Greek emigre Filipos: A sculptor of souls

Greek emigre Filipos: A sculptor of souls

Noreen M. Flores, Contributor/Jakarta

It has been said: "East is East and West is West and never the
twain shall meet." But they do. They have, for instance, met in
the person and in the art of Filippos, and lived there in perfect
harmony.

Filippos is a sculptor born, raised and educated in Greece,
who has chosen to live his life and pursue his art in Bali. That
he is at home in Bali is not difficult to understand: Like
Greece, Bali is the abode of a complex system of mythology,
except that the Hindu influence on Balinese mythology emphasizes
harmony and submission to the gods, while in Greek mythology,
mortals, out of pride, or hubris, were always getting into
trouble with their divine overlords.

Born in Volos, central Greece, which boasts the marble
quarries used in building ancient architectural masterpieces like
the Parthenon in Athens, Filippos took it upon himself to achieve
an understanding and balance between East and West.

After studying art at the Pythagoras Art Institute in
Thessaloniki, he traveled far and wide in search of what he calls
"The One."

As sculptor, Filippos is eclectic in technique and themes,
most likely a result of his quest to create a form neither
Western nor Eastern -- which represents "eternal truth" and
"eternal wisdom". He has flair for drama, a natural for a Greek,
yet at the same time his works brings a sense of peace and
introspection that the East evokes.

The Journey of the Soul (mahogany wood, silver), his biggest
piece of work, is a dramatic portrayal of the dynamics of the
human soul. "The true quality of the soul is that of space, by
which it is at rest everywhere," he says. The piece, one of his
early works and most celebrated one, is a compelling study in
vision and spirit.

Filippos speaks of love, compassion, forgiveness, and balance,
harmony and beauty as muses of his art works. Pursuing themes of
love and what is beyond love, he believes he can contribute to
the process of healing and positive evolution of the human being
by simply carving out his convictions into form through the
medium he knows best.

He practices his art with a clear vision: to help heal a
divided world, a divided man. His message is: Life is about love,
the reason for being and the reason for all. His Angel of Change
(bas-relief sandstone) and The Watchful Angel of Compassion
(mahogany) speak of a faith that is universal, a faith that
spurns claims of exclusivity by some religions.

Armed with skills in sculpting, Filippos embarked on a life's
journey, visiting other centers of world civilizations to find
traces of universal language, ancient wisdom, in short, the
blueprint of the human soul on earth.

He believes one must be conscious of his or her own progress
of evolution. In Mexico, he became a student of the ancient art
of healing among the Huichol Indians. It is a tradition among
Huichol Indians to train their hearts to open to the healing
power of love and to the celebration of life through the senses.

Going deeper into the art of healing, Filippos moved to the
central Asian plains of Siberia to study Buryat-Mongol shamanism,
which teaches three basic principles in life: sustaining balance
in the world, reverence for the earth and living things, and
personal responsibility.

Having lived in Spain, England, India, Egypt and Cambodia, he
decided to make Bali his home in mid 1990s. His journeys and
studies make him view man's life as being in perpetual motion,
following a circular pattern that was already formed long ago and
laid out with the center holding the eternal truth -- the truth
of perfection and happiness.

That vision is expressed in his Alchemical Sun, The Disc of
Being, and several that are basically in round, spherical or in
circles that are highly charged with energy and discipline.

On the whole, the works of Filippos are strikingly poignant,
each piece an essay on the limitations of man and, paradoxically,
on the infinite possibilities of the human spirit. He often
declares "like sculpting human souls."

(Noreen M. Flores is a long-time Filipino resident of Jakarta.
She is active in the arts and civic work.)

Love and Beyond solo exhibition
Galeri Nasional Indonesia
Jl Merdeka Timur 14

through Aug. 30

Photo captions:

Photo A: Filippos working on what critics consider his
masterpiece, Journey of the Human Soul.

Photo B : Angel of Forgiveness, one of the sculptor's favorite
pieces.