yinjispace

ARTIST
Kostas Lambridis
PHOTOGRAPHY
Paris Brummer
WORDS
Jinjie
EDITOR
Jinjie
Collection

Athens in October is embraced by sunlit warmth, much like our first impression of Kostas Lambridis. Standing in the sunlight, he waved us up with vigorous enthusiasm, an unguarded warmth that instantly dissolved any sense of unfamiliarity. 

We quickened our pace and arrived at the young Greek artist's studio on the second floor. This is where he practices what he calls “material egalitarianism,” a creative realm where copper and plastic, antique wood carvings and automotive waste collide, merge, and spark inspiration.

Beyond the blue iron door, the earthy fragrance of aged wood mingled with the sharp, clean scent of metal polish. The studio felt like a living colony of materials, each corner dedicated to a different essence: metal, stone, plastic, and wood. In the woodworking area, logs over two meters tall stood solemnly, while meticulously carved blocks awaited assembly. The metal section displayed components with strangely textured surfaces. Marble in the stone zone gleamed with a cool light, and plastic works cast colorful shadows across tabletops. “It doesn't matter to me whether something was found in the trash or cost a thousand euros—I treat it with the same respect, or lack thereof,” Kostas remarked.

After eight years working at Nacho Carbonell's studio, Kostas returned to his hometown to establish his own practice. His background in engineering and art fuels his passion for materials and construction techniques. In his open narratives, he consciously or unconsciously merges diverse elements—“various materials and shapes, reorganized and elevated”—until a work of art is born.

“I want to challenge the idea that preciousness must come from scarce materials,” Kostas explained, pointing to *Elemental Cabinet*, the graduation project that brought him recognition in the art world. The piece ironically replicates Florence's “most expensive Baroque furniture” while questioning the boundaries between “original” and “reproduction.” It brings together decorative elements from ancient and modern craftsmanship, blending noble and humble materials—from bronze and ceramics to embroidery and melted remnants of old plastic chairs—culminating in a work that defies tradition.

Light filters through stained glass, casting patterns on the wall. Reflections from copper sheets interweave with the cool glow of neon—Kostas switches on a chandelier from the same series exhibited in Paris. Materials from different eras and properties are “squeezed” into a single form: LED bulbs connected to vintage incandescent lights, colored glass inlaid with copper and aluminum sheets, neon tubes coiled around brass supports.

“Many begin with a small concept and expand it, but that's often challenging. So in this creation, we reversed the process.”

Materials also need room to breathe. It is here that Kostas Lambridis completed his creative shift from confrontation to symbiosis. “By focusing on one material, you discover its hidden complexity.” His first wild attempt involved completely crushing and reassembling an abandoned car—its door was polished into a bar countertop, the original impact marks now resembling natural grain patterns.“You can't even tell it used to be a car door anymore,” Kostas Lambridis says with a laugh.

A table composed of two types of stone represents another experimental creation. The white marble, bathed in sunlight, reveals a warm and delicate texture, while the concrete on the other side exudes a raw, unpolished tension. Between them, a translucent plastic surface is inserted with restrained precision, creating a remarkable symbiotic balance—soft, rough, and transparent—all coexisting on the same plane.

“Start with the most intricate craftsmanship, then simplify gradually.” He leans against a solid wood table, fingertips tracing the inlaid grains of American walnut and Portuguese cypress, as though listening to a conversation between the woods.

Finally, he points to a small stage installation model on the table. “In a few days, it will rotate against the backdrop of the Acropolis, with opera performers circling around it.” This will be another form of dialogue between the classical and the contemporary.

As we prepare to leave, several planters on the windowsill catch our attention—old metal fragments embedded in concrete, with green shoots sprouting anew. What might have been discarded materials now seemed, in the shifting light, to be brimming with life. Perhaps this is the essence of Kostas Lambridis’art: not to create expensive artifacts, but to use creativity to break down prejudices, allowing all things to attain equal dignity and a voice through transformation.

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