Art goes on

It is known that Santorini has the magic power to unite everything and everyone –even four artists of the same family who coexist harmoniously under one single artistic roof. Katonas and Marianna are the son and daughter of two eminent Artists of Santorini: Painter Christoforos Asimis and Sculptor Eleni Kolaitou. Katonas and Marianna both came to Santorini a few years ago to join their inspiration with that of their parents, and create a model art gallery, the AK Art Foundation, located along the road Fira-Pyrgos.

Katonas studied Architecture in Bath to ultimately follow his father’s studies at the School of Fine Arts in London. He worked in New York, while pieces of his work were exposed in Biennale of Venice. On the other hand, Marianna wanted to differentiate her art from the rest of the family's art, and turned towards the Art of Acting (Drama School). Although she had been thinking of studying Economics, she finally found her expression through direct communication with art by performing in front of the public. And this is exactly the part of AK Gallery she is called to cover as a Communication Expert. She also intends to bring as many theatrical performances to Santorini as possible and set up ‘a theatrical nucleus on the island’. She is about to organize theatrical groups -despite the lack of ‘purely theatrical spaces’- and reintroduce classical masterpieces to the wide public in a more ‘communicative’ form.

Katonas states that the ‘Santorinian energy’ follows him everywhere. He has participated in the creation of AK Gallery from the very beginning and, when not creating in his workshop in Fira, he spends his time in the artistic space personally designed by his Mother. During a discussion we had one spring afternoon in Santorini, Katonas characteristically mentioned that ‘the co-existence of four Artists becomes easier when people’s feelings, sensitivity and aesthetics gain quality and respect.