Constantin Karahalios, born in Tripoli, Greece in 1923, embarked on his artistic journey by enrolling at the Athens School of Fine Arts in 1947, where he studied painting under the guidance of Umberto Argyros and Yannis Moralis until 1952. His pursuit of artistic development led him to Paris in 1957, where he engaged in courses in mural painting and engraving at the École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts and the École Estienne, while also participating in sculpture workshops.

Karahalios’s relocation to Paris marked a significant shift in his artistic interests, initially towards abstraction and subsequently towards the creation of mixed media works using diverse materials. His first solo exhibition in 1960 at the Galerie du Haut Pavé showcased the series of paintings titled Les Hiéroglyphes (The Hieroglyphs), characterized by serially arranged reliefs, some resembling geometric and archaic human figures. Subsequently, his acquaintance with art critic Michel Tapié led to the incorporation of utilitarian objects such as lace, spoons, buttons, and gold leaf in his paintings, as he experimented with relief volumes on the painting surface.

Participation in the exhibition Métaphysique de la Matière (Metaphysics of Matter) in 1964 at the Galerie Stadler marked a turning point in Karahalios’s career, leading to increased recognition and a consistent exhibition presence. Concurrently, he evolved his sculptural forms, initially using plaster and marble, and later transitioning to wood, polyester, and metal.

In 1965, Karahalios introduced movement, light, and electricity into his works, influenced by kinetic and photomotive art, while promoting the utilitarian object as a predominant medium of artistic expression. His association with art critic Pierre Restany and exposure to New Realism (Nouveau Réalisme) significantly influenced this direction. Notably, his solo exhibition Pinces sans rire at the Galerie David Anderson in Paris in 1966 became a pivotal moment, focusing on the relief geometric volumes formed by accumulated pegs, creating a sense of rhythm and movement on the visual surface.

Continuing his innovative exploration, Karahalios created environments and installations, such as La lumière dans la ville (Light in the city) at Galerie Raymonde Cazenave in 1969, Pénélope (Penelope) at the same gallery in 1972, and Hommage à Walt Withman (Homage to Walt Withman) at Galerie Lara Vinci in 1975. His artistic journey culminated in the series of works titled Ma collection des constructivistes (My Constructivist Collection) at Galerie Lara Vinci, where he utilized the peg as a key element to create works in the style of Kazimir Malevich’s constructivism and Piet Mondrian’s neo-plasticism.

Until his passing in 2007, Karahalios continued to explore the structure, rhythm, and aesthetics of utilitarian and industrially produced objects, detached from their original environment, with the intention of awakening human sensitivity towards them. His legacy remains a testament to his unwavering commitment to artistic innovation and the transformative power of everyday objects.