A statuesque statement

The Cultural Year of Greece in China, which started in September 2007 and will wrap up in the same month this year, will be presenting various theatrical performances, films, concerts and exhibitions about the history, society and art of the Hellenic culture.

This month, the acclaimed Greek artist Sophia Vari will give a solo exhibition of her paintings and sculptures at the Confucius Temple. There will be seven monumental sculptures of painted bronzes and 15 paintings.

Born 1940, near Athens, Vari left Greece to live in Paris during her adolescence. She is well acquainted with modern trends in sculpture, particularly cubism and surrealism.

She produces work that is full of sensuality, movement and intelligence. She is inspired by a wide variety of sources: sculpture from the Mayan, Egyptian, Olmec, and Cycladic traditions, Greek antiquity and Baroque designers.

As an accomplished sculptor, she is acutely aware of the artistic tradition. Her sculptures, even the most abstract ones, are stamped with the obvious beauty of the human form.

The artist says she wishes "to imbue shape, color and the geometry of human qualities, within a spatial context."

Her monumental sculptures are featured in many large cities throughout the world including Paris, Athens, New York, Montreal, Munich and Miami.

Chen Jie

9 am-4 pm, March 15 - April 22

Confucius Temple and the Imperial College, 13 Guozijian Jie, Dongcheng District 孔庙国子监 6532-4513

(China Daily 03/08/2008 page6)