Petrides specializes in public sculpture, with 20 examples presently on view in Asia, Europe and the USA. A number of these are classified as monumental, meaning they are over two meters tall and in permanent outdoor venues. Three monumental examples:
Refugee–Woman of Smyrna was unveiled on the centennial of the destruction of Smyrna in 1922 in an Athens neighborhood where refugees settled at that time. The sculpture is inspired by Petrides’ grandmother Maria, who fled Smyrna in 1922 and settled in Greece.
Aretaieia has been erected in central Athens on the campus of Aretaieion Hospital, part of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Aretaieion provides high quality medical care to women, in addition to general surgery, at no charge. Inspired by the work of the hospital and Petrides’ love for his own mother, the sculpture depicts a nude pregnant woman striding optimistically toward the future. Its dedication ceremony will be on Mother’s Day 2025.
Constantine Regarding the Cross, is being erected near New York, inspired by Constantine I at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 AD, where he was said to have had a vision of a Cross in the sky.
“Not only does Petrides explore the history of his own family and Greece, he also takes viewers on a journey into European sculpture. The six busts are an investigation into how previous sculptors addressed the themes of human suffering, resilience, and hope. By referencing Michelangelo, Rodin, and the Classical masters, Petrides draws a line that connects his contemporary exploration to Ancient Greece, the High Renaissance period, and the late 19th century. His contemporary fingerprint adds a personal yet universal character to the practice of sculpting. Visitors have the unique opportunity not only to learn about important events in Greek history, but also to reflect on the universal messages that Petrides conveys. Petrides, with and through his art, embodies, embraces, and celebrates the triumph of a golden hope over a dark, gnarled past. It is left to us to find our own unknown, unexplored past, weave our new self with the old, heal our scars and transform them into bright, new paths.”
Excerpt from an essay by Dr. Caterina Bellenetti, Art Historian
