Apostol

Apostol Nikolakopoulos, who signs his work simply Apostol, is a Greek sculptor born in 1950 and based in Athens. A former economist, he has worked as an artist for more than thirty years, with galleries in Athens and in Oia on Santorini, and casts his sculptures at his own foundry in Athens.

Apostol works with the ancient lost-wax casting process, creating molds for bronze sculptures that range from under two feet to more than twelve feet in height, and also casts in aluminium. He is known for perfecting the technique of large bronze casting and for his characteristic combination of metal with hand-cut crystal glass: the crystal pieces are set into the crevices of the sculptures, producing a vibrant refraction between metal and glass, and his castings are further enhanced with variations of glass, aluminum and silver. He sometimes paints the metal vibrantly in vivid colors. For the artist, crystal and metal evoke water and fire, the elemental forces that shape existence: the glass makes water appear solid and almost tangible, while the metal anchors the work in strength and permanence, and together they reflect a life that is at once fragile and enduring, ever-changing yet grounded.

His subjects are drawn from ancient Greek history and mythology, music, the sea and nature, and from the ever-changing modern world, with the influence of American rock 'n' roll running through the work. The resulting sculptures reflect a magical simplicity and are at the same time a hymn to the joy of life. Asked about the source of his creativity, Apostol has said that the best ideas come to him when he is not intentionally thinking about what his next work will look like.

His works decorate homes, companies, hotels, yachts and outdoor areas around the world and are held in private collections internationally, including a purchase by Madonna. He has shown at galleries in Paris, Athens, Nice and Denmark, at the Oia Art Center on Santorini and at Artexpo New York, and his work has been presented at Art Miami and Palm Beach Modern and Contemporary.