It’s significant when you hear an artist of the caliber of Kostas Varotsos, a giant, essentially, of sculpture, and you don’t feel like he’s giving you a lecture from a podium – and that was the essence of the interview he gave to “Bad Girls” and Parapolitika 90.1. The memories from “the love I felt from the people” for the Pentagon artwork haven’t faded. “I still feel that emotion,” commented the 70-year-old creator of “The Runner” and “Black Aphrodite,” among others. A fan of synthesis rather than distillation, Kostas Varotsos strongly opposes – without boasting, however – the “reality,” as he emphasized, of the “shrinking of Western civilization at this moment.”
He further emphasized: “You see it in all sectors, there is a shrinking of Western civilization. The first to react and show signs of decline is culture, art. I try to work in reverse, to create with transcendence and tolerance. The General Staff proposed a work consisting of two parts, the Building and the Ark (note: presented on March 26, 2025), one expressing History and the other the future.” He also said that on the evening of Wednesday, October 29, he experienced a miracle, repeating – without being repetitive – the feeling the Pentagon event left him with and the impact the artwork had.
Kostas Varotsos: The names of the fallen brought to light
Specifically, Kostas Varotsos made something of a confession: “Yesterday was a very positive moment for me, I felt the whole world embracing me. It’s rare for the presentation of an artwork to experience such a loving moment.”
Furthermore, it was in his mind to highlight the names of those who sacrificed themselves, those who fought “so we could be who we are.” Specifically: “120,000 people have died so we could be where we are today. A serious matter. The material to create the work is the names, I didn’t put them in a tomb, I let them float, toward the light and toward the sky. I wanted you to feel them around you, to be surrounded by these names.”
He even narrated how the idea for the artwork came to him instantly. Specifically, he emphasized that Yannis Oikonomou proposed him and Nikos Dendias “A year ago I was commissioned. They made me the proposal. Mr. Oikonomou and Mr. Dendias basically called me, they called me to the General Staff and made me this proposal. After I saw the space, I asked for some time to think about it, on the way home, I had the artwork. I called them and said, ‘gentlemen, I have the work.’ I called Mr. Oikonomou, it was his idea for me to go there. Really, by the time I got home I had the idea.”
The “Bad Girls” couldn’t help but ask about the glass in the artwork, since this particular material seems like the creator’s second nature. “Each of these large glasses weighs 400 kilos.” He couldn’t answer how much glass he used in total for the work, but he was able to share his feelings. Especially at the observation that for the first time after many years, an artwork created joy in citizens. “How much I like what you’re saying, that’s every artist’s dream, to be able to give joy through their work. The statue comes from rejoicing, when an artist can give the world joy, it’s a very big thing.”
Open to the public
Moreover, the 70-year-old artist made a revelation concerning public access to the artwork. “In the near future the memorial will be accessible to the public, every Saturday and Sunday the doors will be open and the public will be able to see the work. In fact, the Ministry of National Defense will have the army band play music to accompany visitors. Listen, the Defense Ministry came forward with a cultural proposal, produced culture. It’s something original. I was the medium. They decided to express themselves and open up to society and say ‘we propose to do this’.”
He also praised the organization and consistency in the presentation. “Many of my acquaintances, friends, wonder how we kept our word. The first work we said would be ready on March 25th and it was on March 25th. The other, we said October 29th and it was October 29th. The care and organization from the companies, but also from the army, which had the organization of this thing in its hands, was incredible. I was speechless when I met the engineers, I saw them believing, supporting and working on this project. In fact, when I faced health problems, Mrs. Asproulopoulou replaced me. We managed to keep the schedule, despite all the adversities. This is a miracle that happened in my life.”
“The hedonistic moment of creation”
Kostas Varotsos always feels like a beginner during the wait for realization. However, he speaks of the hedonistic moment of creation and achieves a beautiful – as well as difficult – metaphor, giving the example of small children: “There is anxiety, to see the plan being realized. There is insecurity. When you get on stage and perform, there are magical moments that confirm you’ll create a masterpiece. When you construct a work, it’s the hedonistic moment of creation. That’s the moment of happiness, not when it’s finished. All the problems, meetings, agreements and disagreements. It’s a very special dimension, a creative process.
You know, I sometimes say, have you seen these little kids, 4 years old, 5 years old, they take a stick, something silly, and shout ‘mom come see what I made.’ They want to offer. It’s an endogenous act, offering is the structure of art. So, when the inauguration happens and you offer it to the world, you have anticipation, an expectation, that they’ll convey love to you. I felt tremendous love from the people who were there. I feel that emotion.
There’s a very big problem in Greece, we all have it, and I have it too. The concept of evolution happens through destruction, it shouldn’t. I build on the past and evolve it. It’s the structure, the stance for how a state should function. It’s our responsibility toward the collectivity called Greece. Evolution, for various reasons in Greece, is one of the biggest problems of our society. We need to fight this a bit.”
