Manolis Manarakis

Honoré de Balzac, through his character Frenhofer, wrote: “The goal of art is not to copy nature but to express it.” Medardo Rosso believed that sculpture must convey a sense of life. I’ve always found these two perspectives deeply inspiring. Today, when technology makes it possible to replicate almost anything with precision, these ideas feel more relevant than ever. True beauty comes from within. The aim is not to recreate a perfect likeness; that risks producing an empty shell. The goal is to create a work that captures the viewer’s attention and invites a meaningful dialogue.

Manarakis draws on his background in economics, education, and fine art. His work explores the deep connection between humanity and nature. Avoiding realistic depiction, he focuses on expressing inner essence through abstract, fragmented forms. He is known for his public sculpture Resilience (Luxembourg, ca. six meters tall). Composed of various wooden pieces, it symbolizes the complexity of human nature; how diverse emotional and physical elements amalgamate to form a unified, resilient whole.