VENIS STUDIOS - Art & Antiquities Conservation & Restoration - Dubai-UAE / Greece / Istanbul

ART

CONSERVATION & RESTORATION

"Where Art Meets Eternity"

UAE / GREECE / TURKEY / ITALY

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Our Story

In 2012, Venizelos G. Gavrilakis and Vaia A. Karagianni, Senior Experts Art Conservator and Restorer, with over 30 and 15 years of distinguished international experience, founded Ieri Parakatathiki Labs in Greece. Their laboratory quickly earned its reputation for art conservation and restoration of medieval paintings, Byzantine icons, and cultural artifacts in Greece and Turkey.

In 2022, they expanded their vision by establishing VENIS STUDIOS, an international art and antiquities conservation and restoration company delivering museum-quality conservation and restoration of paintings, artworks, and historical objects. Upholding global standards set by UNESCO, IIC, and AIC, VENIS STUDIOS ensures each piece receives the highest level of professional care.

Today, VENIS STUDIOS serves Museums, Collectors, Institutions across Europe, Turkey, USA, Middle East, and the UAE, specializing in:

· Medieval & Renaissance paintings Conservation & Restoration

· Byzantine & post-Byzantine icon Conservation and Restoration

· Modern & Contemporary Art Works & Paintings Conservation & Restoration

· Historical object conservation & Restoration

· Archaeological object Conservation & Restoration

· Registrations – Documentations - Photography

· Scientific Analyzes – Authentication/Evaluation

· Art Management Collection - Curation

VENIS STUDIOS bridges the Science and Art of Conservation & Restoration. We reveal each artwork’s authenticity, artistry, and historical significance, ensuring that cultural identity and artistic legacy endure for future generations.

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VENIS STUDIOS Has Worked With & Collaborated With The Following

Esteemed Institutions:

The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople – Istanbul, Turkey
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America – New York, USA
Numerous Metropolises - Istanbul/Greece
Several Greek Monasteries in Mt.Athos - Greece
Museum of Byzantine Culture - Thessaloniki, Greece
MOMus – Museum of Modern Art, Thessaloniki – Thessaloniki, Greece
Historical and Ethnographical Museum of the Cappadocian Greeks - Nea Karvali, Greece
Dubai Culture & Arts Authority – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Private Prestigius Art Galleries - Dubai/Istanbul/Greece

VENIS STUDIOS Has Been Invited To Deliver Keynote Lectures At The following Institutions:

Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University – Istanbul, Turkey
Istanbul University – Istanbul, Turkey
Zografeion Lykeion – Istanbul, Turkey
Sismanoglio Megaro / Consulate General of Greece – Istanbul, Turkey
International - Heritage Istanbul (2021, 2023, 2024 Conferences) – Istanbul, Turkey
International - Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" / NARATE Project (Erasmus+) – Sofia, Bulgaria

VENIS STUDIOS Teaching Experience:

Professional Training Center of the Archdiocese of Thessaloniki for Art Preservation Teaching Program- Thessaloniki, Greece
Art Conservation and Restoration Teaching Project at the Theological School of Halki – with students from the École d’Art d’Avignon Art University - Istanbul, Turkey
Estimates Institution Art conservation, Restoration and Preservation Courses & Teaching - Greece/Istanbul

Art Conservation & Restoration Services

Paintings & Icons

Expert conservation and restoration of easel paintings, panel paintings, and icons, including Medieval, Renaissance, Byzantine, and post-Byzantine works, Modern and Contemporary art. Treatment follows internationally recognized museum standards, with rigorous respect for authenticity, historical integrity, and the artist’s original intent, ensuring each work is preserved and ethically reintegrated for future generations.

Modern & Contemporary Art

Professional conservation and restoration of modern and contemporary artworks, encompassing paintings, sculptures, installations, and mixed-media pieces. Each treatment is guided by rigorous material analysis, preventive conservation strategies, and minimal intervention principles to preserve the artist’s original intent, aesthetic impact, and long-term integrity. VENIS STUDIOS ensures that every artwork is treated with the highest standards of scientific precision and ethical care, safeguarding its cultural and artistic significance for future generations.

Historical Objects

Professional conservation and restoration of historical objects, and historically significant artifacts. Each intervention is based on material science analysis, preventive conservation and restoration principles, and minimal intervention ethics to safeguard both artistic integrity and historical value.

Archaiological Objects

Conservation and restoration of excavated artifacts and cultural materials from ancient civilizations. Employing scientific examination, stabilization, and scientific conservation and restoration treatments we ensure the preservation of archaeological heritage for research, exhibition, and future generations.

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A Unique Conservation & Restoration Challenge:

Damaged & Exfoliated 19th-Century Painted Icon/Door

Witness this unique conservation and restoration challenge, where VENIS STUDIOS revived a severely damaged and exfoliated masterpiece, conserving and restoring its historical and artistic integrity.

VENIS STUDIOS experts Venizelos G. Gavrilakis and Vaia A. Karagianni undertook the complex conservation and restoration of a severely damaged and exfoliated 19th-century painted icon/door. Prior to intervention, the artwork was considered irrecoverable due to extensive detachment, structural instability, and surface degradation accumulated over decades.

Over a meticulous seven-month project, the team applied advanced scientific methodologies, combining preventive conservation principles, precise consolidation techniques, and ethical restoration practices. Their work included stabilization of the wooden support, reintegration of delaminated paint layers, and careful preservation of original pigments and gilding.

Through their expertise, VENIS STUDIOS successfully rescued this invaluable cultural artifact, restoring structural integrity, visual cohesion, and historical authenticity. This project stands as a testament to the Studio’s commitment to museum-grade conservation and restoration, bridging the science and art of restoration for future generations

Pablo Picasso "La Torada" - 1914

Masterful Conservation & Restoration of an Original "Pablo Picasso" - 1914

"La Torada"

VENIS STUDIOS proudly presents the meticulous conservation and restoration of an original Pablo Picasso painting (1914), executed in mixed media on wood, undertaken by expert senior conservators and restorers, Venizelos G. Gavrilakis and Vaia A. Karagianni. The wood panel had suffered structural damage, while the painting surface was severely affected by insect infestation, including eggs, as well as previous amateur cleanings that had compromised parts of the original composition. Our team performed museum-grade, precision cleaning, careful removal of insects and residues, structural consolidation of the wood, and professional retouching, restoring the artwork while fully preserving the authenticity and integrity of Picasso’s original vision. This project exemplifies VENIS STUDIOS’ unwavering commitment to the highest standards of art and antiquities conservation and restoration, ensuring that historic masterpieces are safeguarded for future generations.

A Unique Rare Painting

A 2nd Century AD Fayum Mummy Portrait

VENIS STUDIOS has successfully completed the expert conservation of a rare Fayum mummy portrait dating back to the 2nd century AD. This specialized case involved the careful consolidation of fragmented and fragile wooden support, along with a meticulous cleaning of the delicate painted surface. Drawing on his extensive years of experience, Venizelos G. Gavrilakis implemented museum-grade advanced conservation techniques to preserve this invaluable piece of ancient Egyptian cultural heritage, ensuring its structural stability and visual clarity for future generations.

Before & After

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Ivan Aivazovsky

19th-Century Oil Painting

Meticulous cleaning and varnish removal revealed authentic colors and design. Precise repairs preserved the artist’s marine masterpiece with museum-grade techniques.

Pablo Picasso “La Torada,” 1914

Expert conservation and restoration treated insect infestation and structural damage on this wooden panel. Wood disinfection and precise repairs preserved the artwork’s integrity using museum-grade techniques.

2001 Michael Garoudis Mixed-Media Painting

Conservation and restoration precisely treated burn damage, stabilizing and preserving the mixed-media painting’s original character.

14th-Century Byzantine Icon "Panagia Eleoussa" with 16th-Century "The Descent to Hades" Double Side Icon

A rare case of conservation and restoration treatments, uncovering both the 14th-century image and 16th-century reverse—discovered by VENIS STUDIOS. This double-sided icon was presented at international conferences and publications.

20th-Century Copper Engraving Painting Hotel "El Greco"

Restoration of a damaged, oxidized copper engraving from Hotel "El Greco," Thessaloniki, Greece. Cleaning and stabilization preserved the artwork with museum-grade techniques.

17th-Century Post-Byzantine Gilded and Egg Tempera Painted Wood Cross

Meticulus Conservation and restoration treated oxidized varnish, repaints, missing parts, wood deterioration, and painting. Wood consolidation and disinfection preserved this carved masterpiece using museum-grade methods.

19th-Century Coffee Table with Mother-of-Pearl, Ivory, and Ebony

Conservation and restoration addressed missing parts and surface damage, carefully reconstructing and stabilizing this intricate decorative furniture piece using traditional and museum-grade techniques.

18th-19th-Century Flintlock Pistol

Conservation and restoration addressed oxidized iron and bronze components, repairing breaks and reconstructing missing wooden parts to preserve this historical firearm with museum-grade techniques.

19th-Century "Limoge" Porcelain Decorative Plate

Conservation and restoration expertly reassembled multiple broken pieces, stabilizing and preserving this delicate decorative porcelain plate with museum-grade materials and techniques.

c. 3500 B.C. Mesopotamian Antique Vase

Conservation and restoration addressed broken parts and performed desalination to remove salt deposits, carefully stabilizing and preserving this rare artifact found in UAE deserts using advanced museum-grade methods.

c. 3000 B.C. Bronze Bowl
Meticulous cleaning, stabilization, and expert reassembly were performed using museum-grade conservation and restoration techniques. This unique artifact found in UAE deserts was precisely preserved.

c. 3500 B.C. Iron Sword

Meticulous cleaning and stabilization treated oxidation and reassembled eight broken pieces of this ancient sword found in UAE deserts, using museum-grade conservation and restoration techniques to ensure precise preservation.