In Flux

About the show

After more than a decade running his own London-based advertising agency, Kostas Papakostas stepped away from strategy and structure to follow something more instinctive. In his inaugural London solo show, he unveils a powerful new body of work rooted in his radical ‘one-stroke’ technique: a single, unbroken brushstroke that captures movement, emotion, and the act of letting go.

Movement lies at the heart of Kostas’s practice - both in subject and process. Each piece is created through a single, fluid gesture, capturing not just motion but transformation. This latest series departs from tightly controlled compositions and ventures into more raw, visceral territory, reflecting a world that refuses to stand still.

Harnessing both chaos and control, Kostas uses his brushwork to explore themes of distortion, reconfiguration, and surrender. Shapes shift and dissolve before the viewer’s eyes, embodying the instability of the present moment—where nothing stays fixed, and change is the only constant.

Ben Cotton, Gallery Director at Hang-Up Gallery, said:
"We’re living in an era of relentless transformation - politically, socially, personally. With In Flux, Kostas isn’t just responding to that instability - he is channelling it. His one-stroke technique is bold, physical, and uncompromising. These works capture the tension of the age we’re living through right now, where control is fleeting and change is constant.”

In Flux represents a powerful evolution in Kostas’ artistic journey. Grittier, freer, and more emotionally charged, these new works reflect a belief that real creative expression must remain in motion. The exhibition invites viewers to let go of certainty, embrace the process of becoming, and find meaning in the in-between.

In a time defined by transition, In Flux is both a reflection and a reminder that there is always potential within change.