The sculptor and artist Yiannis Markantonakis died – 2024-04-15 02:34:59

Sculptor and visual artist Yiannis Markantonakis passed away today at the age of 72, having left an indelible mark on Chania Society and Crete Olakeri.

With a great contribution through his long artistic career, Haniotis Yiannis Markantonakis was defeated by the incurable disease, having left behind students who adored him, special research studies on sculpting and visual arts, great monuments that adorn and honor parts of the prefecture and the history of the place.

The sculptor Yiannis P. Markantonakis was born in 1952 in Chania. He studied at the Athens School of Fine Arts. In 1996 he took over as artistic director of the Art Workshop of the Municipality of Chania, which participated in the Network of Art Workshops of the Ministry of Culture. He has been awarded in two pan-Hellenic sculpture competitions: In 1986 with the 1st prize for the Resistance Monument of Panagia Kerameion and in 1996 with the 1st prize for the statue of Spyros Kagiale Kagialedakis, at Akrotiri Chania. In August 2012, an exhibition of 44 of his artist-students was inaugurated at the Chania Art Space, to commemorate his thirty years as a teacher in the city of Chania.

In his message, the deputy governor of Chania, Nikolaos KAlogeris, speaks of a man “… who sculpted with his work and his writings, the cultural development of our place. His early flight makes the Cultural Capital of the country poorer. His emblematic creations, which adorn the Chania landscape and beyond, will always remind us of him.” For his part, the Mayor of Chania, Panagiotis Simandirakis, in his condolence announcement, emphasizes that: “Yiannis Markantonakis was a creator dedicated to his place, a restless spirit, a multi-talented and multi-awarded artist, whose creations reflect the Chania landscape as and heroic figures of our history. As the artistic director of the Art Workshop of the Municipality of Chania, he left his own valuable contribution to Chania while being a teacher and an inspiration for the new generation of art in our country. Personally, I say goodbye not only to a great artist but also to a concerned and active citizen who, at every opportunity, selflessly shared with me his ideas and anxieties, for the current situation but also for the future of our country.”

Yiannis Markantonakis was for years a partner and columnist of the Haniotika Nea newspaper, with the journalists and employees of the newspaper declaring that “The family of the “Chaniotika youth” says goodbye to a special friend and partner whose articles graced our pages for decades. From “Chaniotika news” sincere condolences to his family and loved ones. He was also a collaborator of the Typography Museum, leaving behind him “… an indelible stamp on the Typography Museum, with his works and ideas enriching the museum collection”, as the president of the Museum, Yiannis Garedakis, points out in his condolence message. “The “Yannis and Elenis Garedakis Typography Museum” bids farewell to its beloved friend and collaborator Giannis Markantonakis. Identified with the vanguard in the field of Arts and putting his signature on emblematic creations for the city of Chania, Yiannis Markantonakis leaves a void that cannot be filled, not only for our city but for the field of Culture in general… To the partner of his life, Zoe Kollarou, to his only son Petros and to all his relatives and friends, our sincere condolences”, says Mr. Garedakis.

The funeral service will take place tomorrow Monday at 11 am from the Holy Church of Agios Loukas. His body will be in the church from 10.30 in the morning.