Selected works from the two-wheeled journey of discovery across the continents of the Earth, which began 22 years ago and continues to this day, is an exhibition of digital photography by artist Polidevkis Stathopoulos entitled “Color the Earth Cycles”), which will run until August 31 at the reception. area of ​​the Coco-Mat Athens BC hotel.

The “obsession” with bicycles began in 2000 during a trip to Cuba. “People walked for miles there every day. There was a big problem with transport, and those who managed to get a bicycle were privileged: they could go to work on a two-wheeler, carry goods,” he says.

Thus, from a fetish of liberation and fun at an early age, as we imagined it in Greece, cycling took on other dimensions. Somehow, the artist managed to photograph thousands of bikes with or without drivers in more than 20 countries – Asia, Africa, Europe and America. The way it is used in all countries of the world has incredible differences and at the same time great similarities. A vehicle that can give you solutions and freedom at little cost: a mobile shop in Vietnam where goods hide the driver and you know it’s a bike just by the protruding wheel. A way to go for a walk and at the same time exercise in Greece. Two wheels, which, in the presence of a patent, can “carry” dad with three children to school. A bike ice cream shop, a bike grocery store, a bike flower shop, a bike you can lean on when you’re sad—there are endless options.

Polidevkis Stathopoulos forged the photographs and processed them using digital oil painting, managing to give the final result an artistic patina. A reference, perhaps, to his love of painting. Each photo was worked on for many days to achieve the result presented at the exhibition. I ask him if he will continue to photograph bicycles. “Of course,” he replies without thinking.