SwissArtGallery · Documented identity
Greek painter Costas Tsoclis, also transcribed as Cóstas Tsóclis, was born in Athens in 1930 and developed a practice spanning painting, installation and video. These different modes of creation are evident, in particular, in the works presented at the Venice Biennale in 1986, where he represented Greece alongside Chrístos Karás. Before entering the School of Fine Arts at the age of 18, he worked from the age of 14 to 18 as a decorator’s apprentice in Athens cinemas; he then studied under Yiánnis Móralis and graduated in 1954. After his military service, a three-year state scholarship enabled him to study in Rome. In Italy, he joined Gruppo Sigma in 1958, a collective initiative of Greek artists who had studied abroad, alongside Vlássis Caniáris, Yannis Gaïtis, Níkos Kessanlís and Mímis Kontós.
During his years in Rome and Paris, Tsoclis collaborated with Ileana Sonnabend, an art collector and dealer. In 1971–1972, a DAAD scholarship took him to West Berlin; on his return to Paris, he met the collector Alexandre Iolas and worked with him. From 1973, he divided his time between Paris and Athens for twelve years, gradually reducing his international presence in favour of his work in Greece. His career also includes participation in the Paris Biennales in 1963 and 1965, the São Paulo Biennial in 1965 and Documenta in Kassel in 1975.
In Venice, he presented, among other works, “The Harpooned Fish”, a live-painting work, as well as five animated portraits combining painting and video projection. Works were also installed in public spaces: “Pythonas” in Delphi, an intervention in the underground park of the Ethniki Amyna metro station in Athens, a tribute to Alexandre Iolas in Thessaloniki, “Genesi” in Pistoia and “Ten Views” at Petra tou Romiou. In 2001–2002, the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Athens devoted a retrospective to him, bringing together 86 paintings, creations, installations and video installations. In 2010–2011, he founded a museum bearing his name on Tinos; his works are also held in public and private collections.
This profile brings together identity references for Costas Tsoclis and paintings, drawings and works on paper documented in auction catalogues.
Artcurial Beurret Bailly Widmer
References include catalogue entries and available results; they do not all represent completed sales. Attributed works and special lots are excluded from the priced results.
Mischtechnik auf Papier auf Holz in 3 Acrylglas-Rahmen
Ohne Titel
Mischtechnik auf Papier auf Holz in 3 Acrylglas-Rahmen
Catalogue period : 2021-09-29
Published result : 3646 CHF
Including buyer’s premium
Estimate : CHF 3000–5000
View the lot at the auction house ↗
Mischtechnik auf Papier auf Holz
Ohne Titel
Mischtechnik auf Papier auf Holz
Catalogue period : 2016-06-22
Published result : 2432 CHF
Including buyer’s premium
Estimate : CHF 2000–3000
View the lot at the auction house ↗
Mischtechnik auf Papier auf Holz
Ohne Titel
Mischtechnik auf Papier auf Holz
Catalogue period : 2016-06-22
Published result : 2432 CHF
Including buyer’s premium
Estimate : CHF 2000–3000
View the lot at the auction house ↗SwissArtGallery documentary note based on the cited sources. Titles, media and qualifications are provided in the profile language; the original catalogue wording remains available in each record.
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