Artist defends sculpture after 'satanistic' claim

ATHENS - A sculpture by sculptor and painter Kostis Georgiou was placed on the beachfront avenue of the Athens Riviera on Dec 5.

The bright-red metal installation depicting a male figure with wings, was a donation from a Greek shipping family and was warmly welcomed by local authorities as another step in efforts to bring art closer to people who rarely visit museums and galleries.

By the year end Georgiou, the Mayor of Paleo Faliro Dionysis Hatzidakis, prominent academics and artists found themselves defending Phylax against a small minority of locals who rejected the work as "satanistic".