The Greek/American architect, poet, and artist Giannis Karalias was born in Katerini, Greece and educated at the University of Graz in Austria and at The University of Illinois at Chicago. In 1989, he became Museum Vice President of The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and Design Director of the Museum. In 2008, he also became Chairman of The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
He has designed several large-scale installations at the Design Museum in London, as well as major exhibition for The Chicago Athenaeum in Buenos Aires, Sao Paolo, Mexico City, Prague, Thessaloniki, Milan, Warsaw, Lisbon, Gothenburg, New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. He designed The Chicago Athenaeum’s International Sculpture Park in Schaumburg, Illinois.
In Chicago, other exhibitions of his work include Real Furniture/Fake Furniture, Five Chicago Architects, and Seven Ancient Wonders of the World, and he designed a collection of furniture for Illinois Governor James R. Thompson for the State of Illinois Centre.
He has also designed furniture many of which have been exhibited at the Salone del Mobile in Milan.
His paintings have been featured in major exhibition at museums in the United States, South America, and in Europe.
AWARDS AND PRIZES
• First Prize for the Illustration of a Poetry Book. The Greek Union for Literature, Athens, Greece, 2023.
• Apulia Contemporary Art Prize. Amaci -Associazione Dei Musei D’arte Contemporanea Italiani, Bergamo, Italy, 2024.
