The family of painter and teacher Yannis Moralis, fully aware of the significance of his physical and intangible legacy and wishing to make creative use of it, has established a non-profit society under the title “Society for the study, research and promotion of modern-Greek art / Yannis Moralis Studio”.
The society is based in the artist’s studio in Athens.
The aim of the society is the study, promotion and preservation of the artistic work of Yannis Moralis as well as of modern-Greek art in general. The nature of the society is purely artistic, educational and research-oriented, and the activities it intends to pursue are strictly associated with this nature. It is the society members’ intention for the studio to serve as a hub of study, contributing to a sustained dialogue on artistic creation in Greece.
The society’s founding members are researchers, scholars and theoreticians from the field of culture, artists and people associated with the artist’s work and family. Their unanimous objective is to establish broader collaborations with cultural and educational foundations, institutions or research centres in the context of the society’s intended activities.
The artist’s studio on Deinokratous St. was renovated in a manner which fully respects the atmosphere of the creative space of Yannis Moralis, and has been suitably laid out to serve its new purpose and the society’s aims. The future plans include also the use of his Aegina studio for educational and cultural pursuits. The first event was already realized this summer, with a performance by artist Vassilis Salpistis in collaboration with the Pantheon Cultural Society of Gerasimos Kapatos.
Following the death of Yannis Moralis, his son and heir ceded this space to the “Society for the study, research and promotion of modern-Greek art / Yannis Moralis Studio”, of which he is himself a founding member.
Work on the repair and refurbishment of the studio started in the autumn of 2018. Due to its age and heavy use, the space had suffered a lot of wear and it was necessary to restore it using modern materials and processes.
The style of the studio had to be preserved. No furniture was removed and no major changes were made to the layout. The artist’s atelier was renovated so as to fully respect its original atmosphere, and was only altered as needed to serve the new function and the aims of the Society.
The few additions (kitchen/WC) followed the original colours and materials, and some furniture was added. The curtain that kept out the natural light was opened, and the large window now drenches in light the works and possessions of Yannis Moralis.
As Steven Sistovaris, the architect in charge of the studio’s renovation, describes it:
With all due respect
When I first laid eyes on the studio of Yannis Moralis in Athens I was struck with awe and felt humble; the life story of an exceptional man was unfolding before my eyes.
I was asked to adapt the space into headquarters for an institution without losing the style and the warmth of the original. A studio/museum and an office suite with a minimum of change and modifications.
I shan’t bore you with the details of demolishing, building, plumbing, electrics, painting and other technical aspects. What had to be done was done.
The main space retains his sitting area, the bookcases, the cupboards, several pieces of freestanding furniture that the artist had made himself for his requirements, the desk and his easels, all repaired as and where necessary.
Even the lighting of the space has remained the same.
The toilet was relocated and a small kitchen/food preparation area was created. We essentially copied the colours, the lines and the construction methods of that time.
Even the small balcony that overlooks the backyard of the building was remodelled to provide a wonderful sitting area.
With the addition of the works and personal effects of Moralis, his books and the records he used to play, various small objects by himself or others, his palettes and brushes, the space became a studio/museum as well as the institution’s office.
Deinokratous 9, Athens, 10675
Tel: 2107224083
© Copyright Εργαστήριο Γιάννης Μόραλης 2021.
