Dimitri comes from a long line of Greek sculptors dating back to the 2nd Century BC on the island of Milos, Greece. This island is where Dimitri's Great, Great Grandfather discovered the famous statue "Venus De Milo" in 1820. The statue is now on exhibition at the Louvre Museum in Paris. Dimitri's family still resides on Milos today.

Dimitri was born in the United States and grew up surrounded by the post 1950's Abstract Art Movement as well as the contemporary award winning architectural designs of his father. The groundbreaking work of local artists Robert Rauschenberg and Duane Hanson were also early influences.

Dimitri left the United States in 1981 and went to France to study traditional painting and sculpture at Beaux Arts in Paris and L'Institut Pour Les Universites Americaines in Avignon. He also studied at Cezanne's atelier in Aix en Provence before traveling throughout Europe and the Mediterranean, expanding his knowledge of classical forms and design. It was during this period that he began to merge his classical training with new ideas, thus forming a unique style of his own.





Dimitri's paintings and sculpture integrate large scale abstracted forms with natural or painted surfaces on canvas, concrete, tempered glass and most notably, cast and extruded steel. The metal is often left in an oxidized state or washed with acid to leave a vibrant and earthy patina. This organic and richly textured quality brings out a warmth that is characteristic of much of his recent work using that medium.

Dimitri is the founding president of A.N.E.W. Museum / Galleries

Dimitri's Sculpture

Dimitri welding, "Corps Glorieux"

Returning to the United States, Dimitri's work was greatly affected by the culture shock and transition from old world aesthetics to new world immersion. He was home, but it was different now. Living in SoHo and NoHo throughout the 1980's and 1990's respectively Dimitri lived in New York and hung out with other fellow artists who lived in his neighborhood; Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf and Christo. Dimitri also worked with Randolph Johnston at his gallery atelier and foundry in Little Harbour, Abacos casting and finishing in silicon bronze Johnston's life work. Continuing to expand beyond the boundaries of his traditional training, Dimitri began to explore a personal vision that transcends categorization. Dimitri's worked on multi media installations with such luminaries as Nam June Paik, Carl Andre and Anastasia Warhol leading him further into new territory such as video sculpture.




photos Dib S. Ziade

Dimitri with fellow artists at the Museum of Art

 

Dimitri and Frank Stella	Dimitri and Fernando Botero	Dimitri and Kenny Scharf

 

Dimitri & Karl Momen aboard Sea Fair Anastasia Warhol, Video Artist ©2013