66
Olympic art exhibition
The spiritual impact the more recent
Olympics has affected the whole
world in a way that previous
Olympics have not. Perhaps it is the
fact that after over 100 years years
the Olympic came home to Greece.
Perhaps it is that Hellas has
suddenly come to life for many
nations, is undergoing a great
transformation and will now come to
be seen as the powerhouse for
creativity and cultural excellence
that it has always been. Perhaps,
more deeply, the world situation is
now one where the tradition of peace
associated with the Olympics means
so much more to every person on the
planet. Whatever the reason, the
holding of the Olympics in Athens
blessed the world in a unique way.
One artist who has felt this keenly
is Panagiota Stamatopoulou. In her
exhibition of Olympic paintings,
which at the Fitzroy Gallery in
Melbourne in the Athens Olympic
year, Panagiota depicted the
national spiritual significance of
the Olympics in artworks that
combine classical simplicity with a
style of painting that is uniquely
Mediterranean.
Panagiota's passionate belief is
that the Olympics' real significance
is to world peace that was always
the tradition of the Games in
ancient times. In what she calls
"consciousness based art," she
identifies the timeless radiance of
the Olympic ideal as a kind of
stillness in the midst of athletic
movement, and as an everlasting
quality in the most touching moments
of the Olympic ceremonial - the
lighting of the Olympic Torch, the
taking of the oath, the passing on
of the Olympic Flag, the four kinds
of classical wreath used in Greek
games in ancient times, and the
moment of victory in Olympic
competition.
In the pictures of athletes in
action, she depicts peace in skill,
stillness in movement, in a style
that is reminiscent of the classical
pottery of Ancient Greece, yet has
the radiance and luminosity of a
moment of light.
Panagiota is a quiet artist.
Although well-exhibited over a long
period, she does not frequently make
an appearance. Over the years she
has accumulated some of the finest
and most delicate floral art in
Melbourne, while in Greece she has
undertaken commissioned portraits,
landscapes, cultural painting and
individual works of a unique style.
Panagiota has exhibited in the
Scorpios Gallery in Kolonaki, at the
Pan Arcadian Festival Art
Exhibitions, at the Cultural Centre
in Vrilissia, in the Castle of
Duchess Plakentia on Mount Pendeli,
at the Ecology Hellas Exhibition in
Pallini, at the Ekastikos Cyclos and
El Greco Gallery in Athens, at the
Arcadian Cultural Centre in Tripoli,
and in her own permanent exhibition
in Attica. In Australia, she has
exhibited at a variety of locations,
including the Joan Gough Studio
Gallery, South Yarra, the Burke Hall
Art Show in Xavier College, Kew, and
at the Collins Place Art and Craft
permanent exhibitions.
She is also a member of the
Contemporary Art Australia Society.
She studied art in Melbourne under
art teacher and author John Yule,
and with Michales Polycrates in
Athens, and trained in Art and
Photography at the Caroline Chisholm
Institute of Technology. She was a
photo colourist with Melbourne's
first Greek photography studio until
colour film became available. She
has specialised in floral and still
life oil and acrylic art, and has
studied floristry and floral art at
the Milner's School of Floristry in
Melbourne. She has recently extended
her still life and floral art to
depiction of Australian species and
landscape art.
After the Olympic exhibition at the
Fitzroy Gallery, Panagiota was
invited to display her Olympic works
at the Philotechnikos Omilos,
Tripoli, and at the Art Gallery of
Kifissia. In Australia, the
collection became a standing exhibit
at the International Centre for
Hellenic Studies, La Trobe
University.
Panagiota's life has been an
intricate mix of Greek and
Australian experiences. She was born
in Pallantion, Arcadia, and at the
age of six migrated to Victoria. She
was educated at Prince's Hill High
School and Taylor's College, and
studied music with Remo Parllanti at
the Melbourne School of Music.
Panagiota's talents have always been
in fine arts, including music,
poetry and painting. She gained the
Brighton Town Hall Music Prize at
the age of twelve. Her family
tradition is in photography, art and
music. A collection of her father's
photographic works - the first Greek
commercial photographic productions
in Melbourne – was on continuous
display at the International Centre
for Hellenic Studies at La Trobe
University.
88
History of Development of
Consciousness
Learned Transcendental Meditation in
1992 during the elections and
Natural Law Party campaign in
Victoria. Teacher Dr Larry Clarke.
TM-Sidhi Program 2003-2004
Attended more than 40 weekend
residence courses and World Peace
Assemblies.
Using and promoting the Maharishi
Vedic Products for myself and my
neighbours, as well as in the Greek
community in Melbourne.
Introduced members of the Greek
community to learn Transcendental
Meditation.
Candidate for the Natural Law Party
in all Victorian and Federal
Elections during the lifetime of the
Party. Campaigned in the Greek
community, and achieved the top two
or three number of votes among
Natural Law Party candidates.
Raised funds and contributed
personal donations for Maharishi's
Australian Aid for Cambodia Fund,
Maharishi Vedic University.
Organised conference on Genetic
Engineering at Maharishi Vedic
College.
Flower decorations, garlands and
decorations for Maharishi Vedic
College celebrations.
Introduced Maharishi Vedic Products
to old people's homes in Melbourne
(Little Sisters of the Poor).
Greek TV and radio, both in Greece
and Australia, with support from the
broadcasters, the Greek community
and Orthodox authorities.
My
son is an expert in Intelligent
Houses (Smart Houses) and offices.
xx
Music and dance. Piano Accordion
Music and dance. Piano Accordion
Poetry and song lyrics, biographical
poem cycles, published
Sewing, Art and Craft
Flower Arrangement
Health Nutrition
Reflexology
Building a Vastu House
Personal History
Born in Palladium, Arcadia, Greece,
1947.
Emigrated to Australia in 1954.
Father, Panagiotis Stamatopoulos,
established the first Greek
commercial photography studio in
Melbourne. Work represented in a
permanent exhibition in the La Trobe
University Centre for Hellenic
Studies in Melbourne.
Studied music for 6 years with Remo
Parllanti, Melbourne School of
Music, specialising in piano
accordion. Classical, International
and Traditional music. Theory of
classical guitar.
Brighton Town Hall Music Prize at
the age of twelve.
Higher School Certificate in Greek
at Hellenic Lyceum Lepidas (HLL),
Melbourne. 100% score. Character
Assessment: Excellent
Public Service, Australian Taxation
Office
Commercial Bank of Australia
Studied Art and Photography at the
Caroline Chisholm Institute of
Technology
Photo colourist until colour film
became available
Work experience in Acropolis,
Olympia and Parthenon photographic
studios, Melbourne
Greek-English interpreter: Public
Service, Australian Taxation Office,
Commercial Bank of Australia, Greek
community, medical interpreting,
Courts and solicitors.
Returned to Greece in 1970 - 1989
Family in Athens engaged in
pioneering work in film, television
and media in Greece, and founded the
world-wide Antenna Broadcasting TV
network.
Art training in Athens. Oil media,
portraiture, landscape and floral
art.
Studied art in Melbourne and Greece
under art teacher and author John
Yule, and with Michales Polycrates
in Athens.
Poetry published in periodicals and
educational texts. Poetry recited at
the annual celebration of the
Scholars of Tegea of Tripoli, and
broadcast on radio and television.
Painting in oils and acrylic.
Drawing, colour photography, hat
design and couture, floral art and
bouquet design, dress art,
sculpture, pencil portraiture,
interior design and window dressing.
Theme in art has been the
presentation of the spiritual in
everyday objects, natural forms and
historic events.
Style is Mediterranean, with
resonances of current Greek form,
colour and composition, and also
Phoenician, Levantine, Byzantine,
classical and Alexandrian themes,
subjects and styles. Influence of
Australian Impressionism
Recent experience in iconography and
pyrography
Studied floristry and floral art at
the Milner’s School of Floristry in
Melbourne.
Member of the Contemporary Art
Australia Society, Melbourne.
Certificate with Distinction in
Health Nutrition and Herbal
Medicine.
Practiced reflexology (Ingham
System) for over 20 years.
Panarcadia Hospital Tripolis,
Greece -- provision of reflexology
services
Public Relations Officer, Atzmon
Clinic for Osteoporosis, Melbourne,
speaking to large groups of Greek
people on osteoporosis,
chiropractic, reflexology and diet.
International Ecology Conference,
Athens 2006. Member of the
International Ecology Movement.
Knowledge and practical experience
of Maharishi’s Vedic science and
Technology of Consciousness.
Interest in history, Greek
philosophy and the national
development of Greece.
Published poetry on the liberation
of Greece by Kolokotronis and the
rebirth of Greek life in the modern
era.
Assistant Art Teacher, Maharishi
School Melbourne
Voluntary work
Australian Aid for Cambodia Fund
Maharishi Vedic College
The Natural Law Party
Little Sisters of the Poor
GeneEthics Network
Commonwealth Games 2006
“Food for our future” program of
Australian GenEthics Council
Volunteers Award from the Pan
Arcadian Hospital in Tripoli
Search for land for Peace Palace,
Melbourne
Exhibitions:
1. Scorpios
Gallery in
Kolonaki, Athens
2. Pan
Arkadian Festival Art Exhibitions
3. Joan
Gough Studio Gallery, South Yarra,
Victoria
4. Cultural
Centre of Vrilissia, Attica, Greece
5. Castle
of Duchess Plakentia, Mount Pendeli,
Greece
6.
El Greco
Gallery, Athens
7.
Ikastikos Cyclos, Athens
8.
Blue Sea
Hotel Hall, Tyros, Pelopponese
9.
Palladion Studio Gallery, Tripoli
10.
Permanent Exhibition in own private
gallery, Patima, Attica
11.
Ecology
Hellas Exhibition, Pallini, Attica
12.
Burke
Hall Art Show, Xavier College, Kew,
Victoria 1993
13.
Collins
Place Art and Craft permanent Sunday
exhibition
14.
Barolo
Restaurant group exhibition, South
Yarra, Victoria
15.
Joan
Gough Studio Gallery group
exhibition, South Yarra, Victoria
16.
Arcadian
Cultural Centre, Tripoli
17.
Fitzroy
Gallery, Melbourne
18.
Centre
for Hellenic Studies, La Trobe
University, Melbourne
Collections
Paintings and commissioned works in
the following collections:
D
Toukas, manager, Media of Greece and
Abroad
Elkastikos Cyclos, Athens
Governmental, Prime Ministerial and
other political leaders’
portraiture, Athens
Teachers’ Academy, Tripoli
Halandri, Athens
Permanent Olympic Exhibition at
Centre for Hellenic Studies, La
Trobe University
Works exist in private and other
collections in China, Australia,
Holland, USA and Greece.
Reproduced with the permission of
author
