21 Facts About George Zongolopoulos

George Zongolopoulos was a Greek sculptor, painter and architect.

George Zongolopoulos was born on 1 March 1903, in Omonoia, Athens.

George Zongolopoulos's family hailed from Markasi in Corinthia.

George Zongolopoulos's suspension ended a year later, after the intervention of the famous poet Ioannis Griparis.

From 1926 to 1928 George Zongolopoulos worked as an assistant of the renowned architect Anastasios Orlandos in the Department of Restoration of Ancient and Byzantine Monuments of the Greek ministry of Education.

George Zongolopoulos's spell under Orlandos was his first step in his occupation with architecture, which later became a major part of his artistic career.

In 1940, George Zongolopoulos' work was exposed in the Greek pavilion during Venice Biennale.

George Zongolopoulos participated in Hellenic National Art Exhibition where he was honoured with a silver medal for his plaster-made sculpture, depicting Ariadne.

In 1949 George Zongolopoulos was granted a scholarship by the French government.

George Zongolopoulos introduced a number of artworks made of bronze that are known for their architectural structure based on plates which were placed due to welding methods.

In 1971 George Zongolopoulos made an impact in Greek Art by becoming one of the first Greek artists who adopted and introduced kinetic art in Greece.

In 1973 George Zongolopoulos created a 10 metres height sculpture under the name Diaphragm or Panels of Merlin which was placed the same year in Kolonaki, Athens, at the headquarters of a major insurance company.

In 1977 George Zongolopoulos got a retirement pension from the Greek state as a recognition for his attribution in Art.

In 1988 George Zongolopoulos introduced to the audience his signature artwork Umbrellas, a theme repeated the following years.

Sculptures of George Zongolopoulos Umbrellas are placed in Thessaloniki and Palaio Psychiko, where the artist is commemorated by the sculpture park, or glyptotheque, named after him.

In 1997 George Zongolopoulos created Tel - Neant, an artwork made by stainless steel and plexiglas presented in that year's Venice Biennale and in 1999 exhibitions held in Berlin and Weimar.

In 1998, Zongolopoulos created another sculpture from stainless steel under the name Composition of Circles or Olympic Circles as a reference to the Olympic rings while the following year he created Column, a 21 m high artwork presented at 1999 Venice Biennale and placed later near Evangelismos metro station, Athens.

In 2001 George Zongolopoulos made his last artwork, a stainless steel sculpture known as Irana.

The George Zongolopoulos Foundation is a public benefit non-profit organization established in February 2004 by the artist.

George Zongolopoulos bequeathed to the Foundation his entire collection of works by himself and Eleni.

George Zongolopoulos provided his entire archive, with sketches, drawings, articles and audio-visual material.