Greece lightening

Mina Papatheodorou-Valyraki's beauty, exceptional energy and infinite passion leave a striking impression on all who meet her. The Greek artist's vibrant personality is reflected in each of her works of art, particularly those that are sports-themed. Herself a swimming and volleyball enthusiast, the artist's bold brushstrokes and use of color capture the competitiveness of sport, and evoke her sheer enjoyment of life.

Mina Papatheodorou-Valyraki brings dozens of her paintings of sprinters, skiers, wrestlers, racehorses and racing cars to show to Chinese viewers on her first visit to Beijing. Her exhibition, entitled The Mind and The Body, is jointly organized by Embassy of the Hellenic Republic and Beijing Jintai Art Museum. It is also a highlight of the Cultural Year of Greece in China, and activities that include plays, dances, exhibitions and seminars.

The artist's athletic oriented works are the fruits of years of studying the human anatomy. Justly proud of and inspired by the Olympic history and legacy of her motherland, she creates new paths of expression with her distinctive pictorial descriptions of each sport. The artist's inherent dynamism boldly delineates athletes to the extent that they not only dominate the paintings in which they appear but seem about to burst through their frames.