Greece › Santorini › Galleries › Mati Art Gallery
Updated: June 18, 2021
By Santorini Dave
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The art gallery is located next to the Candlemas Holy Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral in Fira.
This impressive art gallery is conveniently located on the main foot path in Fira and steps from the Metropolitan Orthodox Cathedral. Visual artist Yorgos Kypris opened the gallery in Santorini in 1990 and has been at the same location for over 30 years. Nowadays, he divides his time between Santorini and his studio in Athens, while his son Alex Kypris, a contemporary artist himself, manages the gallery.
Kypris’ most famous and continuous work is the ‘fish series’ which he started in 1993. It is also the largest in production and what is mostly for sale at the art gallery. With this body of work, he portrays the cruelty of the human race by highlighting our supremacy on other forms of life. He presents fish as victims of the preservation needs of human kind. In this, he attempts to bring forward issues regarding the ecological impact of humans on earth. As he says, “All the dives I did for fishing gradually turned into dives for the observation of the sea-world. The movement of the schools of fish and their dance-like grace was a revelation to which I could not remain indifferent. For me, this show was real art!”
Part of the fish series is the “entrapped fish” which is on display at the lobby of the World Bank building in Washington, D.C., and was commissioned in 1997. Other collections of the fish series include: frozen fish, emigration, circular movement, sharks, fish balls, eels, hybirds, diving fish, and wall installations of acqua and vortex.
Yorgos Kypris has an extensive portfolio dating back to the 70’s. A significant part of that portfolio is his commissioned work all over the world, including in Santorini. Near Fabrica Shopping Center just around the corner from the gallery, an installation of 4 bronze figures on poles called the “Observers” sits perched 4.5m in the air. This work of Yorgos was commissioned by the commercial center in 2002.
For more information and to find out more about Yorgos Kypris, visit his website. Worldwide shipping is available.
Mati Art Gallery Hours and Information
- Season: Closed November 1 to end of March.
- Hours: April 1 to October 31 – Open daily 10am to 11pm.
- Website: matiartgallery.com
- Location: Fira, Santorini 847 00
- Telephone: +30 228 602 3814 (Gallery) / +30 210 813 1626 (Athens Studio)
- Email: info@matiartgallery.com
- Parking: Free parking available off the main road in Fira.
- Bus: Fira bus terminal is the closest bus station, a 4-minute walk (250m).
- Cable Car: 6-minute walk (500m) from the Fira cable car station.
Mati Art Gallery
Fish seem to jump out above the entrance, symbolizing Yorgos Kypris’ famous fish series of art works.
His ship series is as beautiful and popular as his fish series.
Different examples of his fish series.
The 3D works are truly striking.
All his works are derived from his observations during his dives.
The “Observers” bronze installation is right next to the gallery.
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