Bio

Yiannis Christakos  is a visual artist and academic. He is Professor of Visual Arts and Art Education Methodology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.

He lives in Athens, Greece

EDUCATION

2000-2003  PD, Doctorate in Fine Art, University of East London,  U.K.    

1998-1999 MA in Fine Art, University of East London, U.K.

1989-1994 BA, First Class Honours Degree in Fine Art, Aristotelian University Thessaloniki, Greece.

1984-1988 BA in Printing and Graphic Arts, University of Western Athens, Greece.

Academic Career

Since 2023, he has been serving at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
Between 2016 and 2023, he was a member of the teaching staff at the Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Ioannina.

He has held several adjunct lecturing positions, including at the School of Visual Arts, University of Ioannina (2003–2005), the Pedagogical Department, School of Human Studies, University of Thessaly (2007–2014), and the School of Art Studies, University of West Attica (2004–2016). Earlier in his career, between 2000 and 2002, he conducted tutorials and seminars at the University of East London.

From 2009 to 2014, he delivered seminars at Wayne State College, Nebraska State College (USA), within the framework of a study-abroad program based in Greece.

He is a founding member of the Laboratory of Arts and Didactic Applications at the Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Ioannina
(https://arts.ecedu.uoi.gr).

Art Practice

He maintains an international art career, with 17 solo exhibitions, including presentations at C&C Gallery, London (2014, 2019), Gallery K, London (2004), Greengate Gallery, London (2001), Gallery K, Nicosia (2003), Gazon Rouge Gallery, Athens (2005), and ArtWall Gallery, Athens (2015), among others.

He has participated in more than 120 group exhibitions in cities such as Athens, London, New York, Florida, and Nicosia. His works are included in numerous public and private collections in Greece, the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom.

Since 2020, he has been a member of the International Artist/Academic Group Mnemosyne of Harvard University (Greek Desk). Ηe is a founding member of the art collective “Capsule,” with which he has presented multimedia installations in Athens and London.

Research Interests

His research interests focus on:

• Painting and contemporary visual practice

• Mapping as a tool for intercultural education

• Visual arts education, with emphasis on teaching methodologies in early childhood education

• Art as a social means of expression (e.g. refugee and immigration issues)

• Multimedia and installation art

He has published work on art theory, visual practice, and art pedagogy

Awards 

1998-2001 Greek State Scholarship I.K.Y.

1994 Heineken Award for Young Artists

Collections

National Museum of Contemporary Art, EMST,  Athens, Greece

Exit Art Institute, N. York. U.S.A

Dakis Ioannou Museum,  DESTE, Athens, Greece

Kopelouzos collection (Athens)

Ministry of Culture , Athens Greece

Ministry of Defence, Athens, Greece

“Vorre Museum of Contemporary Art” Athens, Greece

“Art Heineken Collection” Athens, Greece