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From Thursday, the 15th of September 2022, at 17:00, Roma Gallery will present the exhibition: “Opy Zouni- Theory of Shapes” until the 29th of October 2022. Paintings, sculptures, and fine-art objects of Opy Zouni created between 1970 and 2007 will be exhibited. The artist herself had been interested in the “psychoanalysis of shapes” and introduced shapes and patterns from the material world to the spiritual through her art. Perhaps Jeffrey’s Young’s theory about shapes had been used by her as an interpreting guide to her work? Visitors will be able to investigate their own “Early Maladaptive Schemas”, while these schemas will continue to grow and expand in space and time. “When art starts to be codified and repetitive, it loses its spontaneity. In this form, art can no longer abide by the strict and specific laws of geometry. That is the constant conflict between “logos” (reason) – logic, and intuition – emotion. My methodical yet liberating approach to work completes my artistic expression. I work with coincidences, and luck, elements which nurture my imagination and lead me to new forms of expression, and ideas. I accept the element of luck, while also guiding it. In nature stratification changes and accumulates in an irregular manner and rhythm, symmetries get formed.The rhythm creates repetitions inexorably. Repetitions create symmetries. This is the process that I believe a researcher artist follows. So I discover, I stand by repetitions through shapes and then through color. Color can highlight symmetry in the design, or break it and even vanish it. I usually work with different colors while using the same tone to create a sense of balance and support in the design.” Opy Zouni |
Opy Zouni was born in 1941 in Cairo, Egypt. There, she began to study painting, ceramics and photography and later, in 1963, she travelled to Greece to expand her knowledge at the School of Fine Arts, having as teacher Yannis Moralis. She drew inspiration on and studied in depth geometry through ancient Greek and Egyptian art. As she said: “These two civilizations are characterized by geometric structure and thinking” Thus, geometry would act as the artist’s missing link to the environment and her sensibilities. Much of her work is focused on three-dimensional paintings with intense scenery, where light and shadow are rendered through colour surfaces, while depth, perpective, and the notion of hallucination and optical illusion are rendered based on an architecturally structured, yet dreamy space. Also, alarge part of her study and experimentation is dedicated to light, resulting in the transition to sculpture and construction. Biographical Note… I started out with classical studies, first in Cairo and then in Athens. I felt at the time that they were for me the only possible adventure which I had to go through in order to find my own personality – as long as I did in fact have one!… Fortunately, I went through the experience of two totally different classical schools. Which made me think that Nietzsche’s remark in ‘The Realist Painter’ was totally to the point: All Nature faithfully’ – But by what feint. Can Nature be subdued to art’s constraint? Her smallest fragment is still infinite! And so he paints but what he likes in it. What does he like? He likes, what he can paint! Finally… There is continuity in my work to date, in other words there are no breaks so intense that one period is completely different from the preceding one. The same subjects, the same, more or less, concerns preoccupy me almost like obsessions. In art I feel that the illusion exists, and for this reason I have nothing against using in several compositions the geometric perspective of the Renaissance and other optical illusions. I would like to cite Delacroix at this point: ‘What is real for me are the illusions I create with my paintings.’ OPY ZOUNI 9/1979 EXHIBITIONS |
OPY ZOUNI
“Theory of shapes”
Duration: 15.09 – 29.10 2022
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Roads in Reflection, 1972-92 Acrylic on canvas and wooden construction 181 x 157 x 6 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Chessboard – Nature, 2002 Acrylic on canvas 160 x 160 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Black Impasse, 1980-81 Acrylic on wooden construction 112 x 114 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Fortified Houses, 2000 Acrylic on wooden construction + mirror 67 x 86 x 86 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Open Steps, 1978 Acrylic on wooden construction 113 x 140 x 5.5 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Passage-Triptych, 1979 Acrylic on cardboard construction 210 x 110 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Column and Horizon-Fire, 1990 Acrylic on wooden construction, steel 180 x 60 x 60 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Red Altar, 1977 Acrylic on wooden construction 85 x 122 x 4.5 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Parallelogram in perspective with human figure Acrylic on wooden construction 115 x 80 x 3.5 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Column with red capital, 2003 Acrylic on wooden construction, plexiglass 145 x 30 x 30 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Parallelepiped in the Space, 1982 Acrylic on cardboard 93 x 125 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Temple-Human-Target, 1978 Acrylic on wooden construction 81 x 90 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Waves, 1984 Mixed media on cardboard 75 x 55 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Crack, 1991 Acrylic on wood & mirror 100 x 51 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) House, 1990 Acrylic on cardboard and wooden construction + mirror 91 x 70 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Room without a view, 1992-93 Acrylic on cardboard and wooden construction 110 x 65 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Homage to de Chirico, 1979 Acrylic on cardboard 71 x 99 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Beam/Triptych Space, 1979 Acrylic on cardboard 70 x 84 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Mirror, 1987 Acrylic on wooden construction + mirror 100 x 70 x 4 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Four Cubes, 1984 Acrylic on cardboard and wooden construction 90 x 120 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) 3 Cubes in Metal, 1979 Lacquer colors on stainless steel 43 x 43 x 14 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Squares on Square, 1981 Acrylic on wooden construction 130 x 130 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Diagonals on the Square, 1981 Acrylic on wooden construction 130 x 130 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Wheels, 1970 Acrylic on cork and wooden construction 77 x 72 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Two Beams of Light in Blue – White, 1975 Acrylic on wooden construction 96 x 100 x 10 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Horizon, 1993 Print and acrylic on paper 40 x 120 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Homage to de Chirico, 1989 Acrylic on cardboard and wooden construction 72 x 102 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Inverted Cubes, 1992 Acrylic cardboard construction + mirror 50 x 70 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Red Doors –Vice Versa, 2008 Acrylic on canvas 102 x 50 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Magenta kite, 2001 Acrylic on wood 58 x 73 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Eight cubes in one cube, 2003 Acrylic on wooden construction 131 x 30 x 30 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Perivlepton, 1988 Acrylic on cardboard and wooden construction 56 x 58 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Story in square -Blue, 1994-2003 Acrylic on wood 40 x 40 x 2 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) 3 Cubes, 1979 Acrylic on cardboard construction 58 x 58 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Twin cubes- blue, 2006 Acrylic on wood 33 x 35 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Twin Houses Blue, 2005 Acrylic on wooden construction 59 x 70 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Twin Houses, 1999 Acrylic on wooden construction 58 x 70 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI (1941-2008) Column, 1988 Acrylic on wooden construction & mirror 97 x 25 x 25 cm | ![]() |
OPY ZOUNI
“Theory of shapes”
Duration:
15.09 – 29.10 2022
(1941-2008)
Roads in Reflection, 1972-92
Acrylic on canvas and wooden construction
181 x 157 x 6 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Chessboard – Nature, 2002
Acrylic on canvas
160 x 160 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Black Impasse, 1980-81
Acrylic on wooden construction
112 x 114 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Fortified Houses, 2000
Acrylic on wooden construction + mirror
67 x 86 x 86 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Open Steps, 1978
Acrylic on wooden construction
113 x 140 x 5.5 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Passage-Triptych, 1979
Acrylic on cardboard construction
210 x 110 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Column and Horizon-Fire, 1990
Acrylic on wooden construction, steel
180 x 60 x 60 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Red Altar, 1977
Acrylic on wooden construction
85 x 122 x 4.5 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Parallelogram in perspective with human figure
Acrylic on wooden construction
115 x 80 x 3.5 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Column with red capital, 2003
Acrylic on wooden construction, plexiglass
145 x 30 x 30 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Parallelepiped in the Space, 1982
Acrylic on cardboard
93 x 125 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Temple-Human-Target, 1978
Acrylic on wooden construction
81 x 90 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Waves, 1984
Mixed media on cardboard
75 x 55 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Crack, 1991
Acrylic on wood & mirror
100 x 51 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
House, 1990
Acrylic on cardboard and wooden construction + mirror
91 x 70 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Room without a view, 1992-93
Acrylic on cardboard and wooden construction
110 x 65 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Homage to de Chirico, 1979
Acrylic on cardboard
71 x 99 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Beam/Triptych Space, 1979
Acrylic on cardboard
70 x 84 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Mirror, 1987
Acrylic on wooden construction + mirror
100 x 70 x 4 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Four Cubes, 1984
Acrylic on cardboard and wooden construction
90 x 120 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Cubes in Metal, 1979
Lacquer colors on stainless steel
43 x 43 x 14 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Squares on Square, 1981
Acrylic on wooden construction
130 x 130 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Diagonals on the Square, 1981
Acrylic on wooden construction
130 x 130 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Wheels, 1970
Acrylic on cork and wooden construction
77 x 72 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Two Beams of Light in Blue – White, 1975
Acrylic on wooden construction
96 x 100 x 10 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Horizon, 1993
Print and acrylic on paper
40 x 120 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Homage to de Chirico, 1989
Acrylic on cardboard and wooden construction
72 x 102 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Inverted Cubes, 1992
Acrylic cardboard construction + mirror
50 x 70 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Red Doors –Vice Versa, 2008
Acrylic on canvas
102 x 50 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Magenta kite 2001
Acrylic on wood
58 x 73 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Eight cubes in one cube, 2003
Acrylic on wooden construction
131 x 30 x 30 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Perivlepton, 1988
Acrylic on cardboard and wooden construction
56 x 58 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Cubes, 1979
Acrylic on cardboard construction
58 x 58 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Twin cubes- blue, 2006
Acrylic on wood
33 x 35 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Twin Houses Blue, 2005
Acrylic on wooden construction
59 x 70 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Twin Houses, 1999
Acrylic on wooden construction
58 x 70 cm
OPY ZOUNI
(1941-2008)
Column, 1988
Acrylic on wooden construction & mirror
97 x 25 x 25 cm