Transformation: Trees & Abstract – Exhibition

What say you faithful tree? In summer’s glory standing tall while autumn’s minions sneak to steal your green, so you go necked into winter. from: What Say You? (Eric Ericson)

In this exhibition Cyprus born Yorgos Papadopoulos is showing three versions of the Golden Frisia, the tree he planted in the back garden of his North London home and studio. The tree has a sentimental significance as he planted it at the time his grandmother, with whom he shared the house, passed away.

Like many artists before him, Papadopoulos likes to treat his subjects in a serialist manner — a repetition to show differences in perception of light across various times of day, seasons, and types of weather. To the Buddhist in him it signifies the impermanence of life.

Over the years the only constant in the image was the window frame. Being over a hundred years old they soon face replacement and thus remind him of impermanence again. The metaphorical framing of the artwork in these works has been highlighted by physically incorporating wood veneer into the lamination of the glass.