At this year’s Hellenic Engineers Society of Great Britain gala in London, guests were presented with a truly distinctive commemorative piece, a finely crafted rocking horse in solid cast handmade bronze, accompanied by a beautifully rendered print of the work. Created by artist Grace Pappas, the piece stood out not only for its craftsmanship, but for the depth of story and symbolism it carried.
Drawing from ancient Greek tradition, the horse has long been honoured in art as a powerful symbol of wealth, partnership and motion. In 2026, marked in the Lunar calendar as the Year of the Fire Horse, the motif takes on renewed resonance, embodying energy, freedom and forward momentum. Through this work, Pappas brings together these timeless ideas into a contemporary form that speaks directly to themes of journey, progress and connection.
CURRENTLY IN a self-directed artist residency in the island of Syros, working on her latest unit of work: From Fires to Floods, work in relation to the wildfires in Greece. Grounded in lived maritime experience, based on the at the heart of the boat building community of the Cyclades, Pappas also works hands-on in the repair and restoration of traditional wooden vessels, including a double mast sailing boat and gulets. Her daily engagement with wood, structure and the sea places her within a long lineage of craftsmanship, one that continues to sustain and preserve the region’s maritime heritage.
This direct involvement in making in all of its forms shapes her artistic language. The same sensitivity to balance, material and movement required in maintaining a vessel at sea is echoed in her sculptural forms. In this sense, her bronze horses are not only symbolic objects, but expressions of a deeper understanding of movement, resilience and form, qualities intrinsic to both life at sea and engineering.
The rocking horse presented at the gala bridges past and present with quiet strength. Intimate in scale yet rich in meaning, it invites each recipient to reflect on journeys travelled and those yet to come, an idea that resonates strongly within the global maritime and engineering community gathered in London.
Through her work, Grace Pappas continues to build a unique dialogue between art and maritime tradition, where craftsmanship, heritage and contemporary expression meet.
Her practice extends to private commissions and bespoke projects, offering collectors and organisations the opportunity to engage with works that are both deeply personal and culturally resonant.
Her works are also available through the National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens, further affirming her presence within the contemporary art landscape.
Weather you attended the event and are part of the lucky ones that received one of these unique pieces, or simply curious to find out more, then you are invited to join the artist’s collector’s circle, and stay in the loop for new work and commissions.
and a shot from the actual event:
For further information on Grace Pappas’ work, including private commissions and bespoke projects for corporate events or special occasions, visit her website at www.gracepappas.com or follow her on Instagram @studiogracepappas.
