VENIS STUDIOS: The Reborn of Historic Culture Heritage to life in Art Doctors’ hands

“It makes me and my wife extremely happy that these immeasurably valuable artefacts have started to live with us today, bringing them back to life is a personal life aim,” said Gavrilakis, an art doctor who has restored and conserved many important historical works of art to their first days hundreds of years ago with his wife Vaia A. Karagianni, art conservator and restorer and their team in VENIS STUDIOS in Sütlüce, one of the historical districts of Istanbul.

Venizelos G. Gavrilakis is a distinguished Senior Expert Art Conservator and Restorer of Historic Artworks and Antiquities, president of VENIS STUDIOS and member of KMKD (Kültürel Mirası Koruma Derneği / Association for the Protection of Cultural Heritage – APCH,), AIC, IIC, ICA, and many others, while he is an art contributor writer in art conservation and restoration and art history issues with continually collaboration with “The World Art News”, “Local Approach” and many others. His illustrious career spans decades. Born in Thessaloniki, Greece, in 1976, Gavrilakis dedicated his life to meticulously preserving, conserving, and restoring our historic cultural heritage.

His journey towards becoming a renowned expert began with specialised studies in conserving and restoring priceless artefacts. This included Byzantine and post-Byzantine icons, historical oil paintings, Ottoman-era masterpieces, and Antiquities with a specific focus on the sacred art of Mount Athos, Greece. His educational foundation is rock-solid, boasting a degree in “Artwork ‘Antiquities Conservation” from a prestigious institution.

Moreover, he holds an official professional license from the Greek Ministry of Education, Research’ Religious Affairs. Since 1994, Gavrilakis has served as a senior expert conservator and restorer, crafting an impressive career that has taken him across borders to Greece, Turkey, the United States, and other corners of the globe.

His expertise is expansive, covering a broad spectrum of cultural heritage, from historical oil paintings to Byzantine and Ottoman-era artworks, icons, panels, frescoes, marquetry, textiles, and various mediums, including marble, stone, metal, paper, etc. His portfolio is a testament to his mastery, featuring the restoration of significant works, including those by the esteemed Russian painter Ivan Aivazovsky, as well as invaluable antiquities like an Ancient Egyptian Fayoum mummy portrait dating back to the 2nd-3rd century BC, Byzantine oil lamps, crosses, and glassware, all found in museums, churches, and private collections worldwide.

Emphasising that their work is not only focused on preserving the works of art themselves, Gavrilakis says that their main principle is to pass on to future generations the wealth of historical, artistic, social, humanitarian and spiritual messages that these works carry. Gavrilakis underlines that through their scientific work on this subject, they aim to preserve the common human culture and pay tribute to the visionary artists, painters, iconographers, sculptors and creators of antiquity.

He says he aspires to forge stronger connections between the past, present, and future, fostering unity and brotherhood among nations, cultures, and humanity itself through the meticulous work of conservation and restoration. Highlighting always, the importance of professionalism, museum-level art conservation and restoration, ethics, to their works. Within this realm, art conservators and restorers assume the role of “Art Doctors” for artworks and historic cultural heritage, he emphasises.

They administer treatment, protection, and care for these artefacts, nurturing a unique and intimate bond with the works, he says, adding that it is a clandestine dialogue between the conservator -restorer and the artwork, a secret language that transcends time, preserved together through the conservation and restoration process, ensuring their enduring Legacy.

“Importantly, our dedication does not conclude upon the completion of preservation work; we provide continuous supervision to address future requirements for artworks or monuments,” says Venizelos G. Gavrilakis, who stands unwaveringly as a reliable partner, ready to offer support, supervision, and the vital mission of revitalising and safeguarding works of art and cultural heritage monuments.

“The Science and Art of Conservation and Restoration in VENIS STUDIOS knows no bounds; we extend our services to every cultural heritage artwork and monument, regardless of location anywhere in the world” he added.