Kostas Karakitsos was born in Kavala in 1956.
He studied Electronics, but pottery attracted him.
In 1986 he starts his own workshop in Kavala where he creates his first sculptures entitled "Spiritual Contact".
Giacometti's work inspires him. The human figures he creates are simple forms, with hands expressing movement and wonder, round heads with no features where the addition of a small circular mirror takes the viewer to the world of the creator.
Clay is a means of expression. The concept and its inculcation through the clay are of prime importance to the artisan.
The ceramics of this period (1986-1996) are characterized by the absence of glazing and the presence of oxides only.
Kostas Karakitsos comes in contact with materials such as iron and cement with polyester fiber blending.
Also, a new experimentation with painting starts.
From this point on, his new quest that leads to the forms of the "Travelers" begins.
Thus, the period 1996-2006 surfaces. One of its features is the emergence of color and glazing.
It is the period of the ‘journey’ and its expression through ceramics.
He meets ceramists from all over the world, travels and participates in symposiums enriching his forms with the influences he receives from great and renowned ceramists. His "Travelers" show glaze and painted surfaces.
Their suitcases are the surface on which the travel mood is captured, with imaginary images and landscapes.
Painting relaxes him and is once more the springboard for his new work, "Women."
He thinks that, by nature, women are colorful. This is also conveyed through his forms.
Oxides, paints and glazes are on their surfaces.
They are wearing hats, signs of their power; they are holding a symbolic gift as an offer to all of us and have striking colors on their clothes.
During the period of 2006 and 2007, he works on the forms of Women.
During the period of 2006 and 2007, he works on the forms of Women. He also organizes ceramic symposiums under the title "With soil and water" in his new workshop, located in Avramilia, a village outside Kavala.
The economic crisis in Greece marks the end of these symposiums, as he himself financed them.
In the international arena, the invitations to pottery and painting symposiums continue.
He exhibits in galleries both in Greece and abroad. Australia, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Slovenia, Japan, Switzerland are countries that have hosted the works of Kostas Karakitsos.
Since 2018 he is engrossed in his new work entitled "Priestesses."
The idea and concept of the sanctuary have found an opportune ground in his theory of the cosmos.
In recent years, he has been running “Ceramics Camp” with his friend and ceramist George Vavatsis. It is about thematic summer seminars exclusively devoted to ceramic art techniques. Alternative firing, reductions, red copper, building traditional ovens are within the research and philosophy of this group.
All these years, his involvement with the wheel and the quest for glazing and forms are the oasis in which he finds the necessary peace that the wheel can provide. But lately, he has been placing more emphasis on the wheel, perhaps looking for the next period to express himself.
In his workshop he teaches small groups of students.
//:PARTICIPATION IN GROUP EXHIBITIONS
1987 Πανεπιστήμιο Bielefeld, Γερμανία
1988-89-90 «Πανελλήνια έκθεση κεραμικής», Αθήνα
1992-95-97 «Πανελλήνια έκθεση κεραμικής», Αθήνα
1998-99 «Πανελλήνια έκθεση κεραμικής», Αθήνα
1992 «Έκθεση μοντέρνας κεραμικής», Πνευματικό Κέντρο Αθηνών
1993 Μουσείο μοντέρνας τέχνης, Τόκυο, Ιαπωνία
1996 «Με τα φτερά της τέχνης», Γκάζι, Αθήνα
1997 «Ομάδα καβαλιωτών καλλιτεχνών», Ιμαρέτ, Καβάλα
1999-00 «Καλλιτεχνικός Μάης», Καπναποθήκη, Καβάλας
2000 «Διεθνής εικαστική έκθεση», Διοικητήριο, Δράμα
2001 Anny Balta GALLERY, Θεσσαλονίκη
2001 Δημοτική Πινακοθήκη Καβάλας
2001 Valauris, Γαλλία
2001-2002 «Πανελλήνια έκθεση κεραμικής», Αθήνα
2002 Γκαλερί Αέναον, Αθήνα
2003 «Ευρωπαϊκό πρόγραμμα μοντέρνας κεραμικής», Ελλάδα – Σλοβενία – Ιταλία
2004 Γκαλερί Αέναον, Αθήνα
2005 Uber Gallery, Μελβούρνη, Αυστραλία
2005 Fabrica Fabiana, Λιουμπλιάνα, Σλοβενία
2006 Art Gallery, Αλεξανδρούπολη
2007 Δημοτική Γκαλερί Καβάλας
2008 Ορφέως 20, Γκαλερί Τέχνης, Ξάνθη
2010 Ορφέως 20, Γκαλερί Τέχνης, Ξάνθη
2011 Ορφέως 20, Γκαλερί Τέχνης, Ξάνθη
2012 «Πανελλήνια έκθεση κεραμικής», Αθήνα
2013 Gallery Blauen House, Φρανκφούρτη, Γερμανία
2015 «ΤΟRΑ», Alma Γαλερί Σύγχρονης Τέχνης, Τρίκαλα
2015-2016 «12 Προσκεκλημένοι καλλιτέχνες», συνοδευτική έκθεση του 53ου Πανελλήνιου διαγωνισμού κεραμικής τέχνης, Μαρούσι, Αθήνα
2017 «Diversity», Balkan Art Gallery, Ξάνθη
2018 «10 κεραμίστες στους Παξούς», Chris Boikos Gallery, Παξοί
2018 Anixis Gallery, Baden, Ελβετία
2018 «Uglu Trio», D’ Art Sanat Galerisi, Istanbul, Τουρκία
2019 «Εγκώμιον Κεραμικής», S.G. Art Gallery, Κολωνάκι – Αθήνα
2019 5η Έκθεση κεραμικής «Κεραμέων Ίχνη», Στοά Αργύρη, Πάτρα
2021 Χριστούγενα στο Μετς. Κέντρο Τεχνών ΜΕΤΣ – Αθήνα
2021 Μουσείο Γεωλογικών Σχηματισμών Μετεώρων. Καστράκι. Μετέωρα
2021 6η Έκθεση Κεραμικής. Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο Ολυμπίας. Αρχ.Ολυμπία
2021 Γκαλερί Ελληνοαμερικανικής Ένωσης. «ΜΕΛΑΝΑ». Αθήνα
2022 Χώρος τέχνης 6xi. «Κανάτα». – Θεσσαλονίκη
2022 Αγιορειτική Εστία. «Τάματα». – Θεσσαλονίκη
2022 «ΡΟΗ». Δίδυμο Οθωμανικό Λουτρό Τρικάλων. – Τρίκαλα
//:INDIVIDUAL EXHIBITIONS
1989 Γκαλερί Γεωργίας Γαληνού, Σέρρες
1994 Δημοτική Καπναποθήκη, Καβάλα
1995 Γκαλερί Αέναον, Αθήνα
2003 Γκαλερί Αέναον, Αθήνα
2006 Καλογερικό, Λιμένας, Θάσος
2007 Ινστιτούτο Μωχάμετ Άλι, Ιμαρέτ, Καβάλα
2009 Ορφέως 20, Γκαλερί Τέχνης, Ξάνθη
2012 Anixis Gallery, Baden, Ελβετία
2013 Πνευματικό Κέντρο Χρυσούπολης, Καβάλα
2014 Myro Gallery, Θεσσαλονίκη
2019 Βιτρίνες τέχνης ΟΤΕ, Θεσσαλονίκη
2022 «Ημερολόγια φωτιάς». Ιμαρέτ. – Καβάλα
//:SYMPOSIA
1998 “Conference of Ceramics” – Organized by C.C.E.G. (Chamber of Conjectural Art in Greece) and Turkish equivalent, with the participation of
ceramics artists from both, Greece and Turkey, Lesvos
1999 “International Conference of Ceramics” – University of Smirni, Turkey
1999 “Symposium of ceramics”, by the group Magera, Tsesmes, Turkey
2000 “Symposium of ceramics”, by the group Magera, Municipality of Rafina
2001 “Symposium of ceramics”, by the group Magera, Constantinople, Turkey
2002 “Symposium of ceramics”, by the group Magera, Constantinople, Turkey
2003 “European Programme: ART.CE.MO.” (Greece, Slovenia, Italy)
2007 “Europian-Anatolian Cultures Meet and Act” Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey
2009 Organization of 1st Symposiun of Ceramics “Earth and Water 1, Avramilia, Greece
2009 “International Applied Ceramics Symposiu”, Avanos, Turkey
2010 Organization of 2nd Symposium of Ceramics “Earth and Water 2”, Avramilia, Greece
2011 “International Raku Symposium”, Eski Sehir, Turkey
2011 Organization of 3nd Symposium of Ceramics “Earth and Water 3”, Avramilia, Greece
2012 “International Science – Art – Culture days”, Konya, Turkey
2012 “Symposium of ceramics”, Malatya, Turkey
2013 “International Project of Piri Reis”, Canakkale, Turkey
2014 “International Symposium of Painting”, Iskenderun, Turkey
2017 “5th International Mediterranean Terracota Symposium” in Cyprus
2017 “International Meetings Alternative Firing”, Eski Sehir, Turkey
2017 “Hatcettepe University International Macsabal Symposium”, Ankara, Turkey
2018 “13rd International Art Festival & Art Workshop”, Poh-Chang Academy of Arts, Bangkok, Thailand
//:MORE INFORMATION
1996 Member of the Chamber of Conjectural Art In Greece (C.C.A.G.)
1997 (until today) Teaching ceramics for groups of students in his workshop
2000 Introduser in course on ceramics organized by the Europian Union
2002 Collective volume – “Ceramic Figures directory of Artists”, Michael Flynn
2004 Participation in collective volume 1 “500 figures in Clay, Ceramic Artists Celebrate the Human Form”, Lark Ceramics
2014 Participation in collective volume 2 «500 FIGURES IN CLAY Vol2», Lark Ceramics
