Neolithicus Universalis (2023 -)
I started working on this series back in January 2023 and the work is still unfolding…
As the title suggests, the series is inspired by the Neolithic age and pays homage to one of the longest periods in human history (almost 7000 years) which in most parts still remains enigmatic and elusive.
The work represents an imaginary Neolithic monument; a stone circle situated deep in the heart of an ancient forest, surrounded by oak, yew, birch and sycamore. So far 15 standing stones have been created and each of them tells a different story. But the work is still ongoing, the inspiration keeps on flowing and the circle wants to grow bigger, wants to include more, to see more and feel more. It is a circle of brothers and sisters made of stone who speak of unity, togetherness, and oneness.
The original inspiration came from the stone circles and standing stones of Scotland, from the utterly fascinating ongoing excavation of the Neolithic settlement at Ness of Brodgar in Orkney and from the beautiful prehistoric collection at the National Museum of Scotland. But how could I resist the voices coming from other Neolithic cultures when they started calling out to me? How could I resist the rich Neolithic cultures of Greece where my first roots can be found? So, finally, I expanded my research and more and more inspiration started flooding in. As a result I ‘visited’ Neolithic cultures from Ireland to Japan and everything in between: Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Spain, Malta, Sardinia, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, former Yugoslavia, Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, India, China, Korea, Japan.
I feel such a strong connection to the Neolithic, there is something there that speaks to my soul. There is a sense of truth and clarity in the artistic creations of our Neolithic ancestors. And how could it not be? These people were living symbiotically with the Earth, their lives were depending on the cycles of Nature, allowing them to truly know their place within Her, being part of Her in all Her beauty, abundance, wisdom but also harshness and even brutality. Upon reflection, this is a key element that is missing now. We ‘modern and civilised’ humans are totally disconnected from our Earth Mother. We almost think that Nature is something that exists out there and is separate from us!
- click on the thumbnails to view the gallery -















There is a sense of unity and homogeneity in Neolithic art; a common / similar visual vocabulary used by people who covered a huge geographic span throughout millennia of human existence...simple lines, shapes, and spirals creating beautiful arrangements and combinations. But, of course, as everything else back then, there was a deeper meaning, purpose and symbolism. All these patterns used to ornate their pottery, figurines and many other artefacts, were not mere decorative elements just so they could cover the surface of a pot for example. These patterns created almost a language used to convey a very rich symbolism reflecting or interpreting a truly elaborate and complex belief system and Cosmology. We may not know what it meant exactly and many elements of this symbolism may have been lost BUT there is still a line that connects us with our Neolithic ancestors. All these patterns have managed to survive throughout the millenia. They are deeply embedded in our collective consciousness and we still use them in our everyday lives without even knowing it. Look around you and you will see a spiral, a row of triangles, a ‘herringbone’ pattern somewhere, maybe on the clothes that you are wearing while reading this text.
Creating ‘Neolithicus Universalis’ was/is a truly magical journey back in time. There is a very clear intention behind this work: to connect with my/our ancient roots, not in a romanticized or poetic way, but by answering a call; by following a feeling that there is a golden nugget of truth there, waiting patiently to be retrieved and to share its truth and story anew. I think that now more than ever we need to know who we are and where we come from. In a society that dismantles itself daily it is imperative to connect with our roots, to find our truth and therefore our purpose.
By looking back we can find the way to look ahead…
As I am standing in the middle of the stone circle, I close my eyes and I send out from my heart wishes for a better and truer future.
Grigorios