Euripides Papadopetrakis is a visual artist whose work explores the intersection of art and science through engraving, sculpture and installation. Since 2013, he has been developing the Periodic Table, a hybrid atlas of over 150 engravings that classifies recurring forms and archetypal motifs found in nature and human culture. Inspired by Mendeleev’s periodic table of elements, the project explores hidden affinities and conceptual references, inviting viewers to engage with both the familiar and the uncanny.
Rooted in printmaking—a medium he values for its meditative quality and historical resonance—Papadopetrakis extends his practice into sculpture and readymade interventions. His latest exhibition, Mechanisms of Homeostasis, underscores his strong belief that in an era of constant disruption, art emerges as a stabilizing force.
Evripidis Papadopetrakis (b. 1988) studied printmaking, book arts and painting at the Athens School of Fine Arts, where he also completed his postgraduate studies, while attending additional workshops in artistic bookbinding. His work explores both classical and experimental printmaking techniques as well as the creation of surrealist-inspired sculptures. His research and references are closely linked to science, approached both aesthetically and as a form of unconventional commentary, exploring the interplay between logic and the metaphysical. His works are included in both private and public collections.
In an interview with Greek News Agenda*, Papadopetrakis shares his artistic process, the conceptual foundations of Periodic Table, and the way art functions as a balancing force in a constantly changing world, offering new perceptual insights.
The Periodic Table is a project you have been working on for several years. How is it related to Mendeleev’s periodic table and what guided your choice of elements?
The Periodic Table is a project I have been developing since 2013. It began with research into phenomena such as coincidence, mimicry and pareidolia. With a natural inclination for observing and memorizing forms, I created an archive of objects and subjects that shared shape as a common denominator.
Over time, I classified them into a hybrid periodic table—not only because of its encyclopedic aesthetic, but also out of a need to understand their connections, whether morphological or conceptual, much like Mendeleev sought to do with chemical elements. The elements-shapes I chose are the fundamental patterns found in nature, that underpin all life forms and the derivatives of human thought. Today, the project comprises about 150 engravings and continues to evolve.
The title of your exhibition, Mechanisms of Homeostasis, suggests a new sensory perception of the world around us. Would you argue that art can function as a balancing force?
Art has always held a central place in human life, offering both delight and solace. To a certain extent, this is still valid today, especially in music, theater and dance. However, I believe it applies less to the visual arts, due to the audience’s lesser familiarity and maybe the artists’ approach. Nevertheless, a work of art always suggests something new and serves as a stimulus for thought; it urges us to reconsider, reconcile, feel or hope for new possibilities.
In your work, visual creation converges with science. What led you to this connection?
The starting point for this connection emerged through my engagement with printmaking and the art of the book. These practices inherently resonate with the visual language of scientific treatises and atlases. This affinity prompted me to draw allegorical links and to realize that art and science are interwoven, both guided by logic.
You are among the few young artists who work almost exclusively with printmaking. What drew you to this medium?
Printmaking is a classical and timeless tool in the visual arts. What motivated me was not only its relative rarity in contemporary practice, but also its inherent rationality, its profound connection to the history of the book and the meditative quality of its process.
Observing your works, the viewer is led almost effortlessly into conceptual connections. How do you experience this process yourself?
For me, observing life and expressing it through conceptual associations is a necessity. It allows me to define myself and to gain awareness as time passes. In a way, my aspiration is precisely to invite viewers into the same process.
*Interview by Dora Trogadi
