Biography
Marina Karella, a distinguished painter, sculptor, and set designer, was born in Athens in 1940 into an industrialist family. The daughter of Theodoros Karellas and Elli Chalkiopoulou, she grew up in an environment where art and culture coexisted with the business world, fostering her aesthetic sensitivity from an early age. From a young age, her need for artistic expression became evident as an integral part of her personality, shaping the path she would later follow in her artistic career.
Karella studied at the Athens School of Fine Arts, apprenticing under the renowned painter Yannis Tsarouchis. Under his guidance, she delved into the study of form, light, and composition. Seeking to broaden her horizons, she continued her studies in Paris at the École des Beaux-Arts, where she was exposed to the dynamic European artistic scene. Her early artistic steps were linked to set design and costume design, an experience that granted her a deep understanding of atmosphere and dramaturgical intensity. However, it was through painting that she developed her personal artistic identity.
In the mid-1970s, Karella shaped a distinctive visual idiom, which was manifested in her famous “white works”—canvases dominated by ethereal, almost intangible human figures. Through these, the artist explored the fine line between existence and non-existence, creating a world where absence is just as present as existence. Her interest in the human body and spirituality led her to sculpture, where she transferred the same ideas into three dimensions, working with plaster, marble, and metal. During the 1980s, her color palette darkened. Human figures gradually disappeared, giving way to atmospheric, almost metaphysical compositions. In her more recent works, Karella has turned to Nature and portraiture, adopting a more introspective and meditative tone.
Her work has been exhibited in some of the world’s major cultural capitals, including New York, Paris, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Brussels, and Rome. Many of her pieces are housed in major museums and private collections, confirming the timeless value of her artistic expression. In 2005, the Benaki Museum organized a retrospective exhibition of her work, acknowledging her contribution to contemporary art.
In 1965, Marina Karella married Prince Michael of Greece, a historian and writer, son of Prince Christopher of Greece and Princess Françoise of France. Their marriage was unconventional for its time, as it was uncommon for a non-royal woman to wed a prince. Together, they had two daughters, Alexandra and Olga, and shared their lives between New York, Paris, and Athens.
Beyond art, Karella has dedicated a significant part of her life to the protection of abused children. Her passion for defending vulnerable children led her to establish ELIZA, a non-profit organization operating in Greece for the protection of abused children. As President of the organization, she has worked tirelessly to raise awareness and create structures that provide shelter and hope to children in need.
Marina Karella’s life and work stand as a testament to the power of art and dedication. Through painting and sculpture, she has managed to capture the delicate balance between matter and spirit, presence and absence. At the same time, through her philanthropic work, she has given a voice to those who cannot be heard. Straddling classical Greek heritage and the contemporary artistic scene, Karella has carved a unique path, leaving behind a body of work that is deeply moving and timelessly relevant.
Georgia Dimopoulou
Classics Scholar – Editor
Source: The biographical information is derived from the official website of ELIZA – Society Against Child Abuse, as well as from Marina Karella’s monograph, published by Fereniki Editions.