John CHRISTOFOROU
1921, England/Greece
Billedkunstner. Født 1921 i London af Græske forældre fra Smyrna
Uddannelse
En nabo der så den unge drengs talent for at tegne i 1935, påtager sig at betale udgifterne til hans studier på Athens Akademi for Fin Kunst, som han deltager ved i en kort periode. Her bliver han influeret at Græsk og Byzantinsk kunst.
Biografi
I 1941 begynder han fire års service i Royal Air Force, to af disse år i luft og hav redningsaktioner over det Indiske Ocean, for ofre for krigen og cykloner. Efter demobilisering, dedikerer han efterhånden tiden med at male samtidig med, at han opdager den moderne og nutidige kunst gennem besøg på de vigtigste museer i London.
I 1949 får Christoforou sin første solo udstilling ved Twenty Brook Street Gallery i London. Han slår sig ned i arbejderklasse distriktet ”Shepherds Bush” hvor han gennemgår en periode med intens aktivitet. På grund af de figurative elementer og det ekspressionistiske indhold i hans malerier, står Christoforou allerede i begyndelsen som en outsider i datidens kunstverden. Med tilbagevendingen af figurer i billedkunst fra starten af 1960´erne, bliver Christoforou anerkendt som en af forløberne for bevægelsen kendt som ”Ny Figuration”. Denne vigtige periode med overgangen fra 1950´ernes abstrakte kunst og til det figurative, der begyndte at dukke op i de tidlige 1960´er, er ofte overset i kunsthistoriens bøger. Han modtager prisen fra International Critics Association (ICA), London og har adskillige efterfølgende udstillinger i Sverige, Belgien og Holland og i 1966 præsenterer Galerie Birch med stor succes, Christoforou´s første soloudstilling i Danmark efterfulgt af andre i 72-76-80-99-2008
I 1990 får John Christoforou Fransk statsborgerskab.
Christoforou har haft mange udstillinger overalt i Europa og hans værker er udstillet i mange landes museer.
Udvalgte udstillinger
The Musee Galliera in Paris
FIAC
Musee d Art Contemporain of Dunkirk
Emfietzoglou Foundation i Athen, Grækenland
Athens Galleri
Centre des Arts Plastiques Alert Chanot
Strasbourg Art Fair
Musée des Beaux Arts
Source: http://www.galeriebirch.com
Painter. Born 1921 in London of Greek parents from Smyrna.
Education
A neighbor recognizing the boy's talent for drawing in 1935 and undertakes the expenses of his studies at the Athens Academy of Fine Art which he attends for a brief period, he is influenced by Greek and, most particularly, Byzantine art.
Biography
In 1941 he begins four years of active service in the Royal Air Force two years of which in air-sea rescue missions over the Indian Ocean for victims of the war and cyclones. After demobilization, he subsequently devotes his time to painting, while also discovering modern and contemporary art during visits to the principal museums of London.
In 1949 Christoforou gets his first solo show in London at the Twenty Brook Street Gallery. He settles in the working class district of Shepherds Bush, where he embarks on a period of intense activity. Due to the figurative elements and expressionist content in his painting from the very beginning, Christoforou stands as an outsider in the art world of the time.
With the return of figuration in painting, at the beginning of the 1960's, Christoforou is recognized as one of the forerunners of the movement known as "New Figuration". This important period of transition between the abstract art of the 1950's and the figuration appearing in the early 1960's, is often overlooked in books of art history. He receives the award of the International Critics Association (ICA), London, and have numerous exhibitions follow in Sweden, Belgium, and Holland, and in 1966, Galerie Birch presents Christoforou´s first one-man exhibition in Denmark and with huge success which leads to more in 72-76-80-99-2008
In 1990 Christoforou acquires French nationality.
John Christoforou have had many exhibitions all over Europe and is represented in many countries museums.
Selected exhibitions
The Musee Galliera in Paris
FIAC
Musee d Art Contemporain of Dunkirk
Emfietzoglou Foundation in Athens, Greece
Athens Gallery
Centre des Arts Plastiques Alert Chanot
Art Fair of Strasbourg
Musée des Beaux Arts
Source: http://www.galeriebirch.com