Costa Coulentianos

COSTA COULENTIANOS (1918-1995)

At first sight, Coulentianos's forms seen purely geometrical, but he frequently takes his inspiration from nature. His compositions have a particularly overt connection with typical Constructivist works from the high point of the movement. Their clear stylized shapes flatten the space, which is in fact a multidimensional, polysemous, esoteric area. Their dynamic, superficial elements imprint themselves on the memory, making them easily recognizable. The easily digested appearance of his works and the fact that they require a spacious display area, make these sculptures typical examples of a capitalist art that has direct association with wealth and power. The use of color - partly as decoration and partly as a feature that distinguishes the work from traditional sculpture - is interesting, when correlated with the Hard Edge painting movement. Coulentianos’ conscious decision to paint his sculptures and give it a different color from the materials' natural hue opens up many new possibilities. The colors sometimes function as an outer skin, which dispels the sense of weight of the material and sometimes acts as an intensifier of the form itself.