GARMENT CLASP

Lefteris Joanidis (1943- 2022)
Two-part garment clasp, nickel-plated brass, approx. 12x12 cm. Provenance: from the estate of Věra Reichová. Lefteris Joanidis – psychologist, jeweler, painter, and university professor; a Greek refugee who arrived in the Czech Republic after the civil war in 1948. He completed his primary and secondary education here and studied psychology at the Faculty of Arts at UJEP in Brno from 1966 to 1971, where he began working as a psychologist and art therapist. In the 1970s, he chose to pursue a career as a freelance artist. Known for his jewelry featuring a characteristic mirroring effect, he primarily used brass with a nickel-plated finish. From 1993, he taught at the Department of Art Education at Masaryk University. Joanidis was a member of Sdružení výtvarných umělců a teoretiků Brno and TT Klub výtvarných umělců a teoretiků. He created the logo and insignia for the Faculty of Social Studies at Masaryk University and designed the Greek Memorial in Smetana Gardens in Krnov, unveiled in 2005. His work has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions and is represented in the collections of the Moravian Gallery and the Brno City Museum.