Daniel (Panagopoulos)

He started off studying medicine (1943-1944) but he gave it up and turned to the School of Fine Arts where he studied painting in the studio of Konstantinos Parthenis (1944-1947). In 1954 he went on a scholarship to Paris where by 1957 he had completed his studies in painting and learned the art of the mosaic.

In 1964 he presented his first solo show at the Galerie J in Paris which was followed by solo shows in various towns of France, Greece and other countries while in 1998 there was a retrospective at the National Gallery. He also took part in group and international exhibitions such as “Three Proposals for a New Greek Sculpture” in 1964 at the Teatro le Fenice, in Venice, in the framework of the Biennale, the Sao Paolo Biennale of 1965 and the Europalia of 1982. Also interested in art on a theoretical level he has published articles in magazines as well as the books H ζωγραφική πράξη και σκέψη (Painting Act and Thought) (Athens, 1973), “Kιαροσκούρο” (“Chiaroscuro”), 1982 and “Eπιλογή από το ημερολόγιο 1973-1985” (“Selection from My Diary 1973-1985”) (Athens 1987).

Acquainted with abstract art at first hand, he adopted its doctrines right from his early years of residence in Paris, creating his first series of boxes using cheap, common materials which he painted in ordinary colors, and punctured, tore and crumpled. Later he created compositions influenced by hard edge, optical and kinetic art, and then returned to flat surfaces. In these works hardboard, which is the basic material, is cut or detached to let the white light of the wall shine freely through. Then burlap replaced the hardboard and, consisting of bands or pieces of unhemmed material, sewn with prominent stitches, or frayed and colored, it hangs freely on the wall letting the light flow through.