For centuries, blue remained a second-rate color, playing no role in social life, religious rites, or artistic creation. The ancient Greeks did not appreciate it, although in architecture and sculpture it often served as a deep color on which figures were inscribed, as in some parts of the Parthenon frieze. The Romans considered it unpleasant and humiliating, suitable only for “barbarians”.

Compared to white, red and black, the three primary colors of ancient societies, its symbolic dimension was too weak to signify or convey ideas and evoke emotion. His so subtle presence – or perhaps his absence? — actually led many 19th-century scientists to wonder if people of antiquity saw the color blue. Or at least if they saw it the way we do.

European emperors of the Middle Ages adopted Roman customs: blue never appeared at their courts. It was worn only by peasants and people of humble origin. Even Christianity, glorifying light and heaven, could not pull him out of the quagmire. For more than a millennium, he was absent from Christian worship and art. It began to slowly appear in depictions of the Virgin Mary around the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries. To win a place in social codes and symbolic systems, the resentful Blue had to find a first-class protector: the King of France. In the 12th century, he was the only European ruler to include it in his coat of arms. And because the French royal dynasties were powerful, an epidemic of imitation spread across Europe.

Everyone started dressing in blue! Much water has flowed into the mill of History since then. From the uniforms of sailors, police, customs, postmen and even the clergy (first in the Anglo-Saxons and then in other European countries) to the dominance of blue jeans and the blue emblems of UNESCO, the UN, the Council of Europe and the European Union, blue is the favorite color of the Westerners. The “whims” of fashion do not threaten its primacy.

Artists’ Favorite

The Stefanidu Tsukala gallery booth was filled with works of art and objects with a common color denominator – blue.

“Great victories were achieved by blue, however, and in the hands of people of art. From Vincent van Gogh, Johannes Vermeer, Pablo Picasso and Wassily Kandinsky to Katsushika Hokusai, David Hockney and Yves Klein, and Greek artists such as Alekos Fasianos, Yiannis Moralis, Panagiotis Thetsis, for whom blue was not just another color in their the palette was a powerful means of expression, a carrier of emotions and ideas,” says gallery owner Laura Tsukala. It is no coincidence that this year she decided to dress in blue the booth of the Stefanida Tsukala gallery, the only one who represented our country at the PAD Design and Art exhibition in Paris, perhaps the most important fair of art and decor, photography. and jewelry, held for 25 years, in the garden of Kerameikos, a few days ago.

The idea came about, she explains, “with this rationale for blue’s fluctuating reputation over the centuries and with inspiration from Yves Klein’s iconic blue, his own matte version of ultramarine. Our goal is to create a strong association with the bewitching Greek landscape, sky and sea, as well as Cycladic architecture, among the visitors of the exhibition.” Thus, a blue… universe traveled to the French capital: works of art, furniture and objects of Greek and foreign authors, made of different materials and styles, but with one color denominator: blue.

The impressive console of Liana Vassalos; “liquid” dining table by Kostas Paniaras (with a base that changes shape and color) and his own painting, where blue is adjacent to red; a unique porcelain lamp from the 60s by Alicia Penalba from Argentina (1913-1982); two sets of plexiglass (nest) tables, made in France in 1970 by an unknown artist, conveying the spirit of the times thanks to their then innovative material; a lotus-shaped chair by Fong Brothers from the 1980s, a striking antique totem by French sculptor Jean-Jacques Darbo, a rare ceramic wall composition by Roger Capron (1922-2006), a magnificent metal sculpture by the great Greek artist Takis, and others.

“Everything is designed to pay tribute, on the one hand, to our national flavor, and on the other hand, to freedom of movement and the playful mood of the “eternal” summer: Greek,” continues Laura Tsukala. And that’s probably what made PAD hundreds of visitors, as “K” found out in his reportvisit the Greek pavilion to admire works of art, furniture and utilitarian and decorative items up close and learn more about their creators.

The pandemic has benefited design

Founded in 1998 by the “restless” French gallerist and antique dealer Patrick Perrin, PAD Design and Art celebrated its 25th anniversary this year and is held every year, gathering the interest of many collectors, designers and, of course, art lovers. Paris, London and Monaco host its most popular “versions”. I ask Veta Stefanida-Tsukala, Laura’s mother, who has had a significant career in interior architecture and decorating, whether the pandemic has caused a change in this market. “Oddly enough, the coronavirus has benefited both art and design.

Through forced confinement, many people rethought their relationship with their home, began to appreciate it more. They decided to spend more time on it, so they want to make it more functional.
but also more beautiful.

Also, most of our social life, from places of catering and entertainment, “returned” to the house, with fewer, but real friends, for more meaningful communication. This doesn’t mean that PAD visitors don’t think twice before making a purchase. But everyone knows that art, that is furniture and bespoke pieces of exceptional quality that combine ease of use with artistic value, always signed by famous designers or artists, is still a great investment.”

What about Greek design? How many steps did he take on the way to worldwide recognition? “It is developing, but not enough to be internationally competitive,” Veta Stefanidou-Tsukala replies. “I would say that it is in its infancy. (Laughter) Our designers have a great sense of current trends and imitate them by adding their own touches. The point, of course, is not this, but the creation of one’s own identity. To this direction
We still have more to come…”