INTERVIEW: Pantelis Arapinis

One of the most interesting exhibitions organized in the previous year is “Transcendental Geometry” at the AD Gallery, 6 artists with philosophical and visual concerns that stand shoulder to shoulder, coincide and coexist in the two levels of space. Raise concerns and questions that took me two visits and a detailed discussion with the gallerist Mr. Pantelis Arapinis, who was thinking, planning and organizing this exhibition long enough before its implementation, to decipher the codes between them and the elective affinities that unite them.

By Efi Michalarou
Photo: AD Gallery Archive

Mr. Arapinis we would like to tell us how emerged the exhibition “Transcendental Geometry”.
The exhibition we planned long enough before the presentation at the Gallery. We had decided about the artists and the works we wanted to include. Since we wanted to incorporate into the exhibition and two installations that in our opinion have strong relationship with the subject, we were looking for a space bigger than the Gallery. At The time that it was final, the impossibility of finding such a space, we decided to present it here.
What is the relationship between Art and Geometry?
I do not think there is a relationship between Art and Geometry in general. However, some artists explore through their work a space, we acquire the experience of this space without having to resort exclusively to the senses. For Plato, in contrast to the material world that is constantly changing, the world of ideas is eternal and changeless and Geometry is a window to that eternal world. For Kant, the priority of the conditions that enable both the experience and the knowledge, indicate the significance of independence from the experience. as underlined in the first page of the Critique of Pure Reason, “All our knowledge begins with experience, but that does not mean that stems from experience”. The philosopher originated the term transcendental to talk just about the ability to be acquainted conditions of the world.
What is the role of geometry in our life?
I must say that there is a big debate over the centuries on the foundations of geometry, but Ι do not know it thoroughly
What is the common conceptual axis and the elective affinities between the artworks of the exhibition? Where we can meet the Transcendental Geometry in these artworks?
We cannot trap in the natural language, the approach of artistic work, each exhibition is an expressive medium in itself and I would hope that the experience of the exhibition we present, offers such interpretative keys. I note that the artworks in the exhibition, although the legibility of their construction, have some common elements: esoteric feeling and contemplation, the refusal of accepting the limitations posed by the experience, the approach of the Spiritual and the seeking of a wider value system. The plastic and philosophical concerns of the six participating artists of the exhibition can be merged in the challenging effort of imaging.
The works of this exhibition are not easy to understand, the opposite, do you believe that crisis is leading us to more quality choices? With years of experience in the field of Art, do you believe that in this period are created better works, or all of this is a myth?
I do not think there are generalizable conclusions to answer to your question affirmative or negative.

 

First Publication: www.dreamideamachine.com
© Interview – Efi Michalarou

Info: “Transcendental Geometry”, AD Gallery, 3 Pallados Str., Athens, Duration:12/11/14 -17/1/15. Days & Hours: Tue-Fri: 12:00-21:00, Sat: 12:00-16:00, www.adgallery.gr