A Private Visit to Kalliopi Lemos’s Japan-Inspired London Studio
On Thursday 3 September 2026, the Japan Society hosted an invitation-only private visit to the studio of acclaimed Greek-born, London-based artist Kalliopi Lemos. The event welcomed a select group of invited donors, offering rare access to a private house, studio and Japanese garden not normally open to the public.
The evening centred on an intimate conversation between Kalliopi Lemos and Jenny White, Honorary Editor of The Japan Society, exploring the artist’s long-standing engagement with Japan, the influence of ikebana on her creative practice, and the role of the studio and garden as a living environment for art, architecture and nature. Set within a beautifully crafted space inspired by traditional Japanese architecture, and surrounded by a serene Japanese garden, the studio offered guests more than a viewing experience. It provided a direct encounter with the environment in which the artist’s work is imagined and made, and with a place where contemporary art, nature and architectural tradition come together in quiet harmony.
Jenny White traced Kalliopi’s interest in Japan from early personal connections to her sustained study of ikebana, exploring how its principles of materials, space and balance have informed her artistic practice and the development of her Hampstead studio and garden. Guests also heard about the collaboration between British architect William Hodgson and Japanese garden designer Takashi Sawano. The evening concluded with reflections on how Japan can inspire daily life through attentiveness, harmony and respect for people, objects and place.
We would like to thank Kalliopi Lemos for generously hosting us, Jenny White for leading a fascinating conversation, and Paul Luckraft at Gazelli Art House for arranging this special event.
Kalliopi Lemos is a Greek-born, London-based sculptor, painter and installation artist. Lemos pursued graduate and post-graduate studies at Byam Shaw School of Art, London. Lemos has also studied the Japanese art of Ikebana for 15 years, introducing her to a distinctive approach in the use of materials and the awareness of space. Over recent decades, her works have explored the narrative of existential journeys, displacement and forced migration. Lemos creates site-specific public installations and films with a focus on human rights and female oppression, challenging the viewer and encouraging reflection and discussion.
Lemos has exhibited extensively at international venues and festivals, including the Sainsbury Centre, Norwich, UK (2026); Hamidiye Mosque, Castle of Chios, Greece (2024); NEON at National Theatre of Greece Drama School, Athens (2024); Dordrechts Museum, The Netherlands (2023); 4th Biennial D’Autun, Autun, France (2023); Frieze Sculpture, London (2020); Palais de la Porte Dorée, Paris (2017); Spital Square, Spitalfields, London (2017); Chateau des Ducs de Bretagne, Nantes, France (2016): Galleria Continua, Les Moulins, France (2016); Byzantine & Christian Museum, Athens (2013 and 2014); loakimion Greek Girls’ High School, Fener, 13th Istanbul Biennial parallel programme (2013); The Crypt Gallery, St. Pancras Church, London (2011); Brandenburg Gate Pariser Platz, Berlin, organised by The Akademie der Künste (2009); Art Gallery of Cyclades, Hermoupolis, Syros, Greece (2006).
Current and permanent public displays of sculpture include Yorkshire Sculpture Park; Westersingel Sculpture Terrace, Rotterdam; Benaki Museum, Athens; the American School of Classical Studies in Athens; Bilgi University, Istanbul; and the Turkish city of Çanakkale. Lemos’ work is in public collections including Onassis Cultural Foundation, New York; Borusan Contemporary, Istanbul; Sculpture International Rotterdam, The Netherlands; British Museum, London; and the V&A, London.
Kalliopi Lemos is represented by Gazelli Art House
Photos by Gregory Owain
