Submitted photo
Sculptor Thanasi Papapostolou.
Master of his craft: Papapostolou studied at the New York Academy of Art, University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence, Italy. His work is on display in private collections in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and Greece.
At first glance, the dark, nondescript building tucked behind a house in the Emerson East neighborhood could easily be mistaken for a two-story garage, or the world’s largest shed. But step inside and you’ll find a bright, contemporary studio, filled with museum-quality sculptures. This is the studio and teaching space of sculptor Thanasi Papapostolou.
Papapostolou, who learned the art of figurative sculpture in New York, Philadelphia, and Florence, Italy, eventually made his home in Wisconsin in 2019. He set about building his own backyard “atelier” (French for an artist’s private studio), which ended up taking a year and a half to build, after being delayed by COVID restrictions.
Everything was meticulously planned, from the floors to the window placement. “You need concrete floors, so you can roll everything,” he says, referring to heavy sculptures and models on wheels. “You need northern light because you want indirect light. Direct sunlight is too strong for sculpture as it bleaches out the forms and produces shadows that are too dark.”
Papapostolou’s traditional mastery is on display in his collection of finished and in-progress statues, busts, reliefs and figurines. “My work reconnects to a long tradition of figurative practice. This is a blast from the past,” he says.
Clay is his medium of choice, and Papapostolou uses an array of tools and techniques to mold and detail his sculptures, including wooden sculpting tools, notched wire tools, and even just his fingers to achieve impressive detail.
The location of his studio was appealing for a variety of reasons. “We wanted to be close enough to downtown to be able to ride a bike or take a bus here,” he says. Papapostolou’s studio has recently been part of MMoCA Gallery Night and the newly formed Emerson East/Eken Park Art Walk.
Papapostolou also teaches drawing classes at Madison College, as well as in his studio. Here, he teaches both figure drawing and figure sculpture by using his own body of work and cast collection as well as live models.
The studio has full heating, wiring, plumbing, lighting and Wi-Fi, but Papapostolou’s not bound by technology. “I don’t need to worry about my power going out, or my software license running out. I can still do my work.”
Find more information about Papapostolou and his classes at thanasipapapostolou.com, or find him on Instagram at @thanasipapapostolou.
Tommy Washbush
The exterior of Thanasi Papapostolou's atelier.
Deceptive exterior: The studio’s dark, contemporary look contrasts with the bright white interior and classical sculptures within. ‘It just looks cool! And it provides a pleasing juxtaposition as one enters the white interior of the studio.’
Thanasi Papapostolou
Sculptures by Thanasi Papapostolou.
Museum-ready: Papapostolou creates a variety of sculptures, from life-size statues to table-top pieces, reliefs, and portrait busts. He stresses the importance of observance and practice. ‘You have to be a keen observer of the human body — if anatomy was all you needed to know, every doctor would be Michelangelo.’
Thanasi Papapostolou
The interior of Thanasi Papapostolou's atelier.
Lighting is key: The size and placement of windows was an important factor in the studio’s planning. ‘Having the windows and skylights facing north provides consistent ambient lighting throughout the day.’
