Vlassis Caniaris was born in Athens in 1928, where he died in 2011.  From 1956 to 1960 he lived and studied in Rome and then settled in Paris until 1971.  From 1973 to 1975 he lived in Berlin and then returned to Athens where he lived and worked until his death. In 1976 he was elected to the chair in Architecture at the National Technical University and remained until 1996. 

EDUCATION

1959

School of Fine Arts, Rome, Italy.

1950-1955

School of Fine Arts (studios of Umbertos Argyros, Yiannis Pappas, Panos Sarafianos and Yiannis Moralis), Athens, Greece.

1946-1950

University of Athens, School of Medicine, Greece.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2023 “Vlassis Caniaris: Selected Works 1960s – 1980s”, The Hellenic Centre, London, UK

2022 “Vlassis Caniaris: Selected works”, Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Zurich, Switzerland

2017

Art Basel 2017, Solo presentation at ‘Feature’ by Kalfayan Galleries.

2016

“Vlassis Caniaris – Bound for Tinos III” (solo show) (Curated by Christoforos Marinos), Cultural Foundation of Tinos, Tinos.

“Vlassis Caniaris” solo show, Galerie Peter Kilchman, Zurich, Switzerland.

2015

“What’s North, What’s South?”, Kalfayan Galleries, Athens, Greece.

“Vlassis Caniaris”, Galerie Kadel Willborn, Düsseldorf, Germany.

2012

“Vlassis Caniaris”, GAK, Bremen, Germany.

“Cocktail”, Kalfayan Galleries, Athens, Greece.“Vlassis Caniaris – Composition 1974”, Gallery 4, Henry Moore Institute, Leeds, UK.

2011

“In Praise”, Omonia Square, Athens, Greece. In situ installation as part of a project of the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Athens.

 “Sculptures:  1973-74”, Team Gallery, New York, USA.

2010

“Vlassis Caniaris”, Galerie Giti Nourbakhsch, Berlin.

2009

“Antidoro” (1-day performance), The Breeder, Athens, Greece.

‘Genethlion’, Arnados School, Tinos, Greece.

“Arrivederci – Willkommen”, Kalfayan Galleries, Athens, Greece.

2008

“Anniversary - Vlassis Caniaris’ eightieth birthday), Benaki Museum, Athens, Greece.

2004

“Vlassis Caniaris, 1957-2004”, Municipal Museum of Chania, Crete.

Zina Anastasiadou Gallery, Thessaloniki, Greece.

2003

“Give the People what They Want”, Foundation for Hellenic Culture, New York, U.S.A.

2000

“Retrospective”, State Museum of Contemporary Art, Thessaloniki, Greece.

1999

“Vlassis Caniaris: A Retrospective”, National Gallery and Alexandros Soutzos Museum, Athens, Greece.

1996

“Vlassis Caniaris”, Aria Gallery, Cephalonia, Greece.

1994

“Caniaris”, Galerie 3, Athens, Greece.

1992

“Vlassis Caniaris: Mes enfants, Neue Gesellschaft für Bildende Kunst”, Staatliche Kunsthalle, Berlin, Germany.

Official Opening of Art Athina, Athens, Greece.

1991

“Caniaris”, Vafopouleio Cultural Center, Thessaloniki, Greece.

“Caniaris”, Paratiritis Gallery, Thessaloniki, Greece.

Karl Ernst Osthaus-Museum, Hagen, Germany.

1989

“Vlassis Caniaris 1956-1959: Reference – Re-Reference”, Titanium Gallery, Athens, Greece.

Municipal Art Gallery, Patras, Greece.

1988

“Vlassis Caniaris”, Macedonian Center of Contemporary Art, Geni Mosque, Thessaloniki, Greece.

1983

“Vlassis Caniaris im Museum am Ostwall”, Dortmund, Germany.

1981

Galerie im Traklhaus, Salzburg, Austria.

Galerie Bama, Paris, France.

1980

“Hélas, Hellas, or The Artist and His Model”, Technohoros Bernier, Athens, Greece.

1975-1976

“Vlassis Caniaris, Gastarbeiter-Fremdarbeiter”, Neue Gesellschaft für bildende Kunst Berlin, Berliner Künstlerprogramm des DAAD, State Museum ‘Gallery of the 20^th Century’, Berlin, Germany (exhibition traveled in 1975 to the Heidelberger Kunstverein, the Kunstverein Ingolstadt, the Museum Bochum and in 1976 to the Hannover Kunstverein as well as the Institute of Contemporary Art in London).

1974

Giancarlo Bocchi Gallery, Milan, Italy.

1972

“Vlassis Caniaris”, Poll Gallery, Berlin, Germany.

Galerie Bauer & Pietschner, Bochum, Germany.

1971

“Vlassis Caniaris Grekiskt Vittnesmal”, Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Sweden.

1970

“Vlassis Caniaris”, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, France.

“Caniaris, Sculptures”, Maison des Jeunes et de la Culture, Champigny, France.

“Caniaris”, Galerie Fritzroy, Brussels, Belgium.

1969

“Caniaris”, New Gallery, Athens, Greece.

1967

Prado de l’Anteno, Madrid, Spain.

1964

“Caniaris: Collages – Reliefs”, Florence Houston-Brown Gallery, Paris, France.

“Caniaris: Personages – Objets – Reliefs”, Galerie J, Paris, France

“Caniaris”, Galerie Le Zodiaque, Brussels, Belgium.

1963

Galerie le Zodiaque, Brussels, Belgium.

1962

Galleria Cadario, Milan, Italy.

1960

Galleria La Tartaruga, Rome, Italy.

1958

“Vlassis Caniaris”, Zygos Gallery, Athens, Greece.

GROUP EXHIBITIONS (SELECTED)

2024

Joseph Beuys and Vlassis Caniaris, Tate Modern, Room 8.

“There is no there there”, Museum MMK Für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt, Germany.

“Making the Conditions Dance, 50 Years of Kemnade International”, Kunstmuseum Bochum, Germany.

2022

“ How long is Now? , The Israel Museum, Jerusalem.

“A Family History: Collection(s) Robelin”, MAC, Lyon, France.

2021

“Corpus Domini. Dal corpo glorioso alle rovine dell'anima”, Palazzo Reale, Milan, Italy.

“PORTALS”, NEON Foundation, Former Public Tobacco Factory, Athens, Greece, cur. Elina Kountouri and Madeleine Grynsztejn.

“Preview and Predict”, Kalfayan Galleries, Athens, Greece.

“Body & Soul. Thinking. Feeling. Brushing Teeth", Works from the Collection of Museum Ostwall at Dortmunder U, Germany.

2019        

‘Accounting for Platonic Love: Collection of the Museum of Modern Art Warsaw’, BWA Gallery.

‘The Sensation of Space’ (curators: Leigh A. Arnold & Thomas Feulmer), The Warehouse, Dallas, USA.

Inauguration of the Basel & Elise Goulandris Museum, Athens, Greece. Permanent collection.  

‘Accounting for Platonic Love: Collection of the Museum of Modern Art Warsaw’, BWA Gallery, Zielona Góra.

‘Writings on the Wall’ (group show: Brassaï, Vlassis Caniaris, Jean Dubuffet, Manolo Millares, Antoni Tàpies and Cy Twombly), Waddington Custot gallery, London.

‘Untitled II. Greek Post-war Αbstraction: The heroic years’ (Curators: Thouli Misirloglou, Yannis Bolis), MOMus-Museum Alex Mylona, Athens, Greece.

‘Unwritten Library’ (curator: Anna Kafetsi), AnnexM, Megaron, Athens, Greece.

‘Great Greek Painters: Museum of Modern Art in Rhodes’, Theoharakis Foundation, Athens, Greece.

2018

“La verità é sempre un’ altra, Truth Is Always Something Else. A dialogue between two Collections”, Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, Rome.

“A Good Neighbour – On The Move”, PINAKOTHEK DER MODERNE, Munich.

2017

‘A Good Neighbour - On the move”, Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, Germany.

Documenta 14, Athens & Kassel.

“Constellations. Highlights from the Nation's Collection of Modern Art”, Tate Liverpool, UK

2016

“Uncertain States. Artistic Strategies in States of Emergency”, Akademie der Künste, Berlin, Germany.

“Protest” (group show), Victoria Miro Gallery, London, UK.

Unlimited at Art Basel, Installation titled: “In Praise”. Collaboration of Kalfayan Galleries (Athens – Thessaloniki) and Galerie Peter Kilchmann (Zurich)

“Atopolis”, Wiels Contemporary Art Center, Mons. In the realm of ‘Mons 2015 - European Capital of Culture’.

2015

“Dirty Linen”, Benaki Museum, Athens, Greece.

2014

10^th Gwangju Biennale: “Burning Down the House” (curated by Jessica Morgan), South Korea.

2013

“The Encyclopedic Palace” (curated by Massimiliano Gioni), 55^th Venice Biennale, Arsenale, Italy.

“Hell As Pavilion” (curated by Nadja Argyropoulou), Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France.

2011

“A Rock and A Hard Place” (curated by Paolo Colombo, Mahita El Bacha Urieta, Marina Fokidis), 3^rd Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art, Greece.

“Ντέρτι Humanism” (curated by Nadja Argyropoulou), Faggionato Fine Art, London, UK.

Arte Fiera, Kalfayan Galleries (Athens-Thessaloniki), Bologna.

2009

“Vlassis Caniaris: In Contrapunto”, National Bank of Greece Cultural Foundation, Athens, Greece.

2007-2008

“Greek Artists in Germany and German Artists in Greece”, Municipal Museum of Athens, Greece.

2006

“The Grand Promenade”, (exhibition in various sites around the city of Athens, Greece).

“Projekt Migration”, Cologne, Germany.

2005-2006

“The Years of Defiance: The Art of the ‘70s in Greece”, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Athens, Greece.

2004

“Exercises”, Zina Athanasiadi Gallery, Thessaloniki, Greece.

“Mirrors of History”, Sarantopoulos Flour Mills, Piraeus, Greece.

“Inside Outside, Notes for the ‘60s from the Beltsios Collection”, Hellenic American Union, Athens, Greece.

2003

“Place and Form: Works from the Paraskeva Collection”, Museum of the City of Athens, Greece.

2002

“The Shock of ‘70”, To Milo Art Gallery.

2001

“Glossalgia”, Hellenic American Union and Frissiras Museum, Athens, Greece.

2000

“Auf den Händen Wanderust Du”, Galerie Kubus, Hannover, Germany.

1999

“Minus-Plus”, Hellenic American Union, Athens, Greece.

“Banner, Flag, Sign”, Psyharis Art Gallery, Athens, Greece.

1997

“Teachers and Students”, Metamorphosis Gallery, Thessaloniki, Greece.

1996

“Face à l’Histoire 1933-1996”, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France.

“On the Homeland”, Spiti tis Kyprou, Athens, Greece.

“Teachers and Students”, Astrolavos Gallery, Athens, Greece.

1993

“The Child in Modern Greek Art”, National Gallery and Alexander Soutsou Museum, Athens, Greece.

1992

“The Open Image: Aspects of Modern Art in Europe after 1945”, Westfälisches Landesmuseum für Kunst und Kulturgeschichte, Münster, Germany.

“Metamorphosis of the Modern: The Greek Experience”, National Gallery and Alexander Soutsou Museum, Athens, Greece.

1991

Painting exhibition, Eugenides Foundation, Athens, Greece

“21- Was nun?”, Neue Gesellschaft für Bildende Kunst, Berlin, Germany.

“Urban Dreams”, Twenty-four Gallery, Athens, Greece.

“Open Box”, Karl Ernst Osthaus Museum, Hagen, Germany.

Hellenic American Union, Athens, Greece.

XV Biennale Internazionale del Bronzetto, Padova, Italy.

International Sommerakademie, Salzburg, Austria.

1988

43^rd Biennale of Venice, (together with Nikos Kessanlis), Italy.

European Cultural Centre of Delphi, Delphi, Greece

1987

“Investigation of New Materials and Means”, Apopsi Gallery, Athens, Greece.

1986

“Features of Post War Art in Greece”, Municipal Gallery, Athens, Greece.

“Athens in Berlin: DAAD”, Pierides Gallery, Athens, Greece.

1985

“La collection Francois et Ninon Robelin”, Musee d’Art Moderne de Saint - Etienne

“Introductory Chapters in Modern Greek Art: Greek Artists in France”, Municipal Gallery, Rhodes, Greece.

“After Abstraction”, Gallery Nees Morfes, Athens, Greece.

1984

Museum am Ostwall, Dortmund, Germany.

Échanges-Artistes Français à Berlin, 1964-1984”, Goëthe Institut, Paris.

Society for Macedonian Studies, Thessaloniki, Greece.

1982

“Europalia ’82 - Hellas”, Palais des Beaux Arts, Brussels, Belgium.

1981

“Culture in the Migration Process”, Kemmade International VII, Bochum, Germany.

“Caniaris, Fuchs, Geiger, Merz, Schoenholtz”, Galerie im Tracklhaus, Salzburg, Austria.

“Abstraction”, Nees Morfes Gallery, Athens, Greece.

“Environment – Action”, Society of Greek Art Critics, Athens, Greece.

“Documentation, Gastarbeitekultur”, Museum Bochum, Bochum, Germany.

1979

“Is there any Meaning in Art?”, Goethe Institut, Athens, Greece.

1978

“Kunst des 20 – Jahrhunderts aux Berliner Privatbesitz”, Akademice der Künste, Berlin, Germany.

“Images of Greek Art”, Zappeio Megaro, Athens, Greece.

1977

“Boîtes, ARC”, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris, France.

“Proposal for a Museum of Contemporary Art”, Desmos Art Gallery, Athens, Greece.

Dokumenta 6, Kassel, Germany.

1976

Panorama of Greek Art of the last 25 Years”, Museum am Ostwell, Dortmund, Germany.

“Shoe Factories”, Kunsthalle Nürnberg am Marientor, Nürnberg,Germany.

1975

“The Greek Month in London”, Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), London, England.

“Eight Artists, Eight Attitudes, Eight Greeks”, Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), London, England.

1974

“Freie Berliner Kunstausstellung”, Berlin Germany

“Que bien resista! L’idea di resistenza nell’arte contemporanea Europea”, Sale e Scuderie di Villa Manzoni, Lecco, Italy.

1971

“Caniaris, Rutault, Takis, Télémaque, Titus, Carmel, Vostell”, Galerie Bama, Paris, France.

“Intox”, Maison de la Culture, Grenoble, France.

Salon de Mai, Paris, France.

Galerie Fritzroy, Brussels, Belgium.

”Eleftheria, Red Roses in a Wasteland”, Royal Albert Hall, London, UK.

“Peintures et Objects”, Musée Galliera, Paris, France.

1970

“Kunst und Politik”, (traveling exhibition to Karlsruhe, Stuttgart, Bâle, Wupperthal and Frankfurt, Germany).

“Aspects du Racisme”, (traveling exhibition that went to Paris, Brive and other cities), France.

1967

“Canairis – Danil”, Gallery Prado de l’Ateneo, Madrid, Spain.

“Art Hellénique Contemporain”, Musée Rath, Geneva, Switzerland.

1964

“Three Proposals for a New Greek Sculpture: Caniaris, Danil, Nikos”, Teatro la Fenice, Venic