Takis’ works at the Onassis Ready

Panayiotis Vassilakis, also known as Takis (1925–2019), was one of the most innovative artists of the 20th century, a genius who fused art and science, sculpture and engineering, sound and light. From Paris and London to New York and Athens, he created a body of work that was both deeply personal and universally relevant. In this universe, energy, magnetism, and electricity became the very materials of his artistic practice.

The Onassis Collection comprises more than 30 significant works by Takis, providing a unique opportunity to track the evolution of his radical thought over time. These works span different periods of his career, illustrating the basic ideas that formed his identity as an artist-inventor.

In “Spirales,” metal twists with force, as if obeying an internal power, whereas “Spheres” hover or vibrate like celestial bodies choreographed by magnetic fields. The renowned “Musicales” produce unexpected sounds—here, we hear the voice of the material itself, a natural score that resonates in the space. A significant part of Takis’ kinetic sculpture is the “Electromagnetiques” series, featuring objects that move independently of human contact, revealing the imperceptible forces that shape our world.

The “Erotiques” series renders the tension between bodies into metallic forms that draw close, repel, and find balance, while the monumental flowers of the “Fleurs” series, despite their austere geometry, convey vitality and sensitivity. The smaller scale “Idol” works seamlessly merge archaic form with futuristic abstraction. The iconic “Signaux” and “Télélumières” bring technology—particularly light—into focus, by acting as communication transmitters with another, unknown realm.

Also of particular interest are the two-dimensional “Solar Magnetic Fields” in mixed media, which retain a sculptural sense of form and space, as well as the furniture—tables and chairs—conceived as functional sculptures, bridging everyday life with Takis’ distinct artistic vocabulary.

Takis’ presence in the Onassis Collection is more than just a tribute to a great creator; it is an immersion into an inner cosmos in which art does not depict the world but activates it. Through these forms that move, sound, and hover, Takis reminds us that even the invisible may take shape and become an aesthetic experience.