Stefanos Rokos and Cleopatra Tsali in artistic dialogue: paintings and ceramic sculptures on view in Kythera

A new exhibition, a collaboration between visual artists Stefanos Rokos and Cleopatra Tsali, opens on Monday, August 18, on the island of Kythera, at follow your ART gallery, in the settlement of Kapsali. The exhibition presents five paintings by Stefanos Rokos in dialogue with ceramic candelabra-sculptures by Cleopatra Tsali.

Note by Stefanos Rokos

“The five paintings that will be presented this summer at Georgia Tseri’s gallery in Kythera, alongside the outstanding ceramic sculptures of visual artist Cleopatra Tsali, are a selection from my recent large-scale series 50,000,000 Tons of Landscapes (2025) and The Two Temples (2022).

The two Mementos and the two snapshots from my trip to Japan in 2019 are conceptually and chromatically connected by We are Threads I. This work, shown to the public for the first time, was created immediately after the completion of my 2022 solo exhibition and defines the transitional phase between the conclusion of one thematic cycle and the discovery of the next, serving as a connecting link between two different bodies of existential concerns.

Together with Cleopatra’s sculptures, a cohesive environment is created, which I observe with emotion as a viewer, realizing that it encloses a shared aesthetic approach and a distinct sensitivity, as if they were pieces of the same intricate puzzle.”

Note by Cleopatra Tsali

“The ceramic candelabra-sculptures that I will be presenting this summer at Georgia Tseri’s gallery in Kythera are part of the Cucumis Melo Lamps series. These ceramic totems, inspired by summer fruits, acquire a new dimension through the addition of candle and flame, and converse with the paintings of my beloved artist Stefanos Rokos.

I created these ceramics inspired by the forms of summer fruits, stacking them one upon another in totemic form so that they appear almost sacred. The presence of the flame— a reminder of the fires that unfortunately accompany the Greek summer— is here held under control, while the human figure, included in the composition, enjoys a midday nap.

A love for craftsmanship, an attention to detail and to what often goes unnoticed, food and senses in abundance, as well as the ability to transform a moment—these are elements that connect us with Stefanos. His work continuously inspires me, and we are in constant dialogue, sometimes directly through our collaborations and other times indirectly, through music, films, and the moments we share.”