Hellenic Antidote: Four Greek American artists

Sceptre: William Baziotes

I’ve been taking an interest in the works of four Greek American artists, all heavily influenced by surrealism, abstract expressionism and, of course, their Greek heritage. The four are:

William Baziotes (1912-1963)
Theodore Stamos (1922-1997)
Michael Lekakis (1907-1988)
Thomas Chimes (1921-2009)

Below are some of their works. It’s worth pointing out that Baziotes was probably the most renowned of the four, though Chimes also enjoyed a considerable reputation. Chimes is also noteworthy for his fascination with French writer Albert Jarry – the creator of the absurdist pseudo-philosophy of ‘pataphysics’ – and Franco-Greek playwright Antonin Artaud. Stamos was deeply influenced by Greek mythology and philosophy and after a scandal involving the estate of his close friend Mark Rothko, he spent more and more time in Greece, particularly on the island of Lefkada, his ancestral homeland. Lekakis, predominantly a sculptor, whose father was a flower seller in New York, said that he developed his sense of form through his knowledge of flowers and flower arranging and his sense of form and space through studying and practising Greek dance. Chimes credits Lekakis with being his mentor. The two met at an airforce base in South Carolina in 1941. Chimes had been drafted into the services, while Lekakis was teaching a course in camouflage.

William Baziotes