Lookout Tower, 2017
Vassilis Gerodimos started with the art of jewelry at V. Polyzos’ Laboratory (1994 – 2000). He continued his studies in Sculpture where he pursued a BA (Honors) at the Panormou School of Fine Arts in Tinos. After he was admitted at the BA course “With Distinction” of the Athens School of Fine Arts, Greece (G.Lappas Studio 2005-2010). For three consecutive years 2003, 2004, 2005, he received the fellowship and praise from the Ministry of Aegean. He participated at the European program ‘Culture 2000’ concerning Land Art, attending and collaborating workshops in Glasgow (Scotland) with the participation of Jim Buchanan-Andy Goldswothy (2005) and in Mallorca (Spain). Since 2016 he is a member of amorphy.org which supports the creation of interdisciplinary forms of art. The major part of his work consists of big scale sculptures, site specific and in situ installations which converse with the forms and the history of the space in which they are created and are usually accompanied by wall sculptures, collages, sketches, maquettes. He has presented his work in numerous solo & group exhibitions in Greece and abroad, in several institutions and galleries such as Eleftheria Tseliou Gallery, Mare gallery, the Onassis Cultural Centre, the American College of Greece, the Action Field Kodra, Pinakothiki Morali etc. Since 2004 he has curated a significant amount of set designs for choreographers and theatre directors and since 2015 he creates interactive sculptures with natural materials for children in primary schools and kindergartens.
The artist, during the production process of this installation, records what he sees. In this case, the vastness of the landscape mede him want to gain an overview of the landscape from high up. Interested in the relationship between farmer an landscape, he built a narrative informed by history, identity and tradition. Inspired from the site, he ended up constructing an entrancing 12m-tall metal watchtower, building it progressively from the bottom up and from the inside, rather than from outside, due to the challenges posed by the terrain. A thin ctructure of six interconnected columns that climb skywards, a towering observatory for the dragatis, the watch-man, was thus built in Lookout Tower, which is inaccessible to the visitor. The galvanised metal pipe element is crowned at the top with durable black polyethylene watering hose. Black polypropylene rope serves as a connecting agent. The sculpture, metallic silver on the base, becomes black towards the top. A3 m horizontal observation piont is created, and the structure as a whole is reminiscent of a pencil drawing. Moreover, this work suggests the notion of protection, growth and threat, thus encompassing all three concepts of the exhibition "Creative Encounters 2017: Katzourakis-Kliafa-Gerodimos. Metamorphoses of Matter" for which was especially created.