American interdisciplinary artist Peter D. Gerakaris creates vibrant paintings, public installations, and origami sculptures that engage nature-culture themes through a global lens. Raised a free-range child in New Hampshire, Gerakaris earned a BFA from Cornell University and an MFA from Hunter College where he received the Tony Smith Prize.
The artist’s works are showcased in various permanent institutional collections including the National Museum of Wildlife Art (Jackson, WY), NYC Department of Education, U.S. Department of State Art in Embassies Program in Gabon (Africa), Capital One, Citibank, Roanoke College (Salem, VA), and the Berkshire Botanical Garden (Stockbridge, MA), in addition to a spectrum of private collections around the globe such as Beth Rudin DeWoody and the William Lim Living Collection (Hong Kong, China).
Gerakaris has also created many large-scale public commissions awarded by Cornell Tech, The Surrey Hotel, Bergdorf Goodman, and the Berkshire Botanical Garden, in addition to a permanent public art commission through the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Percent for Art Program spanning 116ft at PS101K (Brooklyn, NY).
Having received distinctions such as The Nature Conservancy’s Andy Warhol Preserve Residency Grant and the EcoArt Project Award, his artwork has been exhibited internationally at the Museum of Arts and Design, the Hudson River Museum, the Bronx Museum, the National Museum of Wildlife Art, the Whatcom Museum, the James Museum, the Bruce Museum, Wave Hill, Daniel Weinberg Gallery, Google NYC, FX Collaborative, Chinese Contemporary (Beijing), Carol Corey Fine Art (Kent, CT), the Berkshire Botanical Garden, the National Academy of Fine Arts, and the Mykonos Biennale, along with various art fairs such as Scope, Doors (Seoul) and Art on Paper New York. His work has also been featured in publications like Architectural Digest, the Financial Times, the New York Times, and W Magazine.
The artist currently enjoys creating a wide range of site-specific and large-scale commissions for various collections, while preparing for various solo projects and exhibits in NYC and Washington DC. Additionally, Gerakaris has volunteered for two terms on Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art, & Planning Alumni Advisory Council and is also an avid guitarist.
Join us for an inspiring 90-minute artist talk with Peter D. Gerakaris, whose kaleidoscopic artworks bridge the Nature-Culture divide through a distinct blend of traditional techniques and contemporary vibrancy. Gerakaris will share insights into his interdisciplinary approach that spans painting, murals, mosaics, and origami sculptures, and discuss how his "Icon Series," "AquaVerse," "Post-Pop Botanic," and "Mask" series explore the boundaries between analog and digital. Known for his vibrant color palette and detailed renderings of endangered flora and fauna, Gerakaris' work challenges our perceptions and invites us to reconsider our relationship with the environment.
Don’t miss this chance to experience the mind behind the art that “tickles the retina and mind” with each dynamic composition, reflecting his passion for reconnecting us with the natural world.