School icons, like the small-scale Christ by Emmanuel Tzanes.
Speaking of the Cretan School, I would encourage anyone not to leave before seeing the magnificent works of Damaskinos at Agia Aikaterini of the Sinai Fathers.
Finally, a walk from the Venetian shipyards to the end of the pier—with a stop at the Koules fortress—is always worthwhile.

Today’s opening

The exhibition opens today at 7 p.m. at the Municipal Art Gallery of Heraklion / Basilica of Saint Mark. It includes works created from 2012 to 2019, belonging to Greek and foreign collections, along with pieces being presented for the first time.
A catalogue with texts by art historian Christoforos Marinos and James Wright, Emeritus Professor of Classical Archaeology, will accompany the exhibition.
Opening hours: Monday–Friday 09:00–14:00 and 17:00–21:00.
Saturday 09:00–14:00.
Closed