Born in Piraeus in 1936, Kounellis moved permanently to Rome in 1956. He was particularly interested in the use of cheap materials in his art, making a turn toward the three-dimensional surface at an early stage. He was one of the most important representatives of the Italian arte povera. In his work he harmoniously combined elements from various eras and cultures and remained at the center of the international artistic scene for many decades, not only through his art, but also through his visual and political discourse, contributing in the shaping of contemporary European creation of the 20th century.