The Matrix Extends - “Not all those who wander are lost” J. R. R. Tolkien

 | matrix - from Latin, meaning "breeding female" it originally was used for the uterus or womb, then for a supporting or enclosing structure - matrix-the cultural, social, or political environment in which something develops. |

 Matrix is set up as an ongoing project that explores the concept of the matrix as a multilayered womb, a metaphor for our contemporary existence within the context of our fragmenting world. The project’s artworks at first level reflect on the aspects of globalization and ruinophilia, reality vs. artificiality, public and private space in a world in flux, depicted through symbolism and allegory. The artworks are stimulated by a multitude of diverse sources and references retrieved from the internet’s “digital womb”, appropriating elements from the iconography and the philosophy of Buddhist Mandala and the Baroque to Pop culture Subculture and Cyberpunk. 

In a deeper level Matrix explores the intellectual relationship between  contemporary society and its digital images of  global “trash”, being the fragments and remains of the cultural objects and the ideas that float and sink in and on our Internet screens, as the representations from the whole history of humanity, from different times, and from all the corners of the world, where the signifier and the signified exchange roles constantly searching for an illusory and elusive memory that creates new context. The iconography of Matrix  associates with the literary works of Timothy Leary (The politics of Ecstasy) as well as the Platonic allegory of the cave, it encapsulates many “stories” within its narrative and constructs a psychedelic world of an almost apocalyptic matrix system, a melting pot composed by all images possible, cultural remains, architectural elements, artificial body parts, old and new symbols of power, pop icons, political figures and texts, structures of grandeur and futility and so on, nothing escapes the matrix, it integrates to its main theme a selection of previous artworks. The project consists of large scale artworks, printed on archival paper, installations and small chrysotype prints titled Artificiallia, as well as small sculptures. The project aims to produce a situation in which the works that occur are in dialogue with one another. 

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"Artistic duo Kalos&Klio utilizes a unique technique to produce complicated compositions which crush the real world into a chaos of the most extreme objects possible. The hybrid-Matrix world of Kalos&Klio is both immaterial because it originates from cyberspace and material because it comes into fruition as a luxury impression on the most precious materials. The Matrix of Kalos&Klio is ever expanding and as it enlarges it appears to take on a consciousness of its own. Kalos&Klio post-psychedelic works refers to our world as a melting pot that chews everything, from architectural elements, body parts, and artificial constructions. The Matrix extends"...

Thanasis Moutsopoulos

Art Historian, Critic, Writer, As. Prof. at TUC