The Callas is the tip of an artistic loose collective producing artworks, films and music initiated by the brothers Lakis & Aris Ionas (MA Mixed Media – Chelsea College of Arts).
Art shows (selection) – New Museum (NY) – DESTE Foundation (Athens) / Benaki Museum, Documenta 14, Palais de Tokyo (Paris), Family Business (NY), Athens Biennial (Athens), Andreas Melas Projects (Athens), Spaghetto (Athens), State Of Concept (Athens), The Breeder (Athens), Kustera Projects (NY), Atopos CVC (Athens), Yinka Shonibare Space (London).
The Callas collaborated with Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth) and Jim Sclavunos (Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds) on music albums and live performances. Their first feature film “LUSTLANDS” (HAOS film) was premiered at the 7th Athens Avant-Garde Film Festival. Their second one “The Great Eastern” was shot at Deste’s Foundation project space – Slaughterhouse in Hydra, it was premiered at Onassis Foundation – Stegi and also screened at Documenta 14.
Live performances – Liverpool Psychedelic Festival (Liverpool), The Great Escape Festival (Brighton), Reeperbhan Festival (Hamburg), Scala (London) and with Thurston Moore, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Ty Segall and Grinderman.
Their studio space going by the name Velvet Room, is one of the most active D.I.Y. cultural spaces/collectives in the center of Athens.
“An amazing performance by The Callas that was a cross between punk rock and Andy Warhol’s Factory scene” – THE INDEPENDENT
“As multi-media artists and filmmakers, they approach music making from a very different perspective than the average musician and come up with some quite unexpected results. The sonic palette of the new album is diverse and exploratory, with songs that range in style from dreamy subversive pop to brutal post-punk skronk to deconstructed rebetiko.”Jim Sclavunos.
“It’s a real cool record. There is this special kind of chemistry in the band” Thurston Moore