The art of Constanze Zikos is a streetwise combination of influences from pop art, minimalism, geometric abstraction, fashion, décor and death metal. He luxuriates in the extravagant and the fake, lifting patterns and motifs inspired by his Greek heritage. By modifying neo-classically inspired designs and patterns his work expands the language of abstraction with cultural references and import.

Zikos presents a series of works continuing his investigation into cultural identity and meaning, aesthetics and design for this Level 2 Contemporary Project Space exhibition. Imitating visual elements of the past in disregarded materials including glomesh, perspex, velvet and laminex, he employs culture as a translator of histories to present a contemporary cultural identity.

Constanze Zikos was born in Greece in 1962 and arrived in Australia in 1966. He studied Fine Art at Victoria College, Prahran and later at the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne, graduating with a Masters of Arts in 1996. Zikos has exhibited widely both in Australia and internationally. In 2004 a major survey of Zikos’ work, Anathematic: Constanze Zikos 1990-2003 was exhibited at Monash University Museum of Art, Melbourne. His work has featured in numerous exhibitions over the past decade including Australian Perspecta, Art Gallery of New South Wales; Fake Project, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art; Fieldwork: Australian Art 1968-2002, National Gallery of Victoria and The Persistence of Pop, Monash University Gallery and Primavera, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney.

A brochure accompanies the exhibition.