Moulding Marble
When thinking about marble, the first image that comes to mind is that of classical architecture and sculpture; a half-crumbled ancient Greek temple, a polished Roman sculpture of a former deity. Perhaps I am biased, having grown up in Greece, a country whose ancient history is largely engraved in marble. I can still remember memorizing the classical orders of the marble columns in school - Doric, Ionic, Corinthian - each with their defining features and unique beauty.
With marble antiquities peppered across the country, it comes as no surprise that contemporary Greek artists have turned to the durable medium for their creative expression. Although marble carries historical connotations, the stone is very much present in the contemporary moment, with Greece being the third largest exporter of marble in the world. From sculptors to designers, marble’s classical connotation combined with its malleable nature and widespread availability has attracted artists and designers from diverse fields across the country. A medium inherently infused with ancient history, now moulded into contemporary forms.
Sophia Vari
Born in Athens and currently based in Italy, Sophia Vari is an internationally acclaimed artist, known for her monumental sculptures and paintings. Characterised by rounded geometric forms, her work explores the relationship between space, viewer, and the history of the medium and art itself. “When gazed upon, the shapes, volumes and colours of her works acquire the ability to transport us to a world enveloped in calm, balance and harmony, where Vari’s creations appear to have their own reserved place, visible in the immensity of space” (Marisa Oropesa, Sophia Vari: The Search for Beauty, 2013).
Vari uses marble for many of her sculptures, seamlessly bending stone into balanced compositions, effusing her Cubist influence and both her connection with and inspiration by Ancient Greek art. As famed art historian Antonio Paolucci describes. “Classical order is knowledge’s ultimate refuge. That’s what ancient Greeks taught us over 2,500 years ago.” Sophia Vari reminds us of the very same thing with sober elegance. She is an Athenian sculptor that became a citizen of the world. Her sculptures strike a balance of harmony, clearness and calm splendor” (Antonio Paolucci, Sophia Vari or of the Labyrinth, 2002).
on• entropy
A marble atelier based in Athens and London, on• entropy moved away from the purely aesthetic and revisited the functional aspect of the medium. Much like the sturdiness of the marble columns, on• entropy harnesses the medium’s weight and durability for functional yet delicate designs. As the creators Niki and Zoe Moskofoglou describe, “[marble’s] diverse character is the core of the atelier’s founding mission: to experiment with marble and its entropy; its transformation potential & inherent limitations. The result is the craftsmanship of intricate and delicate creations, evolving its diachronic qualities in an imaginative & contemporary way.”
Ranging from low tables to dangling lights, the designs rely on the contradiction between the hardness and fragility of the medium. Utilising marble’s translucent quality, on• entropy creates minimalistic lights veined with the natural minerals of the stone while using the stone’s weight to maintain the delicate balance. (https://onentropy.co.uk/)
Marmarometry
Drawing clear inspiration from Ancient Greek sites and figures, Marmarometry shapes marble into smaller, wearable designs. Established in 2015 by Xenia Nefelly Vlachou, Marmarometry is a jewelry workshop which utilises modern techniques to create shapes reminiscent of Ancient Greek masterpieces. Aimed at highlighting the cultural weight ingrained in the stone itself, the creator consciously draws from designs of classical jewelry while adding a contemporary twist. Frequently collaborating with museums to create unique pieces, her jewelry often explicitly cites the locations and artifacts which kindled the designs, for example the necklace titled Epidaurus.
As the designer states “The purpose of this collection is to remind the world that innovation and authenticity are part of Greek culture, and no matter how many years pass, this will not change, it is only evolving.”
