Aristides Balanos
ΑΡΙΣΤΕΙΔΗΣ ΜΠΑΛΑΝΟΣ

Born in Athens Greece, Aristides Balanos grew up beside the sea. Raised by an artist, he began exploring different media at an early age. With his focus on industrial design he received a degree in Engineering in 1988. After working in design in Berlin and Paris he returned to Greece in 1995. There on the island of Santorini he obtained his childhood foundation in art history, great love of the sea and formal training in engineering found expression on canvas. Inspired by the powerful currents of the Aegean and the shifting winds his dramatic seascapes and majestic ships are a testament to the enduring relationship of humans with the sea. For the past sixteen years he exhibited his work in Santorini and in Athens at Psychi Galleries, and at various galleries across Canada. Aristides Balanos lives and works in Roussillon, Southern France, since 2010. His work can be found in private collections worldwide.
In my work I try to convey the emotional response that the elements, the land, and the sea conger in me. I am particularly attracted to the open sea and the prairies with their vast horizons and rapidly changing characters.
I enjoy experimenting with the effects of distance and wish to provoke in the viewer primeval memories conducive to a meditative state.
For this reason my paintings have a dream-like quality which is reinforced by my subtle palette.
Ultimately it is my intention to free the soul from the ego through contemplation of our insignificance in the face of nature, the force of the wind, the grandness of the waves, the vastness of the land. My paintings are a journey to the soul of the earth.
My boat paintings are about the Age of Sail.
Each Ship had a name, each Ship had a certain character, as if each was a living thing, “lucky or unlucky, kind or killer”; remembering the times when man had to surpass himself and fight the elements, those epic journeys and man’s coexistence with the brute force of nature.
Aristides Balanos
Exhibitions
May 2014 - Galerie Pilango, Berlin, Germany - May 2014 - Galerie Monod, Paris, France - December 2013 – Salon des Indépendants, Grand Palais, Paris - September 2013 – Commission for Canada Post - Jully 2013 – Société Nautique de Marseille, France - June 2013 – Art Shopping, Carousel du Louvre, Paris, France - December 2012 – Desmos Gallery, Paris, France - September 2012 – Biennale Santorini, Greece; July 2012 – Solo Exhibition, Château de Lourmarin, France; May 2012 - Solo Exhibition, Société Nautique de Marseille, France; September 2011 – Solo Exhibition, Espace Richard Casteau, Roussillon, France; August 2011 - Solo Exhibition, Château de Gordes, France; May 2011 – Solo Exhibition, Société Nautique de Marseille, France; November 2010 – The Shield of Athena Art Auction, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; November 2009 – The Shield of Athena Art Auction, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; March 2009 - Solo Exhibition, Lofts Corticelli Montreal, Canada; November 2008 – The Shield of Athena Art Auction, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; April 2008 - Solo Exhibition, Château Saint Ambroise, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; November 2007 – The Shield of Athena Art Auction, Montreal, Canada; June 20007 - Duo Exhibition, Trinity Galleries, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada; April 2007 - Group Exhibition, Château Saint Ambroise, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Dec. 2006 - Solo Exhibition, Rouge Gallery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada; November 2006 – Group Exhibition - Art Auction, The Shield of Athena, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; March 2006 - Group Exhibition, One of a Kind Show, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; July 2005 - Group Exhibition, Tall Ship Festival, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; December 2004 - Group Exhibition, One of a Kind Show, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; June 2004 - Group Exhibition, Le Port des Arts, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; 2001 - 2004 - Artist / Proprietor, Psychi Gallery, Athens, Greece; November 2002 - Copper Forest installation, Espace Attitudes, Athens, Greece; 1994 - 2001 - Artist / Proprietor, Psychi Gallery, Santorini, Greece; November 1999 - Group show, Cultural Centre of Neo Psychiko, Athens, Greece; 1994 - 1995 - Freelance Artist, Paris, France; 1992 - 1993 - Freelance Artist, Berlin, Germany
May 2014 - Galerie Pilango, Berlin, Germany - May 2014 - Galerie Monod, Paris, France - December 2013 – Salon des Indépendants, Grand Palais, Paris - September 2013 – Commission for Canada Post - Jully 2013 – Société Nautique de Marseille, France - June 2013 – Art Shopping, Carousel du Louvre, Paris, France - December 2012 – Desmos Gallery, Paris, France - September 2012 – Biennale Santorini, Greece; July 2012 – Solo Exhibition, Château de Lourmarin, France; May 2012 - Solo Exhibition, Société Nautique de Marseille, France; September 2011 – Solo Exhibition, Espace Richard Casteau, Roussillon, France; August 2011 - Solo Exhibition, Château de Gordes, France; May 2011 – Solo Exhibition, Société Nautique de Marseille, France; November 2010 – The Shield of Athena Art Auction, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; November 2009 – The Shield of Athena Art Auction, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; March 2009 - Solo Exhibition, Lofts Corticelli Montreal, Canada; November 2008 – The Shield of Athena Art Auction, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; April 2008 - Solo Exhibition, Château Saint Ambroise, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; November 2007 – The Shield of Athena Art Auction, Montreal, Canada; June 20007 - Duo Exhibition, Trinity Galleries, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada; April 2007 - Group Exhibition, Château Saint Ambroise, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Dec. 2006 - Solo Exhibition, Rouge Gallery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada; November 2006 – Group Exhibition - Art Auction, The Shield of Athena, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; March 2006 - Group Exhibition, One of a Kind Show, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; July 2005 - Group Exhibition, Tall Ship Festival, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; December 2004 - Group Exhibition, One of a Kind Show, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; June 2004 - Group Exhibition, Le Port des Arts, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; 2001 - 2004 - Artist / Proprietor, Psychi Gallery, Athens, Greece; November 2002 - Copper Forest installation, Espace Attitudes, Athens, Greece; 1994 - 2001 - Artist / Proprietor, Psychi Gallery, Santorini, Greece; November 1999 - Group show, Cultural Centre of Neo Psychiko, Athens, Greece; 1994 - 1995 - Freelance Artist, Paris, France; 1992 - 1993 - Freelance Artist, Berlin, Germany
Canada revently circulated this Canada Post stamp with the painting by Aristides Balanos of the "Empress of Ireland" commemorating 100 years since her tragic sinking in the Saint Lawrence River near Quebec City in 1914 with the loss of 1,012 lives.