Konstantinos Ladianos created a series of unique hand-painted ceramics that depict imaginary creatures and animals, and transform everyday people into mythical personas. His work Blue Monkey echoes the enigmatic charm of the ancient frescoes found in Akrotiri. Monkeys were unusual creatures in the ancient Aegean world and reveal the expansive trade networks that connected them with distant cultures. Moreover, monkeys were generally associated with concepts of fertility, recreational activities, and nature, while the monkey in ancient Thera probably symbolized a kind of magical protection against evil spirits and malevolent forces. Ladianos’s work transposes images and thoughts of the past into symbols that haunt his own personal mythology. In this way this contemporary ceramic piece invites viewers into a realm where history and imagination intertwine, evoking a captivating narrative infused with symbolism.

Courtesy of the artist and CAN Christina Androulidaki gallery, Athens