︎ about
Kostis Fokas, born in Athens, Greece, is a conceptual photographer whose artistic practice revolves around the exploration of the human body as a site of social and political enquiry. By drawing on discourses around the construction of the self, body, queer, and posthumanist theories, the performative structures of his work look into the relationship between identity and physicality whilst approaching a sculptural language to forge a new visual vocabulary.
Unlike sentimental depictions or explicit narratives where sexuality and desire have been co-opted to fit in the broad swath of social and public life, Fokas' approach to the body is rather detached. Like a Cartesian mechanical eye, Fokas observes from the position of the spectator, scrutinizing himself and his subjects with a tantalizing pleasure. Bodies and fragmentary body parts set in bizarre and vulnerable positions are juxtaposed with wild landscapes and the striking beauty of the Greek summer.
Fokas boldly strips his model-friends down in front of the lens; yet, their poses are far from sexualized. A physical and spatial tension unfolds, as playful and surreal corporeal formations engage in a choreographic interplay of attraction, seduction, detachment, and resistance. Flirting with autonomy and vulnerability, his subjects are often witnessed as being in distress. Their desire to seduce and to connect is nothing but profound. Undoubtedly, in Fokas' visual topography the human body fights, rebels and resists, infinitely.
Fokas works have been exhibited in the USA and Europe, including, The Louvre Museum (Paris), Colette (Paris), Art Basel Miami (USA), The Benaki Museum in Athens and the Museum of Modern Art in Thessaloniki and Crete among others. Fokas has collaborated with and published his work in Die ZEIT Magazine, Le Monde, Les Inrockuptibles, L'obs, i-D magazine, Dazed and Confused, Neon Magazine (France), L'officiel (Italy), The advocate, Gay times, Gayletter, and many more international publications, websites and art books.
email: info@kostisfokas.com
instagram: @kostis.fokas
website credits:
Design by YOOOP studio
Texts by Katerina Gnafaki
All images © Kostis Fokas
Kostis Fokas, born in Athens, Greece, is a conceptual photographer whose artistic practice revolves around the exploration of the human body as a site of social and political enquiry. By drawing on discourses around the construction of the self, body, queer, and posthumanist theories, the performative structures of his work look into the relationship between identity and physicality whilst approaching a sculptural language to forge a new visual vocabulary.
Unlike sentimental depictions or explicit narratives where sexuality and desire have been co-opted to fit in the broad swath of social and public life, Fokas' approach to the body is rather detached. Like a Cartesian mechanical eye, Fokas observes from the position of the spectator, scrutinizing himself and his subjects with a tantalizing pleasure. Bodies and fragmentary body parts set in bizarre and vulnerable positions are juxtaposed with wild landscapes and the striking beauty of the Greek summer.
Fokas boldly strips his model-friends down in front of the lens; yet, their poses are far from sexualized. A physical and spatial tension unfolds, as playful and surreal corporeal formations engage in a choreographic interplay of attraction, seduction, detachment, and resistance. Flirting with autonomy and vulnerability, his subjects are often witnessed as being in distress. Their desire to seduce and to connect is nothing but profound. Undoubtedly, in Fokas' visual topography the human body fights, rebels and resists, infinitely.
Fokas works have been exhibited in the USA and Europe, including, The Louvre Museum (Paris), Colette (Paris), Art Basel Miami (USA), The Benaki Museum in Athens and the Museum of Modern Art in Thessaloniki and Crete among others. Fokas has collaborated with and published his work in Die ZEIT Magazine, Le Monde, Les Inrockuptibles, L'obs, i-D magazine, Dazed and Confused, Neon Magazine (France), L'officiel (Italy), The advocate, Gay times, Gayletter, and many more international publications, websites and art books.
email: info@kostisfokas.com
instagram: @kostis.fokas
website credits:
Design by YOOOP studio
Texts by Katerina Gnafaki
All images © Kostis Fokas
solo shows
2022
“Psychosomatic”
Schlomer Haus Gallery
San Francisco ( USA)
2020
"Boys With Feelings", 48x27, Athens (Greece)
"Skin Fits Heaven", The eye Altering Gallery, Thessaloniki (Greece)
"Introvert / Extrovert", Void Gallery, Athens Greece)
2016
"Un jour a la plage", Crete (Greece)
2015
"Relationshits", Atopos, Athens (Greece)
2014
"I'm not malfunctioning, you are", Dalston Superstore, London (UK)
group shows
2022
“Pink Matter Exhibition”
YSL Saint Laurent Rive Droite Stores Paris / Los Angeles
“Abstract Human Bodies”
The Museum Of Avant Garde
(Switzerland)
2021
"Gay Love In Pictures", EIGHT Gallery, Athens (Greece)
“Born With a "Leg Up", Back to Athens 8 International Arts Festival, Athens (Greece)
"Stories in red" "HIV then and now / I'm Positive",Technopolis, Athens (Greece)
2020
"How deep is your Love", Nue Gallery, Paris (France)
"Eros and Photography, Behind Desire - Part 1" , Chaussee 36 ,Gallery, Berlin (Germany)
"Immaterial Becoming", Online Exhibition, Berlin (Germany)
"My Gay Eye / Body Issues", Eisenherz Bookstore Gallery, Berlin (Germany)
2019
"Erotikon", Stegi Gramaton k Texnon, Athens (Greece)
"Athens Photo Festival ", Benaki Museum, Athens (Greece)
"Fake Friends", Fake Office, Athens (Greece)
2018
"Ambiguous Bodies Exhibition", State Museum of Contemporary Art , Thessaloniki (Greece)
"Athens Photo Festival", Benaki Museum, Athens (Greece)
"Fotofever Festival" , Louvre Museum, Paris (France)
2017
"Pink Exhibition", Colette Gallery, Paris (France)
"Eros/Thanatos", NEON, Athens (Greece)
"Container Love", Reeperbahn Festival, Hamburg (Germany)
2016
"Container Love", Ms Dockville Art Festival, Hamburg (Germany)
"The body and other small tales", Museum of contemporary art of Crete, Crete (Greece)
"Ordinary", Doomed Gallery, London (UK)
2015
"Art Basel", Apt 606, Florida (USA)
"L'artfair", Impact Hub, Geneva (Switzerland)
"Pink Pistols", Doomed Gallery, London (UK)
"Identalterity", 5th Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art, Thessaloniki (Greece)
2014
"Eudaimonia", Bord de l'eau Gallery, Thessaloniki (Greece)
"Post Physical", SooLocal, Minneapolis (USA)
2022
“Psychosomatic”
Schlomer Haus Gallery
San Francisco ( USA)
2020
"Boys With Feelings", 48x27, Athens (Greece)
"Skin Fits Heaven", The eye Altering Gallery, Thessaloniki (Greece)
"Introvert / Extrovert", Void Gallery, Athens Greece)
2016
"Un jour a la plage", Crete (Greece)
2015
"Relationshits", Atopos, Athens (Greece)
2014
"I'm not malfunctioning, you are", Dalston Superstore, London (UK)
group shows
2022
“Pink Matter Exhibition”
YSL Saint Laurent Rive Droite Stores Paris / Los Angeles
“Abstract Human Bodies”
The Museum Of Avant Garde
(Switzerland)
2021
"Gay Love In Pictures", EIGHT Gallery, Athens (Greece)
“Born With a "Leg Up", Back to Athens 8 International Arts Festival, Athens (Greece)
"Stories in red" "HIV then and now / I'm Positive",Technopolis, Athens (Greece)
2020
"How deep is your Love", Nue Gallery, Paris (France)
"Eros and Photography, Behind Desire - Part 1" , Chaussee 36 ,Gallery, Berlin (Germany)
"Immaterial Becoming", Online Exhibition, Berlin (Germany)
"My Gay Eye / Body Issues", Eisenherz Bookstore Gallery, Berlin (Germany)
2019
"Erotikon", Stegi Gramaton k Texnon, Athens (Greece)
"Athens Photo Festival ", Benaki Museum, Athens (Greece)
"Fake Friends", Fake Office, Athens (Greece)
2018
"Ambiguous Bodies Exhibition", State Museum of Contemporary Art , Thessaloniki (Greece)
"Athens Photo Festival", Benaki Museum, Athens (Greece)
"Fotofever Festival" , Louvre Museum, Paris (France)
2017
"Pink Exhibition", Colette Gallery, Paris (France)
"Eros/Thanatos", NEON, Athens (Greece)
"Container Love", Reeperbahn Festival, Hamburg (Germany)
2016
"Container Love", Ms Dockville Art Festival, Hamburg (Germany)
"The body and other small tales", Museum of contemporary art of Crete, Crete (Greece)
"Ordinary", Doomed Gallery, London (UK)
2015
"Art Basel", Apt 606, Florida (USA)
"L'artfair", Impact Hub, Geneva (Switzerland)
"Pink Pistols", Doomed Gallery, London (UK)
"Identalterity", 5th Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art, Thessaloniki (Greece)
2014
"Eudaimonia", Bord de l'eau Gallery, Thessaloniki (Greece)
"Post Physical", SooLocal, Minneapolis (USA)
publications
2022
My Gay Eye Book, Sex Utopia (Germany)
2020
New Queer Photography Book (Germany)
Noisy Rain Magazine - portfolio Presentation (UK)
Kaltblut Magazine - Online Interview (Germany)
My Gay eye Book, Body issues Book (Germany)
2019
The Cultural Magazine - Online Interview (Germany)
Milk x Taiwan Magazine - Online Interview (Taiwan)
2018
i-D Magazine Digital - Online Interview (UK)
Vangardist Magazine - Portfolio Presentation (Germany)
ZEIT Magazine - Portfolio Presentation (Germany)
InrockUptibles Magazine - Portfolio Presentation (France)
Gay Times Magazine - Portfolio Presentation (UK)
Based Istanbul Magazine - Interview (Turkey)
A-B International Magazine by Athens Biennale'18 - Portfolio Presentation (Athens)
TETU Magazine - Portfolio Presentation (France)
Ordinary Magazine - Air Issue (The Netherlands)
The No face Book (UK)
2017
The Advocate - Online Portfolio Presentation (USA)
Ordinary Magazine - Plastic Bag Issue (The Netherlands)
Causette Magazine -Sex Issue (France)
Pink Book By Luis Venegas (France)
Ordinary Magazine - Sponge Issue (The Netherlands)
Gayletter Magazine - Special Pride Issue (Cover) (USA)
2016
GayLetter Magazine - Interview (USA)
Self Publish Be Happy - (Atopos Zine) (Greece)
Lifo Magazine - Interview (Greece)
2015
Dazed and Confused Digital - Online Interview (UK)
Ignant Magazine - Online Portfolio Presentation (UK)
Featureshoot - Online Portfolio Presentation (UK)
2014
Ignant Magazine - Online Portfolio Presentation (UK)
The Juxtapose - Online Portfolio Presentation (UK)
2022
My Gay Eye Book, Sex Utopia (Germany)
2020
New Queer Photography Book (Germany)
Noisy Rain Magazine - portfolio Presentation (UK)
Kaltblut Magazine - Online Interview (Germany)
My Gay eye Book, Body issues Book (Germany)
2019
The Cultural Magazine - Online Interview (Germany)
Milk x Taiwan Magazine - Online Interview (Taiwan)
2018
i-D Magazine Digital - Online Interview (UK)
Vangardist Magazine - Portfolio Presentation (Germany)
ZEIT Magazine - Portfolio Presentation (Germany)
InrockUptibles Magazine - Portfolio Presentation (France)
Gay Times Magazine - Portfolio Presentation (UK)
Based Istanbul Magazine - Interview (Turkey)
A-B International Magazine by Athens Biennale'18 - Portfolio Presentation (Athens)
TETU Magazine - Portfolio Presentation (France)
Ordinary Magazine - Air Issue (The Netherlands)
The No face Book (UK)
2017
The Advocate - Online Portfolio Presentation (USA)
Ordinary Magazine - Plastic Bag Issue (The Netherlands)
Causette Magazine -Sex Issue (France)
Pink Book By Luis Venegas (France)
Ordinary Magazine - Sponge Issue (The Netherlands)
Gayletter Magazine - Special Pride Issue (Cover) (USA)
2016
GayLetter Magazine - Interview (USA)
Self Publish Be Happy - (Atopos Zine) (Greece)
Lifo Magazine - Interview (Greece)
2015
Dazed and Confused Digital - Online Interview (UK)
Ignant Magazine - Online Portfolio Presentation (UK)
Featureshoot - Online Portfolio Presentation (UK)
2014
Ignant Magazine - Online Portfolio Presentation (UK)
The Juxtapose - Online Portfolio Presentation (UK)