Transverse Orientation
Dimitris Papaioannou
In 2022, Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels is supporting Saitama Arts Theater to present Transverse Orientation by Dimitris Papaioannou.
Transverse Orientation is the latest work by internationally acclaimed artist Dimitris Papaioannou, a Greek former painter who creates his own world on stage with a grand imagination as if he revived ancient myths.
In 2019 he surprised Japanese audiences, on his first visit to this country with The Great Tamer and is eagerly awaited to return to Japan.
Often described as a sculptor of images, Dimitris Papaioannou draws inspiration for this work from past pieces of art and the Greek mythologies such as the Minotaur. He weaves together the history of humanity and confronts a range of powerful bodies in images of mythic intensity which he sets in a visually arresting choreographic environment.
Photo : © Julian Mommert
About the artist
Dimitris Papaioannou
Born in Athens in 1964, Dimitris Papaioannou received early recognition as a painter and cartoonist. He then turned to the performing arts as a director, choreographer, performer and designer of sets, costumes and lighting.
The first artistic cycle of his stage work was based around the Edafos Dance Theatre group with which he worked for 17 years until 2002.
Dimitris Papaioannou gained international recognition by creating the opening ceremony of the Athens Olympic Games in 2004.
His latest creation, Transverse Orientation (2021) premiered on June 2, 2021 at the Biennale de la Danse in Lyon, France, and toured to over 30 cities in 2021 and 2022.
Photo: Dimitris Papaioannou © Julian Mommert
