During the beginning of this decade –like most people, I saw my entire music and film collection shrink into my computer. I started getting my news online and began interacting with paper in a very different way. Books and newspapers are becoming artifacts of the 21st century. Whatever we used to read off paper, we’re now reading off digital screens. Our way of interacting with text is changing. My work is not only about the decline of the printed word in today’s society but its rebirth as art. I just saw an ad for Amazon’s digital reader, the Kindle, which reminded me of the earlier ipod ads. Instead of "a 1000 songs in your pocket" its “books in 60 seconds.”
Georgiou typically acquires discarded books and newspaper by dumpster diving and is given donations from local bookstores who sponsor him in Tuscon, Arizona where he lives and works. Each sculpture can take anywhere between a few hours to several months to complete since he works on several different pieces at once.
When asked whether he prefers street or gallery exhibitions of his work, he explained,
I don't have a preference. Like with stories, setting - whether interior or exterior is important - and it plays a big factor in the conceptual design of the piece. There's a lot to consider: lighting, backdrop, form. It's all very cinematic. What I like most about street pieces is the element of surprise: you pretty much have no control, there are no clearly defined boundaries, and everyone has access. Gallery shows appeal to me as a sacred space. There's more order, and it's a different kind of cathartic experience because it's enclosed within the confines of space.
Georgiou just opened a new gallery/studio space in downtown Tuscon, Arizona, which has afforded him the opportunity to create artwork while also interacting with the public. He's in the midst of creating a documentary about the decline of the printed word and is working on a series of sculptures for a solo exhibition in Cyprus and Greece.
Georgiou doesn't have an official website but instead has a blog on Blogspot titled My Human Computer.
Interview with Georgiou conducted by Juxtapoz magazine.
Georgiou is represented by Andipa Gallery in London, England.
The following images were found on Artnet.com:
Platter, newspaper, 2008
Offering, newspaper, 2008
Kalkl, discarded books and newspapers, 2008
Atlas, newspaper, 2008
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