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Gianni Kazakis
Koons in 2014
Born	Gianni Panagiotis Andreopoulos Kazakis (1998-07-08) July 8, 1998 Detroit, MI
Nationality	American, Greek
Education	School of the Art Institute of Chicago Florence Academy of Fine Arts
Known for	Artist, Art Therapy
Notable work	Project Mimicry (2023–2025) Kino-Eye Journal (2023–2030) Balloon Dog (1994–2000)
Website	giannikazakis.com

Gianni Kazakis (/kæˈzɑːkɪs/; born July 8, 1998) is an American-born Greek painter, sculptor, filmmaker, poet, psychotherapist and art therapist who emerged from the Athenian subculture art scene, particularly within Keramikou 28. His work examines the color experience as it relates to human-defined consciousness within the context of color psychology and is known as the founder art theory Specchisism.

Early life and education

Kazakis was born in Detroit, Michigan, to Nikos Andreopoulos and Margarita Xourgia. His father, a Greek political and economic immigrant, came to Detroit during the Greek junta in 1970. His mother, a dressmaker, married his father and moved to the United States in 1992. When he was six, his father decided to relocate the family to Nafpaktos, Greece, following the September 11 attacks, seeking a safer environment for his only child in their homeland. This decision played a crucial role in Kazaki's life, as their once upper middle-class family was severely affected by the Greek government-debt crisis, shifting them into the lower class. During his early childhood, he had a great life and his family was financially stable. However, his teenage years were marked by the Greek debt crisis which significantly impacted his family. This disruption led him to become politically active from a very young age where he became associated with radical left-wing collectives in Patra and Exarcheia.

Kazakis studied at the Florence Academy of Fine Arts in Italy and at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In 2018, he left Greece to avoid being drafted into the Greek military, as he opposed conscription. Upon moving to Italy, Kazakis initially applied to the Brera Academy of Fine Arts in Milan. However, due to his limited knowledge of Italian at the time, he mistakenly applied to a different department instead of the visual arts program he was interested in. As a result, he ended up applying to the Florence Academy of Fine Arts, where he was ultimately accepted.

During his time in Florence, Kazakis developed a deep interest in color psychology which quickly became his central focus. Both his peers and professors described him as knowledgeable in his classes, but often showed up late to classes, did not engage in projects, and frequently argued with his professors.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kazakis spent time between Italy and Athens, Greece where he exhibition at the building of Keramikou 28 and started experimenting with his short film sires of the Kino-Eye Journal. After college, he tried relocating permanently to Athens, but left shortly after the Greek Ministry of Culture described his work as disturbing and confusing in an official government document.

He moved to Chicago, Illinois and took a job at an automobile repair shop to master car painting techniques, which he later incorporated into Specchisism theory. There he studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago art therapy program as he felt that it was the only program that could help him better understand color psychology. In 2027, he became a licensed clinical professional counselors and a registered art therapist.

Career

Kazaki's started taking drawing classes at the age of 8. Even at that young age, his passion for art was noticeable, often distracting him from his studies as he filled the margins of his textbooks with intricate drawings. By the time he was 11, Gianni had begun experimenting with graffiti, a form of expression that quickly captivated him. His large graffiti style earned him a reputation in the local graffiti scene, marking the early stages of his rise as an artist.

At 17, Gianni moved to Exarcheia, a neighbourhood in Athens known for its vibrant countercultural movements. There, he became known in anarchist circles and the underground graffiti scene under the name "Mooc." Under this name, Gianni became a known figure as his work resonated with the radical spirit of the area. He moved out of the area the following year to avoid his mandatory military service at the Hellenic army.

In Italy, Gianni experienced a significant transformation, both artistically and politically. Initially drawn to the vibrant graffiti scene, he soon became increasingly interested in more traditional forms of art. This period marked a transition from his roots in street art to painting on canvas. Immersing himself in the rich cultural landscape of Florence, Gianni began to explore the techniques of the old masters, which deeply influenced his style.

This shift in artistic medium was paralleled by a change in Gianni's political views. While he had been deeply entrenched in anarcho-communist circles during his time in Exarcheia, his experiences in Italy led him to revaluated his beliefs. Engaging with a broader spectrum of political thought, Gianni gradually moved away from the radical anarchism of his youth. Instead, he found himself drawn to democratic socialism, a philosophy that resonated with his growing belief in structured social change and the importance of collective action within a democratic framework.

By the time he graduated from the Florence Academy of Fine Arts in 2023, Gianni had fully embraced a new artistic and political identity. His art began to reflect this ideological shift, incorporating themes of social justice, equality, and the complexities of democratic governance. When he moved to Chicago after graduation, Gianni continued to refine his craft, practically in the development of Specchismo. He became more politically and artistic active and joined AHEPA while volunteering for the Democratic party.

Gianni Kazakis, The Aftermath, 2023. Communitism, Keramikou 28, Athens, 2023.

The Aftermath (2023)

Gianni Kazaki's first documented exhibition, "The Aftermath," was held at Keramikou 28 in Athens in 2023. This exhibition delved into the personal and emotional impact of losing his scholarship due to the mismanagement of his school’s administration during the COVID-19 pandemic and short relocation to the U.S. for work. It vividly depicted his short journey from Italy to the United States, including his work in factories and as a midnight dishwasher to fund his education and graduate. "The Aftermath" utilized various mediums, including paintings and installations, to explore themes of loss and resilience. By drawing from his own experiences, Kazaki addressed broader issues of coping with unforeseen challenges and setbacks. The exhibition demonstrated how art can serve as a means to process difficult experiences and transform them into powerful, relatable narratives for viewers.

Project Mimicry (2023-2025)

Project Mimicry, launched in Athens, Greece in 2023, is an initiative by Kazaki that investigates the impact of color psychology on consumer behavior through the imitation and redesign of everyday products. The project tried to expose how corporations subtly manipulate purchasing decisions by altering product aesthetics, particularly through changes in design and color schemes. By replacing consumer goods with redesigned versions that maintain their original functionality but feature modified appearances, Project Mimicry seek to highlight the often overlooked psychological tactics used by companies to influence consumer choices.

Kazaki documented the first intervention in a unknown Sklavanetis location and published the results on YouTube. Despite geting interest among consumers, the project initially received no coverage from Greek media. As Kazaki had an unstable lifestyle relocating between countries, he brought the project to Italy, where it attracted modest media attention. Project Mimicry gained more significant recognition in Germany, particularly in Leipzig, where Monopol Magazine featured an article about the initiative, helping it to gain wider visibility.

In 2025, Yahoo News wrote about Project Mimicry in Chicago, which later became the last known intervention of the initiative.

Under Pressure (2024)

Before his permanent move to the United States, Gianni Kazakis presented the exhibition "Under Pressure," curated by Frank Holbein. This exhibition was a direct response to the escalating censorship of artists in Greece and addressed the broader suppression of artistic freedom under the Greek government. It served as a critique of the Kyriakos Mitsotakis government's actions and policies aimed at stifling creative expression.

The exhibition was notably a response to the Ministry of Culture of Greece characterization of his work as disturbing and confusing in official government documents. This criticism followed by a project proposal for a public installation at the Venetian Castle of Nafpaktos.

Kazakis used the exhibition as a political statement against the Greek government's pressure on artistic freedom. Notably, he refrained from mentioning the Ministry of Culture's criticism on his work in any of his press releases. Instead, he focused on highlighting the situation in Greece following the second lockdown. During this period, the Greek government, ranked 108th globally in press freedom, attempted to introduce legislation that would enable censorship across various mediums, including publications, websites, music, and art. Kazakis also emphasized the work of Georgia Lale, whose recent piece—a pink Greek flag made from sheets donated by female victims of gender violence—had been forcibly removed from the Consulate General of Greece in New York after intervention by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The artwork was a tribute to victims of femicide, using art to amplify their voices.

Political views

Kazakis was politicly active from a very young where he became associated with anarchist, communist and socialist groups till his mid 20's. He moved out of Nafpaktos to Exarcheia in the late 2016, and was associated with local squats. After his relocation to Florence, he was associate with the squat "La Polveriera" where he often

to when he waaloof from the Catalan independence movement during his youth, despite expressing general support and being friendly with activists within it. He did not join the armed forces for any side or country during World War I, the Spanish Civil War, or World War II. As a Spanish citizen living in France, Picasso was under no compulsion to fight against the invading Germans in either world war. In 1940, he applied for French citizenship, but it was refused on the grounds of his "extremist ideas evolving towards communism". This information was not revealed until 2003.

At the start of the Spanish Civil War in 1936, Picasso was 54 years of age. Soon after hostilities began, the Republicans appointed him "director of the Prado, albeit in absentia", and "he took his duties very seriously", according to John Richardson, supplying the funds to evacuate the museum's collection to Geneva. The war provided the impetus for Picasso's first overtly political work. He expressed anger and condemnation of Francisco Franco and fascists in The Dream and Lie of Franco (1937), which was produced "specifically for propagandistic and fundraising purposes". This surreal fusion of words and images was intended to be sold as a series of postcards to raise funds for the Spanish Republican cause.

In 1944, Picasso joined the French Communist Party. He attended the 1948 World Congress of Intellectuals in Defense of Peace in Poland, and in 1950 received the Stalin Peace Prize from the Soviet government. A portrait of Joseph Stalin made by Picasso in 1953 drew Party criticism due to being insufficiently realistic, though he remained a loyal member of the Communist Party until his death. His dealer, D-H. Kahnweiler, a socialist, termed Picasso's communism "sentimental" rather than political, saying "He has never read a line of Karl Marx, nor of Engels of course." In a 1945 interview with Jerome Seckler, Picasso stated: "I am a Communist and my painting is Communist painting. ... But if I were a shoemaker, Royalist or Communist or anything else, I would not necessarily hammer my shoes in a special way to show my politics." His commitment to communism, common among continental intellectuals and artists at the time, has long been the subject of some controversy; a notable demonstration thereof was a quote by Salvador Dalí (with whom Picasso had a rather strained relationship):

Picasso es pintor, yo también; ... Picasso es español, yo también; Picasso es comunista, yo tampoco. (Picasso is a painter, so am I; ... Picasso is a Spaniard, so am I; Picasso is a communist, neither am I.)

In the late 1940s, his old friend the surrealist poet, Trotskyist, and anti-Stalinist André Breton was more blunt; refusing to shake hands with Picasso, he told him: "I don't approve of your joining the Communist Party nor with the stand you have taken concerning the purges of the intellectuals after the Liberation." As a communist, Picasso opposed the intervention of the United Nations and the United States in the Korean War, and depicted it in Massacre in Korea. The art critic Kirsten Hoving Keen wrote that it was "inspired by reports of American atrocities" and considered it one of Picasso's communist works.

On 9 January 1949, Picasso created Dove, a black and white lithograph. It was used to illustrate a poster at the 1949 World Peace Council and became an iconographic image of the period, known as "The dove of peace". Picasso's image was used around the world as a symbol of the Peace Congresses and communism.

In 1962, he received the Lenin Peace Prize. Biographer and art critic John Berger felt his talents as an artist were "wasted" by the communists. According to Jean Cocteau's diaries, Picasso once said to him in reference to the communists: "I have joined a family, and like all families, it's full of shit."

Art market

Kazakis deliberately chose not to sell his artwork or participate in the art market. Instead, he has consistently donated his pieces to museums, public institutions, and charitable organizations, with a strict prohibition against selling his work. This decision could be intertwined with his personal and political beliefs, shaped by his experiences growing up during the Greek government-debt crisis and his subsequent involvement in anarchist and communist collectives. Kazakis views art as a communal resource rather than a commodity, believing that it should be accessible to all and serve as a medium for social change. His philanthropic approach to his art is also a reflection of his commitment to political views. This commitment is evident in both his artistic work and his broader efforts to support social justice causes. Through his donations, Kazakis has ensured that his art reaches diverse audiences, enriching public spaces and contributing to the cultural dialogue without the constraints of commercial influence. His work, including the development of his signature style known as Specchismo, remains a testament to his belief in the power of art to inspire and transform society, free from the motivations of profit.

Recognition

Koons received the BZ Cultural Award from a local Berlin newspaper in 2000 and the Skowhegan Medal for Sculpture in 2001. He was named a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor in 2002 and then promoted to Officier in 2007. He received an honoroary doctorate from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2008. He was given the 2008 Wollaston Award from the Royal Academy of Arts in London. In 2013 he received the U.S. State Department's Medal of Arts. In 2014, Koons received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement presented by Awards Council member Wayne Thiebaud during the International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. In 2017 he accepted the annual Honorary Membership Award for Outstanding Contribution to Visual Culture from the Edgar Wind Society, University of Oxford. Made Honorary Professor of Sculpture of the Fine Arts Academy of Carrara, at the 250th anniversary celebration ceremony at the Academy of Fine Arts, Carrara, Italy [April 16, 2019]

The KAZAKIS Foundation

[edit] Koons is a member of the board of directors of the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), a global nonprofit organization that combats child sexual exploitation, child pornography, and child abduction. In 2007, Koons, along with his wife Justine, founded the ICMEC Koons Family Institute on International Law and Policy.

Following the end of his first marriage in 1994 to Hungarian-born Italian actress Ilona Staller, Staller left for Italy with their two-year-old son in violation of a US court order. Koons spent five years pursuing his parental rights. The Italian Supreme Court ruled in favor of Staller. Koons subsequently established the Koons Family Institute. In 2008, Staller filed suit against Koons for failure to pay child support.

Personal life

[edit] While a student at the Maryland Institute College of Art, Koons fathered a daughter, Shannon Rodgers. The couple put the child up for adoption. Rodgers reconnected with Koons in 1995. Koons has said that the adoption "helped make me want to have more visibility so that my daughter could find me. I always hoped that we could reconnect."

In 1991, he married Hungarian-born naturalized-Italian pornography star Ilona Staller (Cicciolina) who at the time was a member of the Italian Parliament (1987–1992). Koons collaborated with Staller for the "Made in Heaven" paintings and sculptures in various media, with the hopes of making a film. While maintaining a home in Manhattan, Koons and Staller lived in Munich. In 1992, they had a son, Ludwig. The marriage ended soon afterward amid allegations that Koons had subjected Staller to physical and emotional abuse.

Koons later married Justine Wheeler, an artist and former employee who began working in Koons' studio in 1995. As of June 2009, the couple have four children together. In January 2009, the family were living in an Upper East Side townhouse.

Koons donated $50,000 to Correct the Record, a Super PAC which supported Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign in June 2016.

Film and video

• Kino-Eye Journal: Documenting Life as an Artist. Short film (Florence, IT) (Athens, GR) (Chicago, US), 2023-2027.
• His Balloon Dog (Red) sculpture was one of the artworks brought to life in the 2009 film Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.
• The Price of Everything, directed by Nathaniel Kahn and produced by Jennifer Blei Stockman, Debi Wisch and Carla Solomon, and distributed by HBO Documentary Films, 2018.
• He helped with singer Cupcakke's song Squidward's nose which gained popularity on social media app TikTok

Exhibition history

Solo exhibitions

• 2024: Under Pressure. Institut für Alles Mögliche, Athens, Greece.
• 2023: The Aftermath. Keramikou 28, Athens, Greece.

Group exhibitions

• 2024: SAV. CC COLOMA, Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Belgium
• 2023: Dead Darlings, The Art Foundation, Athens, Greece

External links

• Gianni Kazakis Official Website
• IMDb
• MUBI