Renowned Greek-born sculptor George Petrides presented to Greece’s Permanent Representative to the UN a sculpture inspired by the ancient Greek female figure known as “kore” in honor of Greece’s current participation in the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the United Nations.
The sculpture, named “Kore II,” was presented to Greece’s UN Permanent Representative, Ambassador Evangelos Sekeris, as the United Nation’s CSW commission is in session.
“I am honored to present my sculpture to the Permanent Mission of Greece to the United Nations in honor of my country’s participation in CSW,” Petrides said as the sculpture was presented to the Greek delegation, led by Greece’s Minister of Social Cohesion and Family Affairs, Sofia Zaharaki.
“The title of this piece, Kore, refers to the ancient Greek sculptures of that name, depicting young women, as well as the modern Greek word for daughter. The first reference parallels my interest in Greek history and culture, the subject of the six Hellenic Heads, the exhibition traveling to ten cities in 2022-2027. The second reference is literal: my daughter Sofia, then 12 years old, posed for this piece. My intention, after examining some darker periods in Greek history, was to conclude the ‘Hellenic Heads’ series in the present, with a young person looking to her future with optimism and light.”
The UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the principal global, intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the rights and empowerment of women by documenting the reality of their lives throughout the world and shaping global standards. The 69th session of the CSW is taking place at the United Nations in New York from 10 to 21 March 2025.
As a UN member state, Greece joins other governments, civil society organizations, experts and activists from around the world to promote women’s rights and gender equality.
In 2023, Chicago’s National Hellenic Museum (NHM) hosted the “Hellenic Heads” exhibition by artist George Petrides, featuring six larger-than-life busts inspired by key periods in Greek history spanning 2,500 years, from ancient times to the present.
Starting with a rigorous research process including archaeological artifacts, academic sources, family stories and historical photographs, Petrides studied six important periods in Greek history spanning 2,500 years:
Classical Greek Period (510 BC to 323 BC); Byzantine Period (330 AD to 1453 AD); Greek War of Independence (1821 to 1829); Destruction of Smyrna (1922); Nazi Occupation and Greek Civil War (1941 to 1949); and the Present.
Following this historical research, Petrides sought out sculptural precedents for inspiration, ranging from works from the above periods to more recent sculptors such as Michelangelo, Houdon, and Rodin.
Then he asked family members to pose for him, producing six larger-than-life busts for the Hellenic Heads exhibition, which are approximately three feet in height and stand taller than six feet on pedestals.
Petrides was named a “globally recognized sculptor” by Forbes (2022). His work can be seen around the world, ranging from public sculptures in Greece and Turkey marking the centennial of the destruction of Smyrna in 1922, to a bronze head in the renovated Tiffany’s flagship store at 727 Fifth Avenue in New York.
Petrides, who lives and works primarily in New York City, creates sculptures that include the figurative and abstract, in sizes ranging from palm-sized to over 12 feet on a base. Born and partly raised in Greece, he is steeped in ancient Greek and Roman sculpture and the later works that were influenced by it (Donatello, Michelangelo, Rodin, Maillol, et al.).
