Vasilis Markosian. Fantasy Keeps Death Away

Critic's commentary:

Fantasy Keeps Death Away is Markosian at his most uncompromising: a brutalist poetics forged from concrete textures, fractured geometries, and the psychic scaffolding of Athens itself. His monumental forms refuse polish; instead, they stage vulnerability as structure, autobiography as architecture. Here, fantasy isn't ornament or refuge but a load-bearing beam —an audacious design for surviving despair.

PRESS RELEASE

George Benias Gallery is proud to announce "Fantasy Keeps Death Away", a solo exhibition by contemporary artist Vasilis Markosian, opening Wednesday, September 17th 2025.

In this new body of work, Markosian turns inward, presenting an autobiographical reflection on life in Athens and the daily struggles of being an artist. Athens—forever imperfect, marked by its concrete surfaces and constant sense of being under construction—becomes both a backdrop and a metaphor for his artistic practice. This raw, unfinished quality emerges in his sculptures through their concrete-like textures and fractured geometries, evoking both resilience and fragility.

At the heart of the exhibition stands the monumental work "Only Α Fool Would Open Such A Store". In this piece, the artist depicts himself as a totemic figure, flanked by tools that carry deep personal symbolism: a sewing machine representing his mother, and a woodworking tool representing his father. Through this piece, Markosian reflects on the inherent risk of choosing an artistic life. Supporting one's art can feel like opening a shop without a plan — without any clear idea of where it might lead or how it might end.

Isolation is a recurring theme. Markosian often feels alone in the city, but he finds refuge in fantasy, which he sees as a protective force, a necessary escape from the burdens of reality. The exhibition's title, Fantasy Keeps Death Away, captures this tension: fantasy as both a survival mechanism and a declaration of resistance against despair.

*Vasilis Markosian (b. Athens, 1980) is a self-taught sculptor and painter. His work explores the urban landscape and the loneliness of modern man through a caustic perspective and a refined sense of humor, reminding us of the vanity of contemporary ideals and their impact on the individual.

Duration: 17/09/2025 - 31/10/2025

Visiting hours: Tuesday –Saturday 13:00-18:00 

Where: George Benias Gallery, Polytechneiou 10, Athens