Maria Papadimitriou

Maria Papadimitriou is an artist and Professor Emerita of Visual Arts at the University of Thessaly, Department of Architecture, Greece, where she taught from 2001 to 2025. After graduating with distinction in painting from the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts (ENSBA), Paris, she began her artistic practice in 1989.

Her multidisciplinary practice encompasses painting, sculpture, collage, video, performance, photography and mixed-media installations. Through autonomous artistic projects, collective initiatives and long-term collaborations, Papadimitriou investigates the porous boundaries between art and social reality, creating situations in which art becomes a space for encounter, participation and exchange.

Her four-year dialogue and collaboration with Martin Kippenberger, beginning in 1992, resulted in joint paintings and photographic works exhibited in Greece and abroad. In 1995, Kippenberger entrusted her with the realisation of MOMAS, his imaginary museum on the island of Syros; following his death, the project was discontinued.

Papadimitriou represented Greece at the 25th São Paulo Biennale (2002) with T.A.M.A. (Temporary Autonomous Museum for All) and at the 56th Venice Biennale (2015) with Why Look at Animals? AGRIMIKA. In 2016, she collaborated with Rick Lowe on the Victoria Square Project for documenta 14.

She is the founder of T.A.M.A., SOUZY TROS and the Institute of Post-Epicurean Garden (iPEG). She received the DESTE Prize in 2003 and the rank of Officier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques in 2016.