Short biography of the Painter and Poet (1907-1985)

1907
21 October
Birth of N.E. in Athens, second son of Panayotis and Errietti.

1914
Summer
Trip to Constantinople, where the family is obliged to settle following the outbreak of the War.

1923-1927
N.E. is enrolled as a boarder in a lycee in Paris. He spends his vacations at the home of his uncle, Dr Liabeis.

1927 (November) - 1928 (July)
He is enlisted as a private in the 1st Infantry Regiment.

1928-1930
He works as a translator in a Bank and as a secretary at the University. At the same time, he attends night-school in Athens in order to obtain the Greek School-Leaving Certificate.

1930 (October) - 1933 (March)
He is employed on a daily basis as a designer in the Urban Planning Department of the Ministry of Public Works.

1932
He enrols in the School of Fine Arts and studies under Konstantinos Parthenis. He also studies at the studio of Fotis Kontoglou, where Yannis Tsarouchis had begun his studies a year earlier. The two students assist Kontoglou with the wall-paintings in his house.

1934
"Engonopoulos the Phanariot", portrait "by the hand of Fotios Kontoglou" (egg on wood 25.5 x 20 cm., R. Kopsidis Collection).

  May
He is appointed on a daily basis as an employee in the Topographical Service at the Ministry of Public Works. He is given tenure exactly six years later (Designer 1st Grade).

1937
His father dies in Constantinople.

1938
January
For the first time, N.E. presents his works, temperas on paper depicting old houses from towns in W. Macedonia at the exhibition "Art of the Modern Greek Tradition", organised by the "Greek Popular Art" Association in the Stratigopoulou Exhibition Hall. He also assists with the models of the stately houses constructed by D. Pikionis and funded by the Ministry of Tourism.

February
He translates poems by Tristan Tzara and publishes them in the volume Sur(r)ealism I . [The same poems were re-published in Tristan Tzara, Surrealism and Post-war, Ypsilon/Books, 1979]. He finishes his studies (receiving his diploma many years later, in January 1956). He publishes his first collection of poetry: Do Not Distract the Driver. He designs the sets and the costumes for Plautus' Menaechmi (directed by G. Sarandidis at the Kotopouli Theatre).

1939
Semptember
Publication of his second collection: The Clavicembalos of Silence.

November
His first individual exhibition at the home of Nikos Kalamaris. He designs the sets and costumes for Sophocles' Electra (directed by Karolos Koun at the Kotopouli Theatre). He participates in a group exhibition of Greek artists in New York.

1941
January
He is called up to the Albanian Front.

1942
He participates in the "Professional" Painting Exhibition at the Zappeion Megaron. This is also repeated the following year (1943). He writes Bolivar, a Greek Poem. The poem initially circulated in manuscript form and was read at gatherings expressing resistance to the Nazi Occupation.

1944
May
He publishes in pamphlet form, Seven Poems.

September
Bolivar, a Greek Poem is published.

1945
May
He is seconded from the Ministry of Public Works to the National Technical University of Athens as an assistant lecturer in the Department of Architectural Design and Drawing, headed by D. Pikionis. He would remain in this post as a result of continual renewals of the secondment until 1956. He designs the sets and costumes for Nikos Kazantzakis' play Capodistria (directed by Socrates Karantinos at the National Theatre).

December
Publication of the magazine Tet-radio (vol. 3) with the cover designed by N.E. and containing the text by Andreas Embirikos "Nikos Engonopoulos or the Miracle of Elbassan and the Bosporus".

1946
May
ÔPublication of his collection, The Return of the Birds.

1948
December
Publication of his collection, Eleusis. Paintings by N.E. of Kastoria ("The Picheos Residence") and of Zagora ("The School of Rigas") are published in albums in the series "Gallery of the Art of the Greek People".

1949
He participates in the Pan-Hellenic Exhibition at the Zappeion Megaron (and again in 1952, 1957, 1963, 1965, 1971, 1973 and 1975). He becomes a founding member of the art group "Armos", which has as its aim to promote a modern aesthetic movement in Greece (the members include Nikos Hatzikyriakos-Ghikas, Yannis Tsarouchis, Yannis Moralis, Nikos Nikolaou, Natalia Mela, Panayotis Tetsis and Yorgos Mavroidis). With the "Armos" group, he exhibits works in the same year, in 1950 (Athens and Thessaloniki) and in 1952. His paintings are also exhibited at the Greek pavilion in the International Exhibition in New York.

September
He works at the Ministry of Housing and Reconstruction with a group of architects led by D. Pikionis on the design of new buildings in districts that had been destroyed.

1950
March
Marriage to Nelly Andrikopoulou.

1951
He participates in a group exhibition of Stage Scenery in Oslo (and in those or-ganised by the International Theatre Institute in Athens in 1957 and 1962, and in the one organised by the French Institute of Athens in December 1959). He also participates in the exhibition organised by the International Association of Archi-tects in Athens (and again in 1954). Birth of his son Panos.

1952
He designs the scenery and costumes for Goldoni's The Good-hearted Grumbler (directed by Socrates Karantinos at the National Theatre). He assists in the painting of the frescoes in the church of St Spyridon in New York (undertaken by Fotis Kontoglou).

1953
He participates in a group exhibition of Greek painters in Rome and Ottawa (the exhibition moved on to Edmonton, Toronto and Vancouver in 1954 and Sao Paulo in 1955).

1954
He publishes his poem, "The Atlantic", in the magazine Anglo-Elliniki Epitheorisi. (Summer): He represents Greece in the 27th International Biennale in Venice with 72 of his works. He divorces his wife, Nelly Andrikopoulou.

1957
April
Publication of his collection, In the Flourishing Greek Tongue. (May): He is appointed as a lecturer to the Department of General History of Art. He participates in a group exhibition of painting in Thessaloniki (and again in 1966 and 1973). He designs the scenery and costumes for Girl, Aspects of a Woman, Medea and Ring and Trumpet for Rallou Manou's "Greek Ballet".

1958
December
He is awarded the First Prize for Poetry by the Ministry of National Education for his collection, In the Flourishing Greek Tongue.

1959
He participates in the group exhibition organised by "Zygos". He designs the scenery and costumes for Euripides' Ion and Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound (di-rected by Linos Karzis for the "Themelikos Theatre Company").

1960
Second marriage to Eleni Tsiokou.

May
He is appointed as a lecturer to the Modelling Workshop.

August
Journey to Switzerland, Germany and Austria.

1961
Birth of his daughter Errietti.

1962
March
He designs the scenery and costumes for Brecht's The Threepenny Opera (directed by N. Hatziskos), for Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra (directed by Alexis Solomos) and for Moliere's Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme (directed by Socrates Karantinos for the State Theatre of Northern Greece).

December
Second edition with notes of Bolivar, a Greek Poem.

1963
February
Individual exhibition of painting at the Athens Technological In-stitute. His talk at the Official Opening, "A Few Things Concerning the Birth of my Work", was subsequently published under the title "Lecture" in the magazine Epitheorisi Technis (vol. 17, no. 99). His mother dies in Athens.

1964
January
He participates in the Commemorative Exhibition for G. Bouzianis and D. Evanghelidis. February
He resigns from the National Technical University. He designs the scenery and costumes for Euripides' Hippolytus (directed by Socrates Karantinos for the State Theatre of Northern Greece). He participates in a group exhibition of Greek painters in Brussels.

November
Release of the record Engonopoulos Reads Engonopoulos on the "Dionysos" label.

  

1965
He designs the scenery and costumes for Aristophanes' Lysistrata (directed by Socrates Karandinos for the State Theatre of Northern Greece).

1966
May
For his work as a painter, he is awarded the Order of the Gold Cross of George I.

October
Second edition of Do Not Distract the Driver and The Cla-vicembalos of Silence in one volume with notes and biographical information.

1967
October
He is elected Associate Professor at the National Technical Univercity in the Department of Drawing.

1968
December
Release of the record Bolivar, a Greek Poem on the Lyra label, in the form of a popular cantata, with music composed by Nikos Mamangakis and vocals by Yorgos Zographos.

1969
April
He is elected Professor at the National Technical University in the De-partment of Drawing and commissioned professor in the Department of General History of Art.

1971
He participates in the exhibition "Modern Greek Art on the 1821 War of Inde-pendence. Painting - Sculpture - Engraving" at the Greek Chamber of Art. (De-cember): He is awarded the Cross of the Commander of the Phoenix.

1972
Publication by the National Technical University of Athens Press of the album Hellenic Houses, containing 18 colour paintings.

1973
August
Having reached the compulsory age for retirement, he resigns from the National Technical University. In 1976, he is named Professor Emeritus.

1976
Publication in Paris of Bolivar, un poeme grec, translated by Franchita Gonzalez Batlle, bilingual edition "Voix Francois Maspero".

November
Exhibition of his paintings at the Moraitis School's Society for the Study of Modern Greek Culture and General Education.

1977
November
"Ikaros" publishes the second volume of his Poems, containing the collections: "Bolivar", "The Return of the Birds", "Eleusis", "The Atlantic", "In the Flourishing Greek Tongue".

1978
November
Publication of his collection, In the Vale of Roseries (With 20 Colour Paintings and One Sketch).

1979
For the second time, he is awarded the State Prize for Poetry.

1980
November
His essay, Karaghiozis. Greek Shadow Theatre, is published by Ypsilon/Books.

1983
March
Retrospective exhibition of his work with 105 paintings at the National Gallery / Alexandros Soutsos Museum. Bolivar. Un poema Griego, translated by Miguel Castillo Didier, is published by Juventud Griega de Venezuela and Editorial Arcadia in Caracas.

1984
November
Individual exhibition of water-colours, sketches and temperas in the "Zoumboulaki" Art Gallery.

1985
31 October
N.E. dies of a heart attack. He is buried in the First Cemetery of Athens at public expense.

November
Individual exhibition "Nikos Engonopoulos. Painting 1975-1985" at the "Gallery 3" Art Gallery, Athens.

1987
August
Individual exhibition of engravings at the "Aigina" Art Gallery, Aigina.

November
Ypsilon/Books publishes his Prose Texts (With Two Colour Paintings). The French Institute of Athens stages the exhibition "Nikos Engono-poulos, Painter and Poet. Oils, Temperas and Books from Private Collections".

1988
November
Special double issue of the Literary Magazine Hartis is devoted to N.E.

1991
June-September
His works are included in the exhibition entitled "Surrealistes Grecs" at the Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris.

1993
November
Publication of N.E.'s Letters to Lena 1959-1967, …And I Love You Passionately (with fifteen colour paintings).

1994
December
Works by Engonopoulos are included in the exhibition "The Mas-ters", "Skoufa" Gallery, Athens. Conference at the Goulandris-Horn Foundation on the topic "Nikos Engonopoulos. The Beauty of a Greek. 50th Anniversary of the First Edition of Bolivar".

1995
December
His works are included in an exhibition entitled "Surrealism. The Greek Dimension" at the "Titanium" Gallery, Athens. Individual exhibition enti-tled "10 Years Since the Death of Nikos Engonopoulos" at the "Skoufa 4" Gallery, Athens.

1996
February
Publication of the volume: Nikos Engonopoulos: The Beauty of a Greek (Nine Studies), Goulandris-Horn Foundation.

November
Republication in a new format of Hellenic Houses by the National Technical University of Athens Press.

November-December
Publication of Sketches and Colours in a bilingual edition in conjunction with an individual exhibition of sketches, bozzetti and oils and at the "Zoumboulaki" Art Gallery, Athens.

1997
February
A retrospective exhibition of his work at the Municipal Gallery, Thessaloniki as part of the events organised for "Thessaloniki. Cultural Capital of Europe".

May
A special issue of "Epta Imeres" (Sunday Supplement of the newspaper Kathimerini) entitled "Nikos Engonopoulos. Painter and Poet" is de-voted to his work.

Summer
His work is included in the exhibition entitled "Greek Painters and Ancient Greek Drama: Scenery Variations" at the European Cultural Centre of Delphi, Delphi.

1998
January
A special issue of the literary magazine Diavazo is devoted to his work.

June
His works are included in the exhibition "The Portraits from Faiyum and the Generation of the '30s in the search for Greekness" at the Benaki Museum, Athens.

1999
March
His works are included in the exhibition "Great Painters in Small Paintings" at the "Zita-Mi" Gallery, Thessaloniki. Individual exhibition of his works entitled "Nikos Engonopoulos. Mythology, Byzantium, Revolution" at the "Astrolavos" Gallery, Athens.

June
His Poems I and Poems II are re-published in one volume.

1999
Publication of the book: The Angels in Paradise Speak Greek… Interviews, Comments and Opinions, Yorgos Kentrotis (ed.), Ypsilon/Books.

2001
Publication of the album: Nikos Engonopoulos the Byzantine. Forty-one Egg Temperas / Eight Sketches / Twenty Poems / and One Ink on Paper.

2003
Special Issue of the literary magazine i lexi, no. 179.

2005
Publication of The Measure: Man. Five Poems and Ten Paintings, Ypsilon/Books [containing three previously unpublished poems and paintings from private collections]. Eleftherotypia/Vivliothiki, 12 August 2005 “Nikos Engonopoulos, Hellenocentric and Ecumenical”.

2006
On the occasion of the upcoming centenary of his birth, The Poet Nikos Engonopoulos, Diary 2007 (an anthology of his poetry and painting, together with critiques of his work), and Nikos Engonopoulos, Mythology (an album) are published by Ypsilon/Books.

2007
2007 proclaimed "Engonopoulos Year" by the National Book Center, with the support of the Ministry of Culture.

January
On the occasion of the centenary of his birth, an anthology of his poetry and art, together with critiques, The Poet Nikos Engonopoulos, Diary 2007, and an album: Nikos Engonopoulos, Mythology, are published by Ypsilon/Books.

February
The National Book Centre of Greece publishes the album “Love is the only way…”.

February-April
 Exhibition “Engonopoulos 2007… the beauty of a Greek” at Athens International Airport.

March
 Show dedicated to his work is performed at the Athens Music Megaro (director: Yannis Kakleas).

March-April
As part of the campaign for International Poetry Day 2007, posters designed by students at the Athens School of Fine Arts based on Engonopoulos’ verses are carried by Athens public transport.

May-June
Exhibition “Topos: Engonopoulos” at the Macedonian Museum of Modern Art, Thessaloniki.

November
International Conference “Engonopoulos 2007: Poet and Painter” at the Benaki Museum, Athens.

November – January 2008
 Major retrospective exhibition of his painting at the Benaki Museum, Athens.

 

I. Vourtsis

Translated by David Connolly