BIO
Esmeralda Kosmatopoulos is a multi-disciplinary conceptual artist working around language and identity.
Born in Greece, raised in Paris, she now lives and works between Cairo, Paris and New York. Her work investigates the definition and construction of identities, personal memories, culture and collective histories.
Her work was exhibited in galleries and institutions internationally including Salzburg Contemporain (Austria), Künstlerhaus Wien (Austria), Kunsthal Charlottenborg (Denmark), Kunsthal Aarhus (Aarhus, Denmark), Times Art Museum (China), MOCO - La Panacée (France), Sainsbury Centre (UK), Somerset House (UK), Palazzo delle Arti Napoli (Italy), Gallerie delle Prigioni - Luciano Benetton Collections (Italy), Musée Zadkine (France), AMA | Art Museum of the Americas (DC, USA), French Institute of Athens (Greece), CICA Museum (Korea) among others.
Kosmatopoulos also worked alongside socially charged entities such as the Organization of American States (Washington DC, United States), the Kayani foundation (Beirut, Lebanon), Unicef Blue Dot (Athens, Greece), One Happy Family (Lesbos, Greece) and the Museum Louis Braille (France) to create large-scale installations that raise awareness on social issues.
RESUME
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS AND SITE SPECIFIC PROJECTS
2021
CARESSING WALLS | APICK GALLERY | TORINO, ITALY
2020
SI LE NEZ DE CLEOPATRE… | DARB 1718 | CAIRO, EGYPT
2018
+ - + | CURATOR: AZAD ASIFOVICH | MUSÉE ZADKINE | PARIS, FRANCE
LIBRO D'ORO | CURATORS: NICOLAS VAMVOUKLIS, SUZANNA PETOT AND ALEXANDRA ETIENNE | GALLERIE DELLE PRIGIONI - LUCIANO BENETTON COLLECTIONS | TREVISO, ITALY *
| __________ | | CURATOR: AZAD ASIFOVICH | GALERIE MANSART | PARIS, FRANCE
CHEZ NAUSSICA | CURATOR: IFIGENIA PAPAMIKROULEA | FRENCH INSTITUTE | ATHENS, GREECE
2017
WHAT I ALWAYS WANTED TO TELL YOU BUT NEVER DARED | CURATOR: CLÉMENCE MAILLY | PARASOL PROJECTS | NEW YORK, USA
SIRI&ME | VISIONAIRS GALLERY | SINGAPORE
L'AMOUR DE LOIN | BAR | BEIRUT, LEBANON
2016
DESSINE MOI UN ARC-EN-CIEL | THE INSTITUTE FOR ART AND OLFACTION | LOS ANGELES, USA
FIFTEEN PAIRS OF MOUTHS | MUSÉE DE L'ECOLE DES MINES DE PARIS | PARIS, FRANCE
COMMENT PEUT-ON ÊTRE #PERSAN | KARA AWARD FINAL PROJECT PRESENTATION | MOHSEN GALLERY | TEHRAN, IRAN
MASTERING THE ART OF CONTEMPORARY ART IN COLLABORATION WITH SEAN NAFTEL | KUNSTHAL AARHUS | AARHUS, DENMARK
MHOAUNTDH [MU-HOH-UHN-TUH-DAH] | CURATORS: AMANDA URIBE AND CHE MORALES | SPRING|BREAK | NEW YORK, USA
2015
CONNECTING THE DOTS | SEAPORT STUDIOS | NEW YORK, USA
DESSINE MOI UN ARC-EN-CIEL | MUSÉE LOUIS BRAILLE | COUPVRAY, FRANCE
2014
THE LEGACY OF NAM JUNE PAIK IN THE POST-DIGITAL AGE | TWO-ARTIST SHOW | SHIN GALLERY | NEW YORK, USA
ET DIEU CRÉA L’@ | GALERIE PROPOS D’ARTISTES | PARIS, FRANCE
L | AMA|ART MUSEUM OF AMERICAS | WASHINGTON DC, USA
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022
COLLECTING POLICY | CURATORS: CHRISTINA PENETSDORFER, THORSTEN SADOWSKY | SALZBURG MUSEUM DER MODERNE | SALZBURG, AUSTRIA*
VISIONS OF ANCIENT EGYPT | CURATORS: BEN HINSON AND ANNA FERRARI | SAINSBURY CENTER | NORWICH, UK*
HOOKED | CURATOR: HANNAH REDLER HAWES | EMORY UNIVERSITY SCIENCE GALLERY | ATLANTA, USA
SALO X | CURATOR: LAURENT QUENEHEN | LES SALAISONS ROMAINVILLE | PARIS, FRANCE*
BODY FRAME | APICK GALLERY | TURIN, ITALY
LANIAKEA #2 | CURATORS: MARIE DEPARIS-YAFIL AND BOGDAN PAVLOVIC | FONDATION LA RUCHE - SEYDOUX | PARIS, FRANCE
2021
TRECCIENTO | CURATORS: AZAD ASIFOVICH, ADRIENNE ROGER | GALERIE ITALIENNE | PARIS, FRANCE
TANGLED STRUCTURES | ART D'EGYPTE | THE FACTORY | CAIRO, EGYPT
LE GOÛT DES AUTRES | FRAC BRETAGNE | RENNES, FRANCE
2020
COOKBOOK CHINA | CURATORS: NICOLAS BOURRIAUD AND ANDREA PETRINI | TODAY ART MUSEUM | BEIJIN, CHINA*
BEACON | CURATOR: CM TURNER | THE ALICE AND HARRIS K. WESTON ART GALLERY | CINCINNATI, UNITED STATES*
LE GRAND TOUR | CURATOR: MARIE DEPARIS-YAFIL | CENTRE D'ART H2M | BOURG EN BRESSE, FRANCE
FROM SCRATCH TO SCRATCH | CURATORS: CAMILLE BLADT, PATRICIA COUVET, SOFIA LEMOS MARQUES, KOI PERSYN, ZUZANNA RACHOWSKA, YANIS STEFANOU, ELLA STROWEL AND VINCENT VAN LAEKEN | KUNSTHAL GENT | GENT, BELGIUM
2019
COOKBOOK 2019 | CURATORS: NICOLAS BOURRIAUD AND ANDREA PETRINI | LA PANACÉE - CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY ART | MONTPELLIER, FRANCE*
24|7 | CURATOR: SARAH COOK | SOMERSET HOUSE | LONDON, UK*
AUTONOMIE ZÉRO | CURATORS: GILLES ALVAREZ, DOMINIQUE MOULON | BIENNALE NÉMO | PARIS, FRANCE*
MATERIAL INSANITY | CURATORS: MERIEM BERRADA AND JANINE GAËLLE DIEUDJI | MACAAL - MUSEUM OF AFRICAN CONTEMPORARY ART AL MAADEN | MARRAKESH, MOROCCO*
18TH MEDIA ART BIENNALE WRO: HUMAN ASPECT | CURATOR: PIOTR KRAJEWSKI | FOUR DOMES PAVILION | WROCŁAW, POLAND*
DRAMATURKIA | CURATOR: AZAD AZIFOVICH | UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP | ANTWERP, BELGIUM*
CHANT D'AMOUR | GALERIE DIX9 | PARIS, FRANCE
TETRAMATYKA FESTIVAL | CURATORS: AGNIESZKA KUBICKA-DZIEDUSZYCKA, PIOTR KRAJEWSKI, OSTAP MANULYAK | ETNOGRAPHICAL MUSEUM | LVIV, UKRAINE
2018
XCELERATOR - BEIJING TIMES ART MUSEUM 10TH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION | CURATORS: CHARLES LINDSAY AND SAOYU SU | TIMES ART MUSEUM | BEIJING, CHINA *
HOOKED | CURATOR: HANNAH REDLER HAWES | KING'S COLLEGE SCIENCE GALLERY | LONDON, UK
EXILE PAVILLON | CURATORS: MARIE DEPARIS-YAFIL AND MOUNIR FATMI | ST LOUIS, SENEGAL
SHAPE OPEN | CURATORS: YINKA SHONIBARE, RICHARD HUNT AND DAVID HEVEY | THE ART PAVILION | LONDON, UK
WHAT CAN BE SEEN | CURATOR: NATASHA BECKER | SPRING | BREAK | NEW YORK, USA
ID*ENTITY | CURATOR: CHLOE ATHANASOPOULOU | FLOAT GALLERY | ATHENS , GREECE
NOTES ON TODAY FROM TOMORROW | CURATOR: CM TURNER | IRL GALLERY | CINCINNATI, USA
2017
VARIATION | CURATOR: DOMINIQUE MOULON | CITÉ INTERNATIONALE DES ARTS | PARIS, FRANCE
STANDARD DEVIATIONS | CURATORS: KELLY JOST, MARY MCCLAVE, HANNAH ROZENBLAT, AMI YANG, WAI YING ZHAO AND ANNA JIMENEZ | HUNTER COLLEGE | NEW YORK, USA
IMAGINED HOMES | CURATORS: AZAD ASIFOVICH ET JÉRÔME NIVET-CARZON | THESSALONIKI BIENNALE | THESSALONIKI, GREECE
3RD MDINA BIENNALE: THE MEDITERRANEAN: A SEA OF CONFLICTING SPIRITUALITIES | CURATORS: DR. GIUSEPPE, SCHEMBRI BONACI , NIKKI PETRONI AND MELANIE ERIXON | MDINA, MALTA
A CERTAIN BLUE OF THE SEA IS SO BLUE THAT ONLY BLOOD WOULD BE MORE RED | CURATOR: SOZITA GOUDOUNA | IONIAN PARLIAMENT | CORFU, GREECE
2016
BORDERLESS: IN PERSPECTIVE | CURATOR: DAVID C. TERRY | LITE-HAUS GALERIE | BERLIN, GERMANY
UNE JOURNÉE DE COÏNCIDENCES #4 | CURATOR: FRANÇOIS RONSIAUX | PARIS, FRANCE
TRADUIRE | C’EST TRAHIR. VOLET 1 | CURATOR : AZAD ASIFOVICH AND SASHA PEVAK | GALERIE NIVET CARZON | PARIS, FRANCE
WORKS: REFLECTIONS ON FAILURE | CURATOR: OSMANCAN YEREBAKAN | RADIATOR GALLERY | LONG ISLAND CITY, USA
DIGITAL CULTURE | CICA MUSEUM | GIMPO-SI, KOREA
12TH ATHENS DIGITAL ARTS FESTIVAL | ATHENS, GREECE
DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR? | CURATOR: ANTHONY ELMS | AIR GALLERY | NEW YORK, USA
SPRING EXHIBITION | CURATORS: FOS, MOLLY HASLUND, ANTON ALVAREZ, ANDERS ABRAHAM AND THORSTEN SADOWSKY | KUNSTHAL CHARLOTTENBORG | COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
2015
DIGITAL MIGRATION | CURATOR: JUDITH FEGERL | KÜNSTLERHAUS WIEN | VIENNA, AUSTRIA *
ORGANIZING CHAOS | CURATORS: CRISTINA GHETTI AND JAVIER MARISCO | INCUBARTE 7 INTERNATIONAL ART FESTIVAL | VALENCIA, SPAIN
WASSAIC SUMMER EXHIBITION | WASSAIC PROJECT | WASSAIC, USA
COME TO BED! | CURATOR: ROYA SACHS | BOSI CONTEMPORARY | NEW YORK, USA *
YOU DON'T BRING ME FLOWERS (+ THE MISTRESS PROJECT) | CURATOR: QUANG BAO | 68 PROJECT | BERLIN, GERMANY
COUNTERFEIT FOR CASH | CURATOR: DOUGLAS PAULSON | FLUX-FACTORY | NEW YORK, USA
2014
SCREENING | 6TH CAIRO VIDEO FESTIVAL | MEDRAR FOR CONTEMPORARY ART | CAIRO, EGYPT
OLE.01 | CURATORS: LELLO MASUCCI AND ROBERTA IADEVAIA | MUSEUM PAN - PALAZZO DELLE ARTI NAPOLI | NAPLES, ITALY *
DON'T EVEN DREAM! | CURATOR: ANNA BUYVID | RUARTS GALLERY | MOSCOW, RUSSIA
GOSSIPS | CURATOR: ŁUCJA WAŚKO-MANDES | TRAFO | SZCZECIN, POLAND *
ARTE LAGUNA PRIZE | CURATOR: DOMENICO QUARRANTA | VENICE ARSENALE | VENICE, ITALY *
SEPARATION ANXIETY | CURATOR: LEE WELLS | WALLPLAY GALLERY | NEW YORK, USA
2013
MARK-IT | PUBLIC ART PROJECT LAUNCHED AT THE NEW MUSEUM IDEA CITY FESTIVAL | NEW YORK, USA
CECI EST UN COEUR | DUMBO ART FESTIVAL | NEW YORK, USA
2012
THE PALM AUTHORITY PROJECT | NUIT BLANCHE | TORONTO, CANADA
DYSTORPIA | CURATORS: GABRIEL ROLDÓS & ARLAN LONDOÑO | QUEENS MUSEUM | NEW YORK, USA
SCREENING | 25TH LES INSTANTS INTERNATIONAL ART FESTIVAL | MARSEILLE, FRANCE
L | SMITHSONIAN FOLK FESTIVAL | WASHINGTON DC, USA
2011
THE PALM AUTHORITY PROJECT | BAYFRONT PARK | MIAMI, USA
GROUP SHOW | UAMO ART FESTIVAL | MUNICH, GERMANY *
ALL EXHIBITIONS WITH PUBLISHED CATALOGUES ARE MARKED WITH AN ASTERISK (*)
AWARDS / GRANTS / RESIDENCIES AND COMMISSIONS
2020
RESIDENCY – FONDATION BOGHOSIAN | BRUXELLES, BELGIUM
2019
RESIDENCY - TOWNHOUSE | CAIRO, EGYPT
GRANT - STEP TRAVEL GRANT FROM THE EUROPEAN CULTURAL FOUNDATION WITH THE SUPPORT OF COMPAGNIA DI SAN PAOLO
RESIDENCY - LE18 | MARRAKECH, MOROCCO
2018
RESIDENCY - CHINATOWN SOUP RESIDENCY | NEW YORK, USA
2017
SYMPOSIUM - MOBILITÉS HUMAINES ET CRÉATION ORGANIZED BY THE FRENCH EMBASSY | TEHERAN, IRAN
RESIDENCY - KAAF INSTITUTE | TEHERAN, IRAN
GRANT - FOUNDATION FOR CONTEMPORARY ART EMERGENCY GRANT | NEW YORK, USA
RESIDENCY - VICTORIA SQUARE PROJECT RESIDENCY | ATHENS , GREECE
RESIDENCY - BEIRUT ART RESIDENCY | BEIRUT, LEBANON
2016
RESIDENCY - MASS MOCA'S RESIDENCY | NORTH ADAMS, USA
SCHOLARSHIP - HARVESTWORKS | NEW YORK, USA
RESIDENCY - KOOSHK | TEHERAN, IRAN
AWARD - KARA AWARD | TEHERAN, IRAN
2015
SEMINAR - NYFA IMMIGRANT ARTISTS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM | NEW YORK, USA
COMMISSION - LOUIS BRAILLE MUSEUM COMMISSION WITH THE SUPPORT OF FONDATION GIVAUDAN | COUPVRAY | FRANCE
2014
AWARD - FINALIST OF THE 1ST INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF ELECTRONIC LITERATURE PRIZE | NAPLES, ITALY
AWARD - FINALIST OF THE 8TH VENICE ARTE LAGUNA PRIZE | VENICE, ITALY
GRANT - MANHATTAN COMMUNITY ARTS FUND GRANT LMCC GRANT | NEW YORK, USA
AWARD - WINNER FOR THE 4TH NEW MEDIA WRITING PRIZE | BOURNEMOUTH, UK
2013
GRANT - TURBULENCE.ORG COMMISSION FUNDED BY THE JEROME FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, USA
2012
SEMINAR - LMCC ARTISTS SUMMER INSTITUTE | NEW YORK, USA
COMMISSION - AMA|ART OF AMERICAS MUSEUM COMMISSION WITH THE SUPPORT OF HUGO BOSS | DC, USA
WINNER OF THE SCOTTIA BANK | ARTIST PROJECT PRIZE | TORONTO, CANADA
SELECTED PRESS
2019
LAURA CUMMING | 24/7: A WAKE-UP CALL FOR OUR NON-STOP WORLD REVIEW – IN SEARCH OF LOST TIME | THE GUARDIAN |OCTOBER 29, 2019
MEGAN WILLIAMS | 24/7 AT SOMERSET HOUSE EXAMINES THE PERILS OF NON-STOP CULTURE | CREATIVE REVIEW | OCTOBER 30, 2019
AUGUSTA POWNALL | 50 ARTISTS RESPOND TO SOCIETY'S STRUGGLE TO SWITCH OFF AT SOMERSET HOUSE'S 24/7 EXHIBITION | DEZEEN |OCTOBER 29, 2019
2018
ALEX GREENBERGER AND CLAIRE SELVIN | IN SEVENTH EDITION, SPRING|BREAK, STRANGE AS EVER, RESPONDS TO WORLD’S TENSE CULTURAL CLIMATE | ARTNET | MARCH 6, 2018
2017
AUDRA LAMBERT | THE VIRTUAL RISE OF ESMERALDA KOSMATOPOULOS | QUIET LUNCH | PRINT ISSUE NO5 *
EMMANUEL DAYDÉ | MÉFIE-TOI DES GRECS ! | ART ABSOLUMENT | SEPTEMBER 2017 PRINT ISSUE *
CHARLOTTE BOUTBOUL | TO WATCH: ESMERALDA KOSMATOPOULOS | WHITEWALL | WINTER 2017 PRINT ISSUE *
2016
NATHANIEL AINLEY | FROM IDEA TO INSTALLATION | GO INSIDE THE PRACTICE OF A CONCEPTUAL ARTIST | CREATORS PROJECT | DECEMBER 6, 2016
]THE SMARTPHONE IS ABSENT | PERSPECTIVES | ESMERALDA KOSMATOPOULOS (VIDEO INTERVIEW) | CREATORS PROJECT | NOVEMBER 30, 2016
]NATE JONES | ARTIST INTERVIEW WITH ESMERALDA KOSMATOPOULOS | ARTEFUSE | SEPTEMBER 09, 2016
DARIUSH TALAIE | KOOSHK ARTIST RESIDENCY AWARD: A HAVEN FOR BEARING REALITY | HARPER'S BAZAAR ARABIA | JULY 24, 2016
AMY PURSSEY | RESIDENT ARTIST’S PHOTOGRAPHY CASTS A FOREIGN SHADOW IN TEHRAN | ARTREPORT | JULY 5, 2016
]SEZA BALI | INTERVIEW WITH ESMERALDA KOSMATOPOULOS | XOXO THE MAGAZINE | JUNE 2016 ISSUE (PRINT) TURKEY | JUNE 1ST, 2016*
MANSOUR JAHANI | FRENCH-GREEK ARTIST LOOKS AT CONTEMPORARY IRANIAN CULTURE | GOZARESHE HONAR | MAY 28, 2016
KARA WINNERS SHOWCASING ARTWORKS AT MOHSEN GALLERY | TEHRAN TIME (PRINT) | IRAN | MAY 28, 2016 *
OLE BAK JAKOBSEN | THE RECIPE FOR A WORK OF ART! | KUNSTEN | MARCH 22, 2016
CHRISTINA LEE | MIXED MEDIA ARTIST CASTS HANDS TO MIMIC HOW PEOPLE TEXT | ARTREPORT | MARCH 22 | 2016
ALLY BETKER | PHONE ART AT SPRING | BREAK | W MAGAZINE | MARCH 06 | 2016
BRIAN P. KELLY | ARMORY WEEK ROUNDUP | NEW CRITERION | MARCH 04 | 2016
MAXIMILÍANO DURÓN | A TOUR OF THE SPRING | BREAK ART FAIR | ARTNEWS | MARCH 03 | 2016
CAIT MUNRO | THESE 5 INSPIRED INSTALLATIONS MAKE SPRING | BREAK ART SHOW UNFORGETTABLE | ARTNET | MARCH 01 | 2016
2015
ANGELICA FREY | COME TO BED FOR SOME PILLOW TALK WITH THIS ARTIST | BEDFORD+BOWERY | MARCH 26 | 2015
2014
THE LEGACY OF NAM JUNE PAIK IN THE POST-DIGITAL ERA | ART DAILY | JULY 16 | 2014
ALEJANDRO PARDO | ITHACA BABEL AND NEW YORK CITY | WALL STREET INTERNATIONAL | JULY 8 | 2014
2013
ART AND COMMUNICATION COMBINE IN EXPERIMENTAL PROJECT | EXAMINER | OCT. 4 | 2013
SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS TRANSFORMED INTO AN ART GALLERY | THE COOL CULTURE | AUG. 30 | 2013
THE PALM AUTHORITY PROJECT | THE COOL CULTURE | JULY 3 | 2013
PUBLIC ART PROJECT MARK-IT TO LAUNCH AT NEW MUSEUM'S IDEAS CITY | ARTSLANT | MAY 04 | 2013
#PILLOWTALKS | ARTON AIR | CLOCKTOWER GALLERY RADIO STATION | APR. 15 | 2013
ALESSANDRO BERNI | ARMORY WEEK AND #PILLOWTALKS | ARTRUBUNE | APR. 09 | 2013
2012
THE BEST OF FREIZE WEEK IN PICTURES | BLOUIN ARTINFO | MAY 06 | 2012
RE-IMAGINE ART FESTIVAL AT THE UKRAINIAN INSTITUTE OF AMERICA | NEW-YORK ARTS MAGAZINE | JAN. 30 | 2012
GREEK PALMS IN MIAMI | TA NEA (PRINT) | GREECE | DEC. 14 | 2011 *
2011
ESMERALDA KOSMATOPOULOS EXPLORES THE PALM AUTHORITY PROJECT | ART BUSINESS NEWS | DEC. 02 | 2011
ARTIST ESMERALDA KOSMATOPOULOS TO BRING GIANT INFLATABLE HANDS TO BAYFRONT PARK FOR ART BASEL | MIAMI NEW TIMES | NOV. 08 | 2011
ALL ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN PRINT ARE MARKED WITH AN ASTERISK (*)
As a multicultural artist, I am driven by my desire to locate myself. I attempt to trace the boundaries of my persona in order to determine where I begin, where I end and where I belong.
My practice is a constant investigation of the fundamental concepts of what makes us human - concepts of identity, Otherness, personal memory, collective history, shared culture - and how we perceive, translate and transmit this information to the world. My role as an artist is to build connections – between here and there, now and then, analogue and digital and ultimately between one and another – in the search for the smallest common denominators that unify us thru time and space within the human experience.
I question the outwardly “obvious”, the "normal", the "familiar" and bring dichotomies and tensions within their visual imagery, cultural symbols, modes of representation and common practices to question their meaning and their stability. I appropriate and decontextualize seemingly straightforward objects or environments everyone can connect with, and, use humor and irony to uncover overlooked elements and changes in the perception we have of them. The everyday and the familiar turn into a catalyst to explore our very human nature.
My work is built upon a network of meaningful collaborations, incorporating participatory components at multiple stages of the creative process. Each project vacillates between performance – the experience of the participants living through the participatory process - and exhibition – the experience of the audience in front of the final work created. I base my research on personal stories and other forms of open invitations to participate, collecting subjective personal experiences, all are unique in their form and content. When disconnected from their original author and gather within the same piece, they become an anonymous public exposure of our human nature that transcends time, languages and cultures.