George Petrides (b. 1964, Athens, Greece) is a sculptor based in Athens and New York. He specializes in public sculpture, with 25 works permanently installed across more than seven countries worldwide and additional commissions underway. His practice encompasses monumental outdoor installations, large-scale indoor works for civic and institutional settings, and the innovative traveling exhibition Hellenic Heads, a series of six over-life-size busts reimagining Greek history and culture through the lens of his own family. Now in its eighth international venue, in Paris, the exhibition has drawn an estimated audience of more than 100,000 visitors, with further venues to follow. More information at the exhibition specific website, www.hellenicheads.gr
Raised and educated in both Athens and the United States, Petrides is deeply rooted in the traditions of ancient Greek sculpture and the artistic lineages it inspired—from Roman adaptations to Renaissance masters such as Donatello and Michelangelo, through modern innovators like Rodin and Maillol, and contemporary sculptors influenced by this tradition. His creative process is distinctive, synthesizing classical and Renaissance precedents with advanced technologies, adapted to his artistic goals.
Petrides earned his first degree, in Classics, from Harvard College in 1985. He began his professional career on Wall Street, specializing in mergers and acquisitions. After completing dual master’s degrees at Stanford University in 1993, he returned to Wall Street, eventually becoming Managing Director of M&A at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. While pursuing this career, he took his first art class at the age of 32 and went on to study art part-time for more than two decades, completing courses in drawing, painting, and sculpture in New York and Paris, and later earning a Certificate in Sculpture from the New York Studio School.
In 2017, following the sudden loss of his father and two close friends within days of one another, Petrides chose to devote himself fully to sculpture. Since then, he has established himself as a leading voice in contemporary public art, creating works of enduring cultural resonance that merge historical research, personal narrative, and technological innovation.
Public Collections
Agiou Georgiou Square (Athens, Greece) | REFUGEE - WOMAN OF SMYRNA
Archaeological Collection of Serifos (Cyclades, Greece) | Head of Medusa
Aretaieion University Hospital (Athens, Greece) | ARETAIEIA (Nickname "Big Mom")
Children's Oncology Unit "Marianna V. Vardinoyannis-ELPIDA" (Athens, Greece) | Kore II
Consulate General of Greece in New York (New York, USA) | Mother and Child, Abstracted
Consulate of Greece in Izmir (Izmir, Turkey) | Reduction of the Public Sculpture REFUGEE - WOMAN OF SMYRNA
Dormition of the Virgin Mary (Southampton, NY USA) | CONSTANTINE AND THE VISION OF THE CROSS (Girders from 9/11)
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkiye) | Constantine and the Vision of the Cross from Koimisis for Patriarch Bartholomew
Embassy of Greece to Italy (Rome, Italy) | Thalia II (Dark Bronze)
Embassy of Greece to Qatar (Doha, Qatar) | Head of Thalia III
Embassy of Greece to the USA (Washington DC USA) | Thalia: The Foundation of Western Civilization (Cast Bronze with Brown-Red Patina)
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (New York, USA) | Constantine the Great (Brass & Bronze)
Hellenic Institute of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Studies (Venice, Italy) | Archon II Reduction Bronze
Jewish Museum of Greece (Athens, Greece) | Man of Two Wars I Reduction
Malliotis Cultural Center (Brookline, MA USA) | Head of Thalia (Copper with White Dye Oxide)
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical Degree English Program (Athens, Greece) | Aretaieia Reduction (aka Big Mom)
National Hellenic Museum (Chicago, IL USA) | Part of Hellenic Heads
Nightingale Bamford School (New York, USA) | Thalia II in Nighthawk Colors (Silver and Navy Blue)
Old Age Home (Gökçeada / Imbros, Turkiye) | Constantine and the Vision of the Cross from Koimisis for Imvros Old Age Home
Permanent Mission of Greece to the United Nations (New York, USA) | Kore II
Simonopetra Monastery (Mount Athos, Greece) | Reduction of Refugee I (Medium Bronze)
Sismanogleio Mansion (Istanbul, Turkiye) | Constantine the Great (Brass & Bronze)
Tiffany & Co. (C. de Serrano, 72, Salamanca, 28001 Madrid, Spain) | Bust of Thalia I in Tiffany Blue
Tiffany & Co. (Ginza, Tokyo or Other Store) | Head of Thalia II in Tiffany Blue
Tiffany & Co. (Champs Elysees Store Paris, France) | Bust of Thalia IV or Head of Thalia II
Tiffany & Co. The Landmark (727 Fifth Avenue, New York NY USA) | Head of Thalia II in Tiffany Blue
Selected Press
Aretaieion Hospital Welcomes a Public Sculpture by George Petrides | The National Heard | 12.04.24
George Petrides’ Hellenic Heads in Venice: Portraying Family and Greek History | Art & Object | 09.09.24
Wall Street Banker to Artist: George Petrides Channels Millennia of Greek History in ‘Hellenic Heads’ Venice Exhibit | Athens Insider | 07.06.24
Η Ελληνική ιστορία ταξιδεύει στον κόσμο μέσα από τις «Ελληνικές Κεφαλές» του Γιώργου Πετρίδη | EPT News | 05.13.24
O γλύπτης Γιώργος Πετρίδης μιλάει για τις «Ελληνικές Κεφαλές» στη Βενετία: Μια προσωπική εξερεύνηση της ελληνικής ιστορίας που γυρίζει τον κόσμο | Elculture | 04.26.24
In Venice, Sculptor George Petrides Gives Greek History the Larger-Than-Life Treatment | Cultured Mag | 04.19.24
Tο κατανυκτικό «Μουσείο των Εικόνων» δίπλα από την εκκλησία του Αγίου Γεωργίου στο Campo dei Greci της Βενετίας | EPT News | 04.05.24
Venice: The Embassy of Greece and the Hellenic Institute Present George Petrides’ Hellenic Heads | Hellenic Institute of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Studies | 02.26.24
Οι «Ελληνικές Κεφαλές» του Γιώργου Πετρίδη συνεχίζουν το ταξίδι τους στον κόσμο – Επόμενος σταθμός: Βενετία | EPT News | 02.23.24
Hellenic Heads | Johnson Atelier | 08.29.23
George Petrides’ Personal Engagement With Hellenic History | WhiteHot Magazine | 07.03.23
Γιώργος Πετρίδης: Ο Ελληνοαμερικανός που άφησε τη Wall Street και σαρώνει στις διεθνείς εκθέσεις με τα γλυπτά του | Ethnos | 10.13.22
George Petrides: Celebrating the Imperfections | Ceramics Monthly | 10.03.22
Γιώργος Πετρίδης: Ο καταξιωμένος γλύπτης Ελληνικής καταγωγής |Συνέντευξη| | Design Magazine | 09.01.22
Renowned Sculptor George Petrides Featured in Forbes | National Herald | 07.21.22
Globally Renowned Sculptor George Petrides Carves A Matriarchal Gaze Into Greek History And Heritage | Forbes | 07.13.22
George Petrides’ Hellenic Heads Sculpture Exhibition at The Muses Southampton | Hamptons.com | 06.05.22
Sculptor George Petrides: Inspired by past, present, and future | Hellenic News of America | 06.03.22
George Petrides: Hellenic Heads | The Brooklyn Rail | 06.01.22
Contemporary Artifacts | The Arcade Project | 02.01.22
The Muse of Classic Greek Sculpture | Culture Catch | 01.20.22
Figure and Form: The Making of an Exhibition | WhiteHot Magazine | 01.03.22
George Petrides: Διερευνώ την εσωτερικότητα του ανθρώπινου σώματος για να αναδείξω καλλιτεχνικά την ομορφιά που κρύβεται στις ατέλειες του | ArtViews | 09.25.21
George Petrides: Creative Paths to Philanthropy in Athens and New York | The Hellenic Initiative | 11.03.20
George Petrides | IdeaMensch | 06.27.19
Selected Publications
2025 Hellenic Heads: George Petrides- Venice Edition
2024 Hellenic Heads: George Petrides- USA Edition
2023 Figure and Form: George Petrides and Nassos Daphnis
2022 George Petrides: Recent Work: 2019-2021 (English/French language)
2022 Figure and Form: New York
2021 George Petrides: Recent Work: 2019-2021 (Greek language)
2020 George Petrides: The Beauty of Imperfection.
Selected Exhibitions
2026 Embassy of Greece to France (Paris, France)
2025 Hagia Triada (Istanbul, Turkey)
2025 Seismanoglio Megaro (Istanbul, Türkiye)
2024 San Giorgio dei Greci (Venice, Italy)
2023–24 National Hellenic Museum (Chicago, IL, USA)
2022–23 Maliotis Cultural Center–Hellenic College Holy Cross (Brookline, MA)
2022 Muses Cultural Center (Southampton, NY)
2022 Embassy of Greece to the USA (Washington DC)
2021–22 Figure and Form: George Petrides and Nassos Daphnis (New York, NY)
2021 Mykonos KDEPPAM (Mykonos, Greece)
2020 Mykonos KDEPPAM (Mykonos, Greece)