For almost an entire year, artist Alexandros Georgiou established a temporary live art studio in the ΕΜΣΤ foyer, as part of the Public Programme for the exhibition Why Look at Animals? A Case for the Rights of Non-Human Lives. He invited visitors and their animal companions to participate in a unique portrait-making process—one that involved painting the pets rather than their human owners.
Throughout this project, Georgiou sought to capture not only the animals’ form but also their “soul”—their distinct inner presence—approaching each subject with the sensitivity and attention traditionally reserved for human portraiture. The artist had pledged that once the project ended, these portraits would be gifted to the companions of the animals depicted.
After a year in residence and more than 200 sittings , the studio is now drawing to a close, leaving behind a moving archive of what the artist calls Soul Portraits. ΕΜΣΤ wove this body of work into a unique artist’s book that stands as a tender and vibrant testament to Georgiou’s generosity and commitment, as well as to the deeply affectionate bond we share with our non-human companions. The book launches on Thursday, May 14 at 19:00, at ΕΜΣΤ Café, with copies available for purchase at SHOP AT ΕΜΣΤ following the event.
Visitors may collect their pets’ portraits on the same day, from 19:00 to 22:00, as well as on Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17, from 11:00 to 14:00. On portrait collection dates, the artist will be present to sign copies of his book.
