By the Sea Painting

Dimitris C. Milionis is presently living and working in Athens, Greece since 1974. Born in Sydney, Australia 1960.As a teenager since 1972-74 besides his traditional academic studies, he explores technical drawing, wood and metal workshops at Tempe Languages High School (Sydney, Au.). From 1974-78 at American Community Schools (ACS) Academy School in Athens, he explores B&W photography, 8mm film, and video he takes studies in drawing, mechanical drawing, and architecture including printmaking in linocuts. In 1979-80 he works on several Greek films and serials in post-production. During this period he involves himself with the study of Film & Theatrical Costumes related to an Ancient Greek Theater Stage, Props and Sceneography while he re-explores Painting in all mediums and several other art forms as traditional Greek Orthodox Byzantine Iconography, Etching, Sculpture, Design and Screen Printing. Milionis also includes his personal & career development with one small acting spot in a Cacoyiannis Film "Sweet Country" in 1985. - In Dimitris Milionis' most recent paintings the traces of Greek culture are more than obvious; they symbolize references to the Greek cultural traditions, the Byzantine art of icon painting and the miniature paintings of the Middle Ages. At the same time, they are simple geometrical compositions with a strong surrealistic blend. Seascapes, the Aegean Sea, the coasts with the kiosks that remind of pictures from the times of Orthodoxy, as they are imprinted in icons. Scenes of feasts with bottles of wine, flowers in the vases and kites flying in the sky, become one with religious festivals and rituals that take place in sacred places.The absence of people as part of the landscapes and the presence of surreal details in the compositions strengthens the sense of no-time. Human action is implied on the kites in the sky, the children's balls on the ground. For the artist, the curtains in motion symbolize life, human or divine mysteries that unfold within the buildings.Everyday life and religious feeling are strongly connected. The classic pediment is a symbol of love; it is the heart. The Fish, a timeless Christian symbol is linked to the watermelon, the peer and other fruit, all symbols of fertility in western European painting.