Theo Papandreopoulos

Exhibited at Lion & Lamb Art Space (March 2023)
Farnham, United Kingdom

In Part II/II of this survey of Theo Papandreopoulos's exhibition Echo's Bones, Sunend will further examine Papandreopoulos's key themes through sculpture works made from testosterone powder and assemblage works incorporating military stickers and Nazi uniform trousers. Papandreopoulos's absurd juxtapositions and amplification of specific elements, reveal the tension of deviant eroticism embedded within standardised power structures. The works in this part investigate the role of physical fitness, politics, and religion within military systems and their broader influence on mainstream society, informed by Papandreopoulos's experiences growing up in the Greek Orthodox faith and serving in the Hellenic Army. 

Key references and methodology: In Part II of Sunend's survey of Echo's Bones, Papandreopoulos's exploration of masculinity and power is framed through minimalist aural works that evoke the subtle demands of "quiet strength" inherent in middle-class values (Mosse, 1996). Referencing Rousseau’s argument that physical vigour fosters intellectual growth and moral worth (Mosse, 1996), the works also engage with the militaristic ideals of fitness and moral courage, as seen in German Gymnastics. Sunend connects this discourse to the semiotics of military power, where religion and politics historically converge with violence, creating tensions between unequal masculinities (Kovitz, 2003), while reflecting on the fluid and complex nature of male identity, as explored through the works of Beckett and Bacon. Study

Theo Papandreopoulos

Exhibited at Lion & Lamb Art Space (March 2023)
Farnham, United Kingdom

Sunend presents a deep two-part survey of Theo Papandreopoulos's solo exhibition Echo's Bones. In Part I Sunend examines his deconstruction of seemingly banal objects critically engaging with the complex relationship between masculinity and structures of power. This part focuses on his works Dragon Skin (2023) and Untitled (2023)—wall pieces which incorporate military epaulettes—and introduces his curatorial distinction between ‘main’ and ‘supporting’ works by looking at the installation dispersed throughout the gallery. Papandreopoulos re-engineers objects associated with authority and hierarchy through absurd juxtapositions and amplification of specific elements, evoking both menace and vulnerability while revealing the tension of the deviant eroticism embedded within authoritarian standardised uniformity.

Key references and methodology: In Part 1 of Sunend's deep survey of Echo's Bones, the deconstruction of objects is framed through the lens of military masculinity, drawing on Paul R. Higate’s (2003) analysis of rank and hierarchy as central psychological structures in both military and civilian contexts. Papandreopoulos’s works, including Dragon Skin(2023) and Untitled(2023) military epaulette pieces, exemplify the complex interplay between authority and masculinity, as highlighted by his manipulation of scale, form, and weight—a concept discussed in Dawn Ades’s (1996) essay in Hayward Gallery’s “Art and Power.” His re-engineered objects create a tension akin to the "mythic allure" of Francis Bacon’s transformations, as noted by David Sylvester (2000). Rachel Woodward’s (2003) insights into military identity formation inform our understanding of Papandreopoulos’s interrogation of masculinity's boundaries, drawing parallels with Klaus Theweleit’s (1977) concept of the split between the male exterior and female interior. Papandreopoulos’s exposé of the eroticism embedded within authoritarian forms, pushing them into uncanny, unsettling realms, parallels with Tim Benton’s (1996) critique of authoritarian aesthetics. And the eroticism as individual expression as witnessed in Marquis de Sade’s 120 Days of Sodom is described by Jane Gallop (1981). And the tension between individual expression and collective power, as articulated by David Elliot (1996) in “The Battle for Art,” helps to frame Papandreopoulos’s exploration of the contradictions inherent in constructing idealised masculinity. Finally, Com Toibin (2015) essay on Francis Bacon’s late paintings’ “Spirit and Substance” helps us introduce Papandreopoulos’s installation which like his practice is influenced by Samuel Beckett’s absurdism conveyed by paring key elements down to a minimum. Study