Summer in Greece is synonymous with sunshine, the sea, and a vibrant cultural scene. This season, island escapes and visits to historic destinations offer more than breathtaking landscapes: they also provide the opportunity to discover some of the year's most exciting art exhibitions. From landmark retrospectives of acclaimed artists to innovative group shows in remarkable heritage sites, Greek News Agenda offers a selection of exhibitions not to miss during your summer travels through the Greek islands. Take a deep breath—and dream!

AEGINA

The Municipal Art Gallery of Aegina is presenting the major group ceramics exhibition "CHOMA" (Soil/Earth), (until August 23, 2026) conceived and curated by Iris Kritikou. Τhe exhibition offers a broad survey of the contemporary landscape of Greek ceramic art. The 80 participating artists present works that draw subtle references to primitive vessels, non-figurative prehistoric pottery, ancient votive and utilitarian ceramics, as well as the lustrous surfaces of ceramic vessels from other cultures. Other works engage in aesthetic dialogue with modern Greek art and contemporary international art. Above all, however, the exhibition showcases works distinguished by the originality of their conception and execution, affirming ceramics' enduring ability to move audiences and to stand as a major art form—one with deep historical roots, rich modern traditions, and limitless potential for innovation and artistic expression. (lower photo: ceramic work by Nikos Ghikas)

(upper photo: Aegina, https://www.discovergreece.com/attica/aegina )

SPETSES

The Anargyros Art Residency on Spetses has quickly established itself as one of Greece's most inspiring artist residency programmes. Set within the historic grounds of the Anargyrios and Korgialenios School of Spetses (AKSS), a former boarding school overlooking the sea, it offers artists a unique environment in which to live, create and exchange ideas. Under the artistic direction of Eva Vaslamatzi and the coordination of Simoni Niarou, the residency fosters dialogue among participants and the local community. This year's edition, centred on the theme of animism, transforms the school's remarkable setting into a vibrant space where history, nature and contemporary artistic practice converge. The contemporary art exhibition “Insular Animisms” (until August 30, 2026) at the AKSS is the outcome of the Anargyros Art Residency. The exhibition features works by six international artists working across visual arts, film, dance, and music (lower photo right : Nona Inescu, Things not generally known). Concurrently, Building A of the School hosts “Photo Capsule”, an exhibition showcasing works by four photographers (lower photo left).

(upper photo: Spetses, https://www.discovergreece.com/attica/spetses )

SKIATHOS

The recently restored Monastery of Panagia Eikonistria on Skiathos is hosting the group exhibition “In the Shadow of the Pines”, curated by archaeologist and art historian Iris Kritikou (until November 9, 2026). The exhibition's title is drawn from a recurring literary motif and symbolic landscape in the work of Alexandros Papadiamantis, Skiathos' celebrated novelist and one of Greece's greatest writers. Papadiamantis's writing is deeply intertwined with the island's natural world, evoking the fragrance, atmosphere, and spiritual serenity of its pine forests through an early, remarkably holistic ecological vision that approaches the sublime. Through their works, the participating artists pay tribute to Skiathos, creating a visual psychogeography of the island that resonates profoundly within the monastery's evocative setting. (lower photo: work by Iliana Paloglou)

(upper photo: Skiathos https://www.discovergreece.com/thessaly-sporades/skiathos )

IOS

The group exhibition ΓΑΙΑ/GAIA at the Gaïtis–Simossi Museum on Ios (August 1- October 19, 2026) explores the concept of the Earth as a mythological, natural and cultural entity. It develops two parallel narratives that intersect at a common point of reflection: humanity’s relationship with the natural world and the consequences of the ever-increasing disruption of that relationship. The choice of a Cycladic island – and specifically Ios – as the venue for this exhibition lends an additional layer of meaning to it. The Cyclades form a landscape where the presence of the Earth is instantly felt through the geomorphology, rock formations, intense light, and constant interplay between land and sea. From the prehistoric civilizations of the Aegean to the present day, the islands have fostered a unique relationship between humans and the natural environment, a relationship linked to memory, survival, creation and transformation. In the Cyclades, Gaia is not merely a mythological figure but, rather, a lived reality inscribed in the landscape itself and in the cultural identity of the land. (lower photo: Nikos Tranos, from the installation Terrain (Horse Bit – Bridle), 2015–2026)

(upper photo: Ios Chora, https://www.discovergreece.com/cyclades/ios)

SANTORINI

The Tomato Industrial Museum “D.Nomikos” on Santorini, co-organises with the Theran Society of Arts and Sciences and in collaboration with the Cycladic Identity Initiative of the Museum of Cycladic Art, the exhibition “INDUSTRIANA: The industrial heritage of Santorini and Therasia” (until October 31, 2026). Through raw materials, production facilities, industrial machinery and personal testimonies, the exhibition explores the artisanal, pre-industrial and industrial history of Santorini and Therasia. The museum narrative is supported by historical records, preserved artefacts, contemporary documentation and interviews with former workers. The initiative was born out of the organisers’ commitment to preserving the memories of the region’s inactive industrial heritage before they are lost.

(upper phot: Santorini Fyra, https://www.discovergreece.com/cyclades/santorini )

And after immersing yourself in the world of art, take a dip in the crystal-clear waters of the idyllic beaches of the Greek islands

Aegina, Temple of Apollo beach (https://www.discovergreece.com/travel-ideas/best-of/14-best-things-to-do-aegina#discover-unique-monuments-all-around-aegina)

Spetses, Agia Paraskevi beach (https://www.discovergreece.com/travel-ideas/best-of/8-best-things-do-spetses)

Skiathos, Lalaria beach (https://www.discovergreece.com/travel-ideas/best-of/10-best-beaches-skiathos)

Ios, Mylopotas beach (https://www.discovergreece.com/travel-ideas/best-of/8-best-beaches-ios)

Santorini, Vlychada beach (https://www.discovergreece.com/travel-ideas/best-of/8-best-beaches-santorini )

The post Arty Summer Holidays on the Greek Islands, Part 4/4 (Aegina, Spetses, Skiathos, Ios, Santorini) appeared first on Greek News Agenda.

Summer in Greece is synonymous with sunshine, the sea, and a vibrant cultural scene. This season, island escapes and visits to historic destinations offer more than breathtaking landscapes: they also provide the opportunity to discover some of the year's most exciting art exhibitions. From landmark retrospectives of acclaimed artists to innovative group shows in remarkable heritage sites, Greek News Agenda offers a selection of exhibitions not to miss during your summer travels through the Greek islands. Take a deep breath—and dream!

HYDRA

This year, the Slaughterhouse Project on Hydra by DESTE FOUNDATION feature “Until That Day”, an exhibition by Nari Ward (b. 1963, St. Andrew, Jamaica; lives and works in New York), who is renowned for his sculptural installations composed of discarded material found and collected in his neighborhood (until October 31, 2026).  By re-contextualizing these found objects, Ward creates thought-provoking juxtapositions that address social and political issues surrounding race, poverty, and consumer culture (middle photo left: Installation view, photo by Pinelopi Gerasimou for DESTE).

Visual artist Dimitris Antonitsis has organized the group exhibition “Hydor/Onar (Water of Dreams)” at Hydra School Projects (until September 6, 2026). The exhibition is the second chapter of a trilogy exploring the work of artists whose practices revolve around themes such as water, transformation, memory, and dreamlike states. Set against Hydra's luminous landscape, it examines the ways in which artistic creation emerges through intuition and instinct rather than certainty. At the heart of this ongoing trilogy is an artistic dialogue between two iconic figures whose lives and work were profoundly shaped by Hydra: Brice Marden and Jannis Kounellis. (middle photo right: Styliane Philippou's marble sculpture, photo by Pinelopi Gerasimou for Hydra School Projects).

Two elements of nature, two opposing worlds, come together to shape the universe of the exhibition “Of Ether and Sea”, featuring works by sculptor Venia Dimitrakopoulou, at the Hydra Historical Archive–Museum (until September 14, 2026). Hybrid forms—fragments of creatures that seem to belong simultaneously to the sea and the sky—emerge from the surface of marble in the new works of the acclaimed sculptor. (lower photo: Venia Dimitrakopoulou, «Anadyomene»)

(upper photo Hydra,  https://www.discovergreece.com/attica/hydra)

RHODES

This summer, the second edition of the Biennale of Contemporary Keramics (BCK) takes place in the Medieval City of Rhodes (until October 31, 2026). Titled “Where the Day Starts”, the biennial transforms the island into an international meeting point for contemporary ceramic art. Spread across five landmark historic venues within the Medieval City, this year's edition brings together 42 artists from 18 countries, presenting a rich spectrum of contemporary practices and artistic approaches (lower photo: Asunción Molinos Gordo, ¡Cuánto río allá arriba!). Through its central exhibition and an extensive programme of events, BCK 2026 highlights contemporary ceramics as a dynamic and evolving medium of artistic expression, while also positioning it as a vital vehicle for intercultural dialogue across the Mediterranean.

(upper photo Rhodes Lindos, https://www.discovergreece.com/dodecanese/rhodes)

LESVOS

K-Gold Temporary Gallery on Lesvos presents the group exhibition “Spectral”,  curated by Nikolaos Vamvouklis, and bringing together new and historical works by artists from different disciplines and placing the visual arts in dialogue with photography, dance, and fashion (until September 6, 2026). The exhibition explores how presence and absence can coexist within the same space. It is an attempt to understand these concepts by giving form to what cannot easily be seen or named: the other, the invisible, the unspeakable. And while memory does not retrieve a fixed image but instead often introduces a fracture into what we perceive as familiar, the exhibition approaches this fluid terrain not only as an atmosphere but also as a gesture. At the same time, K-Gold Temporary Gallery presents its annual exhibition “Re-Collection”, featuring works from its collection alongside material developed through projects on the island of Lesvos. The selection highlights artistic collaborations that have evolved since the organization's founding in 2014, proposing new encounters and fresh interpretations.  (lower photo Bas Jan Ader, Please don’t leave me, 1969, House paint, lightbulbs, wire, dimensions variable, Courtesy of Meliksetian | Briggs, Dallas & Los Angeles)

(upper photo Lesvos Mytilene, https://www.discovergreece.com/north-aegean-islands/lesvos)

RETHYMNO

Visitors to Rethymno this summer will have the opportunity to see the retrospective exhibition “The Brittle Trace of Symbols” by Rethymno-born artist Nikos Alexiou (1960–2011) at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Crete (until November 6, 2026). The exhibition aims to illuminate key moments from the celebrated artist’s career, whose practice was rooted in memory—from his childhood blanket to Mount Athos, where he spent an extended period of his life. These personal references are interwoven with countless symbolic “roles,” while his meticulous attention to detail shapes a body of work in which innocence is constantly shadowed by tragedy. Reeds and twine, or delicate sheets of paper, appear perfectly balanced yet remain vulnerable, as though they could be destroyed by the slightest careless movement. The exhibition is curated by Maria Marangou. (On view until 6 November, lower photo: Nikos Alexiou Drawers, photo credit: Popi Alexiou),

(upper photo: Rethymno, https://www.discovergreece.com/crete/rethymno)

CHANIA

More than 150 paintings, installations, animations, comics, sculptures, notes, and preparatory sketches by Alexandros Psychoulis are on view in his new exhibition, “Runaway thoughts were my only danger”, at the Municipal Art Gallery of Chania (until October 4, 2026). Rather than following the linear narrative of a conventional retrospective, the exhibition highlights the artist’s pioneering contribution to contemporary Greek art, shaped by the influence of mass media, commercial television, new technologies, computers, pop culture, music, comics, graphic design, fashion, design, and architecture. At the same time, it brings into focus the defining threads of Psychoulis’s practice: the visual language that runs through and unifies his work, and the interplay between handcrafted techniques and technological mediation. The exhibition is curated by Christoforos Marinos. (lower photo: Alexandros Psychoulis, Meristomatrix, 2011, 70 x 100 cm, ballpoint pen on paper, a.antonopoulou.art),

(upper photo: The Venetian port of Chania, https://www.discovergreece.com/crete/chania )

And after immersing yourself in the world of art, take a dip in the crystal-clear waters of the idyllic beaches of the Greek islands

Hydra, Hydronetta beach (https://www.hydra.gr/mobile/en_paralies.html)

Rhodes, Kallithea thermal springs beach (https://www.discovergreece.com/travel-ideas/best-of/12-best-beaches-rhodes)

Lesvos, Aghios Ermogenis beach (https://www.visitlesvos.gr/en/natural-environment/beaches/, https://www.discovergreece.com/travel-ideas/best-of/12-best-beaches-lesvos)

Rethymno, Preveli beach (https://www.discovergreece.com/travel-ideas/best-of/discover-15-best-beaches-crete )

Chania, Elafonissi beach (https://www.discovergreece.com/travel-ideas/best-of/discover-15-best-beaches-crete )

The post Arty Summer Holidays on the Greek Islands, Part 3/4 (Hydra, Rhodes, Lesvos, Rethymno, Chania) appeared first on Greek News Agenda.

Summer in Greece is synonymous with sunshine, the sea, and a vibrant cultural scene. This season, island escapes and visits to historic destinations offer more than breathtaking landscapes: they also provide the opportunity to discover some of the year's most exciting art exhibitions. From landmark retrospectives of acclaimed artists to innovative group shows in remarkable heritage sites, Greek News Agenda offers a selection of exhibitions not to miss during your summer travels through the Greek islands. Take a deep breath—and dream!

NAXOS

The AFI collective brings together seven accomplished artists who, working with a wide range of materials—including paint, brushes, wood, iron, clay, handmade paper, thread, and fabric—and embracing the principles of slow making, translate ideas and traditional craft techniques into a contemporary visual language. Their new exhibition «syn AFI” at the historic Bazeos Tower on Naxos (until September 27, 2026) moves beyond a straightforward presentation of artworks, opening instead a meaningful dialogue with the monument’s handcrafted, sculptural architecture. In doing so, it proposes an alternative yet harmonious way of inhabiting the space—one that is both multisensory and multidimensional. The Naxos Festival, in the Bazeos Tower (lower photo right), began in the summer of 2001, as a bold and imaginative idea to transform an exceptional preserved monument, of the 17th century, into the current analogue of the function for which it was built: a temple of art, education and culture. (lower photo left: work by Inger Carlsson, lower photo right The Bazeos Tower)

(upper photo: Naxos Chora, https://www.discovergreece.com/cyclades/naxos)

AMORGOS

“Mnemosyne” is a curatorial concept unfolding across the island of Amorgos, spanning three distinct locations from north to south through three interconnected exhibitions that invite visitors to journey across the island by way of memory, landscape, and the natural elements (July–August). Each exhibition explores a different facet of the overarching theme and can be experienced independently, while together they form a broader narrative linking water, place, time, and human experience. The journey begins in Aegiali with “Remembrance,” continues in Chora with “Whispers of Water,” an encounter between painting and ceramics that examines water as a force of transformation, and concludes in Kolofana with “Memory,” bringing together artists from a range of disciplines.

(upper photo: Amorgos Chora, https://www.discovergreece.com/cyclades/amorgos)

TINOS

The Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation presents the solo exhibition by Argiris Rallias titled “Litany” in the Museum of Marble Crafts in Pyrgos on Tinos (until November 30, 2026). The exhibition, curated by Christoforos Marinos, takes place in a venue dedicated to marble craftsmanship on Tinos and the connection of this precious material to labour, worship, community and everyday life. In Pyrgos, a land with a strong tradition in the art of marble, Rallias's sculpture meets the long history of local craftsmen, merging technical knowledge with creation. The exhibition's title alludes to the litany as the movement of a community around something that transcends it. In Rallias's work, this community includes people, animals, the dead, the relatives, objects and the landscape itself. Each sculpture carries a plea, a loss, a small request for protection ((photo lower left).

The Cultural Foundation of Tinos presents this summer the painting exhibition “From Chaos to Cosmos”, featuring works by Anna Maria Tsakali and Edouardos Sakayan (photo lower right). Conceived as a creative dialogue between two leading figures of the contemporary Greek art scene, the exhibition brings together their distinct painterly languages to engage with the existential, social, and ecological questions of our time. (until August 23, 2026)

(upper photo: Dovecoats, a feature of the Tinos landscape considered some of the most impressive works of art in the Cyclades, https://www.discovergreece.com/cyclades/tinos)

CHIOS

The Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation presents the temporary photography exhibition by Giorgos Tatakis titled “Caryatis IV | Chios” in the Chios Mastic Museum (until December 31, 2026). The exhibition includes thirty-six photographs in black and white, selected from numerous images captured by Tatakis on Chios (lower photo George Tatakis, Chios island, Mastichochorea, Olympoi, 2021). They depict women of various generations in landscapes, settlements and historical buildings on the island. Having documented traditional costumes and their variations from twenty-one villages of Chios, Tatakis points out: "In all my travels, I have never encountered another place with such an extraordinary diversity of traditional costumes. Chios, with its exceptional textile production and unparalleled quality of fabrics, combined with the prosperity ensured by commerce, gave rise to this remarkable variety of attire. Villagers in settlements located very close to each other sought to display their wealth by distinguishing themselves from their neighbours, and so, each village developed its own distinctive attire".

(upper photo Chios, The Mastic Villages, https://www.discovergreece.com/north-aegean-islands/chios)

SYROS

The Municipality of Syros–Ermoupolis presents the group exhibition of contemporary art “Metoikoi – Transition, Integration, Creation”, hosted at the Cyclades Art Gallery from 1 to 30 August 2026. The exhibition brings together works by distinguished Greek visual artists (Daskalakis, Georgiou, Manousakis, Sakayan, Misouras, Giannakaki, Rorris, Filopoulou, Ragkou, Tzamouranis, Lappas, and Samios) and develops a creative artistic dialogue with the history, identity, and cultural heritage of Ermoupolis.  The Cyclades Art Gallery (photo lower right) has been housed since 1994 in four of the former transit warehouses on the northern quay of the port of Syros, in Ermoupolis. The warehouses were built between 1834 and 1839 based on designs by the Bavarian architect Johann Erlacher, who accompanied King Otto, and were among the earliest buildings constructed in Ermoupolis.

2026 is a truly special year as Syros  honor the 200th anniversary of its city’s naming, Ermoupolis. The anniversary cultural program of the Municipality of Syros-Ermoupolis unfolds before you as a celebration of memory, creativity, and culture (photo lower left). Through a rich program of concerts, theatrical performances, art exhibitions, and activities for all ages, Syros transforms into a meeting point for arts and culture.

(upper phot Syros, Ermoupolis, Vaporia district, https://www.discovergreece.com/cyclades/syros )

And after immersing yourself in the world of art, take a dip in the crystal-clear waters of the idyllic beaches of the Greek islands

Naxos, Plaka beach (https://www.discovergreece.com/travel-ideas/best-of/10-best-beaches-naxos)

Amorgos, Agios Pavlos beach (https://www.amorgos-island.gr/en/section/aegiali-beaches/, https://www.discovergreece.com/travel-ideas/best-of/10-best-things-do-amorgos )

Tinos, Kolympithra beach (https://www.discovergreece.com/travel-ideas/best-of/10-best-beaches-tinos)

Chios, Mavra Volia beach (https://www.discovergreece.com/travel-ideas/best-of/explore-10-best-beaches-chios)

Syros, Delfini beach (https://www.discovergreece.com/travel-ideas/best-of/10-best-beaches-syros)

The post Arty Summer Holidays on the Greek Islands, Part 2/4 (Naxos, Amorgos, Tinos, Chios, Syros) appeared first on Greek News Agenda.

Summer in Greece is synonymous with sunshine, the sea, and a vibrant cultural scene. This season, island escapes and visits to historic destinations offer more than breathtaking landscapes: they also provide the opportunity to discover some of the year's most exciting art exhibitions. From landmark retrospectives of acclaimed artists to innovative group shows in remarkable heritage sites, Greek News Agenda offers a selection of exhibitions not to miss during your summer travels through the Greek islands. Take a deep breath—and dream!

ANDROS

The Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation presents at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Andros a tribute to Germaine Richier (1902-1959), one of the most important figures in 20th century European sculpture, titled “Germaine Richier (1902-1959) – Conversations” (until September 27, 2026). The exhibition retraces the entirety of Richier’s artistic career; despite her premature death at the age of 57, she left behind a remarkably coherent body of work devoted entirely to the exploration of living forms. The exhibition also features a reconstruction of Richier's studio and highlights her work in printmaking. (upper photo: Andros Chrora, https://www.discovergreece.com/cyclades/andros)

PAROS

As part of the cultural program of Paros Park, the Porto Aoussa art space in Naoussa, Paros, hosts the exhibition “Memories from the Aegean” by internationally renowned photographer Robert A. McCabe (until September 30, 2026). The exhibition features 82 selected photographs, personally chosen by the artist specifically for Paros. Through McCabe's lens, visitors journey across the Aegean islands from the 1950s to the late 1970s, discovering a Greece that existed before the tourism boom and the arrival of modern transportation. His photographs capture people who are humble yet proud, living and working within an authentic, unpretentious landscape. At the same time, the photographs reveal the innocence of islands such as Paros, Mykonos, and Santorini, long before they evolved into the cosmopolitan destinations they are today.

(upper photo: Paros Naoussa, https://www.discovergreece.com/cyclades/paros)

POROS

The Citronne Gallery on Poros island presents two solo exhibitions: "The Game of Emergence" by Aphrodite Liti (lower photo left, until September 13, 2026) and "Traces" by Nikos Podias (lower photo right, until September 30, 2026), the latter organized in collaboration with the Ephorate of Antiquities of Piraeus and the Islands. Aphrodite Liti sets up a sculptural world where sea, memory and myth fuse into a single spatial experience. A contemporary conceptual practice emerges as the artist creates an open field of relations and interactions—between the art and the setting, matter and light, the natural and the artificial, the familiar and the surreal. She employs reflection, scale and transformation to correlate nature, myth and dream. Nikos Podias collects mundane materials and reworks them into precious, almost votive objects. Fragile matter—paper, teabags, tin foil—comes into the Archaeological Museum of Poros to meet the sturdiness of marble, the hardness of metal and the earthly density of clay.

(upper photo: Poros, https://www.discovergreece.com/attica/poros )

SAMOS

The group exhibition “Fragments and Futures”, presented at Art Space Pythagorion (until October 2, 2026), the exhibition venue of the Schwarz Foundation on Samos, brings together contemporary artists whose work engages with the visual languages, material remains, and mythic narratives of classical archaeology. Through painting, sculpture, installation, performance, and digital media, these artists reconsider how ancient forms and artefacts continue to shape our cultural imagination. The exhibition asks: What does it mean to “unearth” the past today? How do contemporary artists reinterpret the ruins and relics of antiquity in light of present-day questions about identity, heritage, and historical narrative? Rather than treating classical archaeology as a fixed canon of beauty and order, the exhibition foregrounds it as a site of active interpretation. The exhibition is curated by Katerina Gregos and Ioli Tzanetaki. (lower photo: Lucia Tallová, From the series Unstable Monuments, 2023)

(upper photo: Samos Pythagorio, https://www.discovergreece.com/north-aegean-islands/samos)

CORFU

The National Gallery’s Corfu Annex presents the exhibition ”Alekos Fassianos. Under the Summer Sun” (until January 11, 2027). The poetic gaze of Alekos Fassianos unfolds through figures, colours, and moments inspired by everyday life and memory. Bringing together 46 works – including oils, acrylics, and prints – the exhibition offers a representative overview of the artist’s creative journey. The featured pieces are drawn from the collections of the National Gallery, the Alekos Fassianos Museum, and private collections, spanning nearly six decades of his artistic production. Together, they highlight both the consistency and the evolution of Fassianos’s practice, alongside his singular ability to transform life’s “small, ordinary” moments into images full of life and intensity. (lower photo: Fassianos Alekos (1935 - 2022), Set for the Play “Let’s go for a Walk”, Oil on canvas, 300 x 400 cm, National Gallery)

(upper photo: Corfu, https://www.discovergreece.com/ionian-islands/corfu)

And after immersing yourself in the world of art, take a dip in the crystal-clear waters of the idyllic beaches of the Greek islands

Andros, Old Lady's Leap beach (https://andros.gr/en/beaches.html, https://www.discovergreece.com/travel-ideas/best-of/10-best-things-do-andros)

Paros, Chrissi Akti (Golden Beach) (https://www.discovergreece.com/travel-ideas/best-of/12-best-beaches-paros#chrissi-akti-beach)

Poros, The Russian Bay (https://visitporos.com/beaches.html)

Samos, Tsamadou beach (https://www.discovergreece.com/travel-ideas/best-of/12-best-beaches-samos)

Corfu, Palaiokastritsa beach (https://visit.corfu.gr/category/beaches/, https://www.discovergreece.com/travel-ideas/cover-story/best-beaches-corfu)

The post Arty Summer Holidays on the Greek Islands, Part 1/4 (Andros, Paros, Poros, Samos, Corfu) appeared first on Greek News Agenda.

Kalamata has received a major international distinction, as the mural by visual artist Kleomenis Kostopoulos, depicting Maria Callas on the central Aristomenous Street, was named the best in the world for 2025 by the international institution Street Art Cities. The artwork adorns the city center and has already become a landmark for residents and visitors alike. Through a dynamic artistic approach, the image of the great opera diva Maria Callas is brought to life in a public space, linking street art with contemporary Greek culture.

According to Street Art Cities, “Kalamata just made street art history. @kle_omenis monumental Maria Callas mural has been voted Street Art Cities Best Of 2025, making it the first Greek winner ever. For artist Kleomenis Kostopoulos, this work is a living narrative about place, memory, and cultural continuity.” “Callas isn’t a commemorative portrait, but a symbolic presence, a body carrying culture between past and present,” he says. Nature, roots, fruit, birds: symbols of identity born from the land and the people who inhabit it. The public response was overwhelming. “When a work in public space is embraced like this, you realise it no longer belongs to you, but to the people who live with it,” KLE shares”.

 (Source: Street Art Cities)

“Street Art Cities felt that power too: “Seeing Greece rally behind this mural was incredible. The passion and pride showed how strong the collective voice can be. We will soon visit to hand the award and see this monumental mural in person" shares Tiny Tim one of the co-founders. For KLE, the win is “a moment of gratitude, not a finish line, but motivation to keep working with responsibility toward the public space.” For Kalamata, it’s a reminder that cities can engage with contemporary culture without losing themselves. A mural rooted in place. A community that showed up. A historic first for Greece.” 

(Source: Kleomenis Kostopoulos)

Speaking earlier to Athens-Macedonian News Agency, the creator of the mural, Kleomenis Kostopoulos noted: “The Street Art Cities platform manages around 80,000–85,000 murals worldwide, across approximately 2,000 cities. They approached me and asked whether I would like my work to participate in the competition that selects the best mural of each month, for November”. The public vote did indeed select the work ‘Kalamata’ as the best mural of November 2025, which automatically qualified it as a nominee for the best artwork of the year.

Mural by Kleomenis Kostopoulos in Patras (2022), commemorating the Greek Righteous Among the Nations and the rescue of the Jews of Zakynthos. The mural depicts the Mayor of Zakynthos, Loukas Karrer, the Metropolitan of Zakynthos, Chrysostomos, and Hermandos Mordos with his wife Eftychia and their four children, Rebecca (Becky), Samuel, Moses, and Nina (Source: The Jewish Community of Athens)

The artist himself did not begin in street art. “I am a visual artist and painter,” he says, describing a path that included studies in Athens, nearly a decade in Germany, and ultimately a return to his hometown of Patras. There, as he explains, he felt the need to activate the contemporary cultural landscape in a city and a country which, as he puts it, “have unfortunately been in decline in recent years and are at a very critical point.”

Murals of ArtWalk in Patras: “IN CHAOS FIND JOY” by SOTEUR & The Flying Dolphins, Korinthou 406, Patras 2023(upper left), “Another Bad Hair Day” by D*Face, Korinthou 50, Patras 2022(upper right), “A New Dionysus” by Mon Devane, Skagiopouliou 32, Patras 2022 (lower left), “Jacob’s ladder” by Leonidas Giannakopoulos, Evdimou 4, Patras 2022(lower right)

This need gave rise to Art in Progress, the non-profit organization he founded, as well as a series of international festivals: Re-culture and later ArtWalk, an international mural festival that is currently in the process of holding its 11^th edition. “We have completed 78 large-scale murals in Patras. It may be one of the most recognized festivals in Europe and beyond,” he notes. Through this process came his personal engagement with art in public space. “I was never a street artist. Through the festival, I observed how my fellow artists created these ‘magical’ works on such large scales. That’s how my own involvement with murals began, in 2018,” he explains.

 (Source: Kleomenis Kostopoulos)

“Kalamata was a special case. The work emerged after many discussions with the Municipality, in a city that—according to the artist—was attempting such a central intervention in public space for the first time. “Out of absolute respect for public space, and for the fact that the city was entering the process of acquiring its first mural in such a central location, I wanted to engage with the very face of the city. To depict Kalamata itself,” explains Kleomenis Kostopoulos. “Thus, the choice of Maria Callas was not intended as a tribute to her person, but as a symbolic vehicle. Kalamata had to be a female figure. And because it is an outward-looking city, with tourism and an international audience that visits it, I felt that Callas—also due to a distant ancestral connection—could function as a representative figure,” he notes.

Working during the implementation of the project (Source: urbanjoy.gr)

Although the work was initially “misinterpreted” as a simple portrait, the artist clarifies that “this is not a portrait of Callas, but a portrait of Kalamata.” The mural is, in fact, filled with multi-layered symbolism: life and death, roots and evolution, natural wealth and human loss. On the seabed, for example, the businessman Papadimitriou is depicted swimming—an individual who linked his name to the city’s local products and passed away prematurely. “That’s what is beautiful about art in public space,” he says, explaining that the building itself is experientially connected to this story, as it was where the businessman once lived.

The trees behind the figure lack dense foliage, alluding to a “tragic element,” while the birds—from those with melodious songs to the crow—complete the cycle of life. Even the choice of the photograph of Callas is deliberately “more human, more worn,” far removed from the stylized images of the diva. Finally, the dress functions as a reference to agricultural products and the productive identity of the region.

Working during the implementation of the project. Photo: Dimitris Neofotistos/Street Art: KLE (Source: urbanjoy.gr)

The realization of the project was anything but easy. It began in late October 2025, with weather conditions forcing interruptions due to rainfall, and was ultimately completed in November 2025. Shortly afterward came the international recognition, and “Kalamata” is now competing in the major vote for the best artwork of 2025, facing cities and countries with long traditions in street art and significant international reach. However, the message conveyed by the artist goes beyond personal distinction, serving as evidence of the dynamism of contemporary Greek art.

Street art in Greece is a vibrant formof expression. Especially in cities like Athens and Thessaloniki, murals and graffiti reflect themes such as history, identity, and everyday urban life. Influenced by both local traditions and international movements, Greek street art has transformed public spaces into open-air galleries and has become an important voice for contemporary social commentary.

The Street Art Cities platform lists 574 street art masterpieces in Athens: https://streetartcities.com/cities/athens

Read also:

Kalamata International Dance Festival Unveils its Bold New Vision

I.A.

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The painting exhibition “Alexander the Great – Back to Egypt” was inaugurated in Alexandria on 13 December 2025, constituting a cultural event of high symbolic significance dedicated to the timeless figure of Alexander the Great, founder of Alexandria and a universal emblem of intercultural dialogue. The exhibition presents 53 works by the internationally acclaimed Greek artist and architect Makis Warlamis (1942–2016), including large-scale paintings, sculptures, and complex visual compositions. Through a contemporary artistic approach, the works highlight Alexander the Great not merely as a historical figure, but as a universal symbol of knowledge, creativity, and the synthesis of civilizations.

The exhibition is hosted at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina under the auspices of the Embassy of Greece in Cairo, the Hellenic Ministry of National Defence, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and the Association of Greek Regions (ENPE). It is organized in cooperation between the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the Experimental Workshop of Vergina, the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE), the Hellenic Research Institute of Alexandrian Civilization, and the Waldviertel Art Museum, Austria.

At the opening ceremony, Dr Ahmed A. Zayed, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, referred to the historic role of the ancient Library of Alexandria. He emphasized that the modern Library constitutes the intellectual and cultural continuation of its ancient predecessor, carrying forward its mission as a global centre of knowledge. Special reference was made to the hosting of the Αlexandria Center for Hellenistic Studies which, inspired by the spirit of the Hellenistic era, offers a postgraduate programme in cooperation with Alexandria University.

The Ambassador of Greece to Cairo, Mr Nikolaos Papageorgiou, expressed his deep emotion at the realization of the exhibition, describing it as the “return” of Alexander the Great to the city he founded and cherished. He recalled that works by Warlamis had been presented in Cairo during the 1990s; however, their exhibition in Alexandria carries particular significance, as no other city is so closely linked to Hellenism. He further emphasized that Greek–Egyptian relations are currently at their highest level, serving as a model of cooperation and mutual respect in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Mr Pavlos Trochopoulos, Director of the Experimental Workshop of Vergina, described the exhibition as a cultural and human encounter between Greece and Egypt, highlighting the participation of a large Greek delegation that travelled specifically for the event. He referred to the profound human dimension of Makis Warlamis’ work, stressing that his art brings to the fore values such as kindness, love, and selfless offering to one’s fellow human being. He underlined that, through Warlamis’ perspective, Alexander is not merely a historical figure but an idea embodying tolerance, respect for diversity, and the unity of humanity, inviting each visitor to discover their own “Alexander”.

The Governor of Alexandria, Mr Ahmed Khaled Hassan Said, highlighted that the city honours through the exhibition a historic figure who left an indelible mark on world history and on the very character of Alexandria itself. He emphasized that the 53 works of Makis Warlamis convey a clear message of peace, coexistence, and mutual understanding, values intrinsically linked to the city’s identity. He also recalled that the founding of Alexandria in 331 B.C. was no accident, but the result of Alexander’s vision, creating a city that served as a bridge between East and West and as a global capital of knowledge and culture.

Τhere followed a roundtable discussion titled “Alexander between the Legend and the City”, coordinated by Professor Mona Haggag, President of the Archaeological Society of Alexandria. She illustrated how Alexander’s achievements transformed him from a historical figure into an almost mythical symbol, with Alexandria ideally embodying this convergence of history and legend. Professor Mohamed Abd El Ghani, Professor of Greek and Roman History, referred to the relationship between Alexander the Great and Egypt, analysing the political and religious circumstances that enabled his peaceful entry into the country in 332 B.C. Ms Kalliopi Papakosta, Director of the Hellenic Research Institute of Alexandrian Civilization, emphasized that Alexander was a transformative force in human history and that Alexandria represents the purest expression of the Hellenistic spirit. Finally, Ms Sofia Avgerinou-Kolonia, Emeritus Professor of the National Technical University of Athens, spoke about the uniqueness of Alexandria as a city of knowledge, science, and culture. She emphasized that although Alexander did not live to see the city completed, his vision indelibly shaped its trajectory through the centuries.

© Selected photos: Experimental Workshop of Vergina https://warlamis.gr/

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Despina Konstantinides Cushing is a New York–based artist of Greek descent, renowned for her large-scale abstract and figurative contemporary landscape paintings that explore metaphysical inner spaces. Her paintings occupy the charged space between landscape and abstraction, where color, gesture, and form dissolve the boundaries of perception. Her painterly language fuses luminosity and introspection as she approaches the canvas as a site of inquiry—where form, color, and gesture reveal what words cannot. 

Despina K. Cushing invites viewers into a contemplative space where painting becomes an act of presence. They are invited not simply to see, but to inhabit—to dwell in the space between observation and introspection, where painting becomes both a world and a mirror, and the act of looking becomes an act of being. Her works are not depictions of places so much as meditations suggesting that true dwelling begins inwardly, in the stillness of perception and sincerity of soul.

Her landscapes resonate with sacred architecture and contemplative practice. They are neither purely representational nor abstract—they exist as spaces where philosophical inquiry, painterly experimentation, and metaphysical reflection converge, offering viewers a chance to dwell within both the painting and themselves. Rooted in her background in philosophy, Cushing paints not what she sees but what she knows through the mind’s eye—a sincerity of touch that turns pigment into presence. 

Despina Konstantinides has earned a degree in philosophy from Trinity College, she pursued an MFA in painting from Indiana University. Her artwork is featured in prominent collections, including the Consulate of Greece in New York, the AIG Corporate Art Collection, The Delson, the George T. Douris Tower, and numerous private collections. Additionally, her work has been recognized on HBO’s hit show Divorce.

In an interview with Greek News Agenda*, Despina Konstantinides reflects on painting as an intuitive, improvisational process that balances landscape and abstraction to dissolve boundaries between inner and outer worlds, inviting both artist and viewer into a shared experience of presence and existential openness.

Your landscapes feel like they exist somewhere between the external world and an inner, rather metaphysical space. How do you balance abstraction and landscape in your work?

The balance comes naturally—abstraction and landscape need each other. The landscape image gives the viewer something to hold onto, a point of entry or anchor into the work, while the abstraction is where the takeoff occurs. 

In an exhibition catalog essay from a previous show, Dr. Jennifer Samet wrote that my work “establishes a relation between losing oneself in nature and losing oneself in the process of painting.” I thought that was very well put, because it captures the play you mention between inner and outer worlds, between abstraction and figuration, and that blurring of thresholds is something of great interest to me.

Your creative process is mostly based on observation, memory or improvisation?

It’s closest to improvisation. I think of it as having an experience while painting, with the painting itself becoming a physical record of that experience. You paint, and suddenly a small section of the work begins to breathe on its own—that’s when the creative process begins. By “begins,” I mean a trust develops with the painting, and it shows you what it needs. 

You are there to serve the painting. There’s no pre-intention, no thought like, “Wouldn’t it be interesting if I made the sky red?” If the sky is red, it’s because that’s what the painting needed. Creativity, to me, is learning to listen to the painting instead of listening to myself.

How has your background in philosophy influenced your painting practice?

John Dewey’s idea of art as experience has always fascinated me—the sense that you can lose the boundary between where you end and the world begins. An experience isn’t something you can simply name or describe; it’s something that transforms you. That dissolving of boundaries is what makes transformation possible and wherein art lies.

The title of your solo show, That which dwells, suggests a deep sense of presence. How do you see the act of “dwelling” reflected in your painting?

The title comes from a line in a Hölderlin poem: “reluctant to leave the place, is that which dwells near the origin.” To me, it’s about completely letting go. The closer you are—through meditation or a certain state of mind—to the unknown, the harder it is to release the everyday self, the part that clings to facts and definitions.

The paintings are not direct copies of landscapes; they are dwellings in the sense that they are concerned with being fully present—to dissolve boundaries and create a relationship with the viewer. They are more interested in the act of creativity than in depiction, and being fully present, to me, involves exactly that.

In my recent show, St. Francis in Ecstasy, I take this idea further, creating a contemplative space where viewers can engage with the work while being surrounded by the landscape visible through the windows.

Looking back on your evolution as an artist, what moments or works of art that stand out as turning points in finding your own voice?

In grad school, the summer between the two-year MFA program, I spent time in Florence, Italy. There, I made oil pastels from life—works on paper—and my approach shifted from strictly representational to getting lost in the process of making the work.

Those pieces changed the course of my practice. Before that, I had been focused on simply copying nature—you know, getting the light right, the perspective, the color. When I returned from studying abroad, I made a few paintings that were in my mind—my first paintings, in a way. I had been looking at the work of Frank Auerbach and how he spoke about making his first painting, and I was intrigued by the idea. Beforehand, I didn’t even know what a painting was. I hadn’t questioned it beyond getting the light, value, and composition—all the formal qualities right—but I hadn’t thought about form itself. I began to think about what it means to find your own hand, your own voice, in a painting, and what it means when a painting references the real world but still  holds its own.

What is the drive behind painting and what is the ultimate goal?

My drive has always been the same: to catch that fleeting glimpse of the greater existential unknown. To hover at the standstill between knowing what it means to exist and not knowing—entering that mystery again and again. Not because you’re ever going to solve it, but because the journey itself changes you.

The goal is to feel understood: to feel seen by the artwork. And when that happens, you open up. That’s where boundaries dissolve. That’s when the painting really begins to do its work. Paintings are like people. The ones you can’t shake off are the ones that have made you feel seen. And when you think of all great artworks that stay with you, it’s because they’ve done exactly that.

*Interview by Dora Trogadi

Artist's portrait photo credit: Jinnifer Douglass

Paintings photo credit: Jason Mandella

The post Despina K. Cushing: “Creativity, to me, is learning to listen to the painting instead of listening to myself” appeared first on Greek News Agenda.

Pavlina Vagioni’s artistic practice unfolds at the intersection of mythology, language, psychology, and material experimentation. Working across sculpture, installation, sound, video, and digital media, she approaches ancient myths not as historical narratives but as living symbolic systems—repositories of archetypes that continue to shape contemporary experience. Her work draws deeply from classical sources, etymology, and Jungian thought, translating research into immersive environments where form, sound, and material act as carriers of meaning. 

Central to her practice is the belief that language and matter are inseparable. Words, sounds, and materials are treated as active forces—capable of awakening memory, triggering recognition, and revealing hidden structures of identity and transformation. Living between Athens and Houston, Vagioni’s work is shaped by a dynamic dialogue between rootedness and distance, memory and experimentation. 

Paulina Vagioni (b. 1975, Athens, Greece) studied painting, sculpture, ceramics, and scenography at the Athens School of Fine Arts, graduating with highest honors at the postgraduate level in 2016. She also trained for over a decade as a classical soprano soloist, studying piano, music theory, and composition—an interdisciplinary background that continues to inform her practice.

Her work is included in the permanent collection of MOMus—Museum of Contemporary Art in Thessaloniki and has been awarded the Jury Prize by the Lawndale Art Center in Houston. She has held solo exhibitions at Opening Gallery (New York), Carillon Gallery (Fort Worth), TANK Space (Houston), and Kappatos Gallery (Athens), with an upcoming exhibition at Tube Factory Artspace (Indianapolis).

Her interview with Greek News Agenda* offers insight into her research-driven yet intuitive process, her engagement with myth as a universal psychological language and transformative force—one that continues to speak to the complexities of contemporary identity and human consciousness.

As an artist, you work in an interdisciplinary way. What role does research play in your work?

My process always begins with research. I usually start by studying passages from Ogygia by Athanasios Stagirites that relate to the subject I am exploring at a given moment. This 19th-century work compiles Mediterranean mythology in remarkable detail, drawing from both ancient and later sources. It is a true treasure: it has never been translated and remains largely unknown outside Greece. Within it, I often encounter versions of myths that have been lost or significantly altered in modern retellings.

My research, however, is not limited to philology. It extends into Jungian psychology and the interpretation of myths as archetypes and symbolic systems. From there, a process of translation begins: how an idea can become form, color, fabric, or sound. One example is the Kerkis works from the Athena series. While studying the ancient weaving tool, I discovered that the sound it produced closely resembled that of insects. This sonic association led me to create works with symmetrical forms that can be read as both anthropomorphic and insect-like.

In essence, I am not interested in retelling a myth, but in creating the conditions for an encounter with it—allowing the viewer to come into contact with what the myth reveals about human experience.

How do etymology and language become integrated into your work?

Language is always my starting point. I am deeply interested in etymology, because it is where a word’s original meaning resides, before it becomes obscured by layers of interpretation. Antisthenes said, “Wisdom is to be found in the investigation of names,” and I fully agree: a word often reveals the deeper essence of the thing it names.

A characteristic example is Medusa. Her name derives from the verb μέδω, meaning “to govern” or “to protect.” This etymology creates a fascinating paradox: Medusa bears a name associated with protection, yet she is represented as a monster who must be destroyed. The paradox becomes clearer when we recall the apotropaic function of the Gorgoneion in ancient Greece, where her image was used as a protective symbol on temples, houses, and shields. The gaze that petrified the enemy was transformed into a force of protection.

This insight became the starting point for a series of works in which the myth is inverted: snakes with bodies made of braided synthetic hair and heads of cast aluminum shaped like hands mimicking snakes. From a distance, the work appears threatening; up close, it reveals a marionette-like construction. The viewer is invited to ask: what is it that we truly fear?

Another example is the installation Proteus Within, where this linguistic logic is translated into sound. The composition is based on the musical notes E–C–C–E, which in the Anglo-Saxon system correspond to the Greek Mi–Do–Do–Mi and spell the Latin word ECCE, meaning “behold.” “Behold” alludes to Proteus, the god who constantly changes form. It is an invitation to look beyond transformation and recognize essence within change. Sound, voice, and word become a single body—a linguistic experience that activates sensation and thought simultaneously.

Archetypal figures from Greek mythology often inspire your work (Medusa, Sirens). What leads you to reinterpret these mythic figures? What qualities make them timelessly relevant?

My relationship with myths is both personal and profound. Through my journey in psychoanalysis, I came to understand that myths are not distant narratives, but living systems of transformation. They reflect inner states, fears, desires, and our need to make sense of what cannot be fully understood.

Carl Jung described archetypes and symbols as ways through which the psyche communicates the unconscious to consciousness. In this sense, myths function as mirrors of ourselves. They are timeless because they articulate our inner structure; the archetypes they contain act as guides in the psyche’s evolutionary process.

Medusa represents fear. Proteus, the eternally transforming god, embodies the fluidity of identity in the contemporary world—an experience amplified through our digital selves. It is noteworthy that a research at Stanford titled The Proteus Effect examines how digital identities influence behavior. Chiron, in turn, symbolizes healing through empathy.

I do not approach myths as something “ancient” or exclusively “Greek,” but as a global archive of human experience that speaks directly to the present. Myths survive because they remain open to reinterpretation. When an artist approaches them anew, they do not revive them—they activate them. Each time someone recognizes a part of themselves within a myth, it comes alive again.

How does materiality activate memory in your work?

For me, material is never neutral. Every material carries meaning, whether through direct reference or symbolic resonance. In the sculpture Chiron, for example, the horse’s skin resembles human skin, while the stitching with wire thread evokes sutured wounds. It is simultaneously body and trace of healing—a material metaphor for the relationship between pain and care.

In Kerkis, memory is embedded in the very act of weaving. The knitted and embroidered elements come from different techniques created by other women, which I incorporated into the works. This collective manual labor—the touch of many hands—carries with it a memory of community, continuity, and female creation.

Memory is born through sensory experience and completed in consciousness. Although each work is grounded in research, the act of making unfolds through a more intuitive, almost alchemical process. The work first communicates through color, form, and texture, and only later—if the viewer chooses—reveals its conceptual layers.

Music, sound, and digital media are integrated into your work. How do they expand the viewer’s experience?

Having studied classical singing for over a decade, I use my voice not as a vehicle for musical performance, but as material that connects sound to body and space. Sound, light, and digital media are forms of matter. I treat them not as supplementary elements, but as active agents that shape perception and convey meaning beyond language.

In Fuga delle Sirene, the video component of the installation Isle of the Sirens, my voice is combined with recordings of seascapes, birds, and whales, creating an immersive environment. The work also included an interactive performance in which visitors’ faces were reflected onto the masks of performers who followed them. This mirrored the psychological mechanism of the mythic Sirens, who called sailors by name—a moment of recognition and identification.

In Proteus Within, kinetic lighting creates the illusion of a continuous transformation from sea to fire: a dark, fluid surface dissolving into golden flames, symbolizing both Proteus’s mutability and the fluid nature of human identity. Light is never static; it transforms space and perception.

This orchestration of sound, light, and image shares a structural affinity with music. Music unfolds over time, while an image is grasped instantaneously—yet both rely on rhythm, intensity, and silence. Through their convergence, the viewer does not simply observe the work, but experiences it holistically—with body, memory, and consciousness.

You moved to Houston, USA, a few years ago. How has this relocation influenced you as an artist?

Houston is a multicultural city, full of energy, that encourages experimentation and constant renewal. There, I encountered people from diverse cultural backgrounds, an experience that expanded the way I understand creation and collaboration. Life in Houston gave me the freedom to rethink my practice from the ground up. The distance—both geographical and psychological—created the space to experiment without feeling constrained by expectations.

A significant milestone in my trajectory was the realization of my first large-scale public work in Houston: an eight-meter installation for the ION building. I collaborated closely with engineers and technicians at the ION Prototyping Labs, using technologies such as laser cutting. The difference in working rhythm was striking. In the United States, planning begins much earlier, a shift that provided me with valuable tools for managing complex, large-scale projects.

Athens, by contrast, is the place of memory and inner processing. It is where I return to deepen my work. This oscillation between distance and rootedness keeps my practice alert and alive. I now move between Athens and Houston as if between two systems of reference. One city gives me roots; the other, a horizon. Somewhere between them, the space where I truly create takes shape.

*Interview by Dora Trogadi

The post Pavlina Vagioni: Reimagining Myth Today appeared first on Greek News Agenda.

Manousos Manousakis’ work is deeply layered and symbolic. His incredibly intricate compositions allude to dystopian visions and hauntingly alive worlds. His main medium is ink on paper used with incredible precision in order to depict surreal worlds including labyrinths, hybrid creatures and collapsing architectures. His art evokes a sense of unease, but also wonder, revealing landscapes that seem both ancient and futuristic, mechanical yet alive.

Manousos Manousakis was born in Chania in 1997. He studied at the School of Fine Arts of the University of Ioannina, where he completed his master’s degree on the subject “Art and Public Space.” His work has been awarded and presented at Greek and international animation festivals. His artistic production consists of ink drawings on paper featuring complex figures and dystopian scenarios, which he often digitizes and transforms into short video animations to add movement and depth.

In his interview with Greek News Agenda*, Manousos Manousakis reflects on his artistic journey and the intricate, symbolic worlds he creates. He also discusses the influences that guide him, the balance between spontaneity and control in his compositions, and the unique ways audiences—both children and adults—respond to his art.

Your compositions are extremely dense and detailed. Is there any room for spontaneity during the creative process?

Before I begin a complex composition, an initial visual exploration around the theme of the project has already taken place. I already have a general visual framework for the piece, and I usually have an idea of what certain characters will look like. However, most of the smaller compositions — and by extension the final form— are built gradually.

From that point on, the creative process begins. In the beginning, that is the conception of the forms, there is a great deal of experimentation with pencil on paper. Ink is applied only once I have fully decided what I want a form to be. This stage combines spontaneity and control: on the one hand, forms emerge largely spontaneously, often without me being able to explain why something feels right or wrong. On the other hand, I will never ink something that does not satisfy me; I will redraw it again and again until it “clicks.”

When a good composition may appear and how many attempts it will take to achieve this is rather unpredictable. It is always related to the artistic explorations that have already taken place. What ultimately remains in the work is a fully conscious choice. My compositions come together to tell a larger story. So, while I begin with a general idea, it is through artistic experimentation that I gradually come to understand what the work truly wants to communicate. In fact, the conceptual dimension matures slowly as the piece evolves over months.

In your works, do you see more of yourself or the world around us?

I believe that in every work the artists inevitably reveal themselves. However, I never consciously try to depict myself. I have created only two self-portraits, and even those began as a personal challenge, simply because I had never attempted it before.

I see myself more as an observer of the worlds I create — worlds shaped through my perceptions and the “rules” I set for them. Just as a director arranges a scene without appearing in it, yet expresses their personal viewpoint through it, I am also present in my creations in an indirect way.

You create dystopian worlds, hybrid beings, and a peculiar kind of architecture. What draws you to these alternative realities?

When I decided to create a dystopian, “frightening” world, one core principle guided me: I did not want fear to come from an external threat — a monster, for instance — but from our own nature, our mind, our mortality, and the social systems we construct. Over time, I realized that what interested me most was not fear itself, but the uncanny — that unsettling feeling that arises when something familiar becomes distorted.

Through deconstructing the human form and merging it with elements from animals, plants, or objects, characters emerged who could be comic, tragic, or frightening. But I never wanted to force a specific emotion on the viewer. That’s why the term I use to describe my work now is “deconstruction”: the deconstruction of the outward image shaped both personally and socially. This is how worlds are born where every pretentious façade collapses and characters appear in their fully absurd and tragicomic nature.

What is the place of the human figure within your artistic universe?

Human beings take center stage, since these worlds revolve around them. The characters — no matter how strange or hybrid they become — always retain human features so they can communicate with the viewer. At the same time, the human figure is always portrayed as vulnerable and powerless in the face of the forces acting upon it, whether these stem from mortality or from the social systems we build.

Which artists have influenced you?

Each piece is influenced to varying degrees by different artists, but there are some I return to repeatedly. Among Japanese creators, Kentaro Miura made me fall in love with inking and showed me, through his technique, how a world can be fully rendered with it. His depiction of demons and monsters greatly inspired me. Junji Ito also opened new perspectives, making me reconsider the nature of fear.

Among European artists, I often revisit Beksiński’s work, admiring how he deconstructed the human figure and intertwined it with plant-like forms and architectural elements. I also love Giger’s dystopian compositions and the harmony of his forms. And of course, a constant influence is Hieronymus Bosch — for his medieval themes, intricate compositions, and remarkable timelessness.

What does art mean to you and how does the public respond to your work?

At its core, I believe art functions as a mirror of the creator’s perceptions and psychological profile. It achieves this mostly through exaggeration — pushing an idea or a feeling to its limits so it can be revealed in its entirety. For example, my work portrays humanity in a pessimistic, one-sided way. Yet through this process — and through the voices of many viewers — the complexity of reality gradually emerges.

A major part of art for me is the creative process itself. I like to work with loud music. I paint, then get swept up by the song that’s playing as I study the piece. In those moments, my mind feels the most active, filled with emotions and ideas rushing through it. The artwork becomes a conduit for this energy. When the artistic process works well, I see myself in my most active — most alive — version.

With great joy, I’ve noticed that viewers often spend time with the works, studying them and getting lost in the micro-compositions and details. I can’t know what each person thinks, but many who connected deeply with my work told me they saw something familiar in its dystopia — something that paradoxically calmed them. A girl once told me she stumbled upon the works while frustrated, and as she examined the details, she somehow relaxed.

My piece for Plásmata 3 at the Onassis Foundation — an outdoor exhibition at Pedion tou Areos — gave me a broader view of the audience. People stopped, looked, and took photos. But the biggest fans were the children. They tried to touch the projected characters, see where they came from, where they disappeared to. Some shouted and talked to them; others danced to the sounds the figures produced. “Mom, there’s a creature living in the wall — it’ll come out again soon,” I remember a child saying.

The characters were mostly humorous, but even the more dystopian ones appealed to the kids. Perhaps this is because children don’t perceive fear the way adults do. My work relies on symbols — for example, I don’t show an actual photograph of entrails; I draw them. The lines themselves aren’t frightening — only the associations they evoke. Children don’t yet have the experiential references to connect what they see to reality, so they are not afraid.

*Interview by Dora Trogadi

Profile photo credits: George Leonidopoulos

The post Manousos Manousakis and the Art of the Uncanny appeared first on Greek News Agenda.

The Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation unveils one of its most ambitious exhibitions to date: From Monet to Warhol: Three Generations, One Collection, a sweeping visual narrative that traces the evolution of modern art from the late 19th century to the dawn of contemporary culture. Presented at the Goulandris Museum in Athens, from December 6, 2025 to April 11, 2026, the exhibition brings together 83 masterpieces by 45 artists, offering visitors an extraordinary opportunity to encounter works that have shaped, challenged, and redefined the very language of art.

A Panorama of Modernity

Spanning more than 130 years of artistic creation, the exhibition unfolds as a fluid journey through over a dozen pivotal movements — from the shimmering atmospheres of Impressionism to the bold ruptures of Cubism, the emotive intensities of Expressionism, the dreamscapes of Surrealism, and the vibrant iconography of Pop Art.

A Constellation of Masters

Among the exhibition’s highlights are works by some of the most revered figures of modern and contemporary art: Bonnard, Chagall, De Kooning, Degas, Dufy, Ernst, Gauguin, Kandinsky, Lichtenstein, Man Ray, Marquet, Modigliani, Morisot, Munch, Pissarro, Seurat, Signac, Toulouse-Lautrec, Vuillard, and many more.

These are presented alongside artists whose contributions, though sometimes less known to the broader public, played decisive roles in shaping the trajectory of modernity: Angrand, Anquetin, Denis, Feininger, Friesz, Hayet, Lacombe, Laugé, Pourtau, Ranson, Redon, Sérusier, Szafran, Vallotton, among others. Their presence enriches and complicates the narrative, revealing the continuity and diversity of artistic innovation.

A Rare Collection with a Singular Vision

The exhibition is made possible through the generous loan of a Swiss private collection — an exceptional ensemble formed across three generations of passionate collectors. Guided by an instinctive eye for quality and a deep reverence for the history of painting, the collection has achieved a rare harmony: intimate yet authoritative, personal yet comprehensive.

Over the years, works from this collection have been presented in major institutions around the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, MoMA, the Royal Academy of Art, Tate Modern, the Musée d’Orsay, the Grand Palais, the Musée de l’Orangerie, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, and the Beyeler Foundation. Yet this exhibition marks only the second time such a substantial portion of the collection is shown together — and the first time in Greece.

A Dialogue with the Goulandris Collection

Displayed within the museum’s distinctive architectural environment, these works enter a dynamic conversation with the Foundation’s permanent collection. Together, they emphasize the unique role of the collector — a figure who navigates intuition, knowledge, and love of art to form a cohesive narrative that transcends generations. This interplay reveals how private vision can illuminate public understanding, offering new perspectives on familiar masterpieces and uncovering hidden connections across time and style.

Curatorial Approach

The exhibition is masterfully curated by Marie Koutsomallis-Moreau, Head of Collection at the B&E Goulandris Foundation, and Marina Ferretti Bocquillon, Scientific Director Emerita of the Musée des impressionnismes Giverny.

Through their sensitive curatorial framing, the exhibition encourages visitors not only to observe but to experience the evolution of modern art — its ruptures, revolutions, and reinventions — as a living, continuous dialogue. An extensive trilingual catalogue (Greek, English, French) accompanies the exhibition, featuring detailed essays, scholarly entries, and rich visual documentation. It stands as a significant publication for researchers, students, and art enthusiasts alike.

B&E Goulandris Podcast Series

Expanding the exhibition beyond the museum walls, the Foundation presents a new five-episode chapter of the B&E Goulandris Podcasts, offering an immersive auditory journey through the exhibition.
Curators share insights into the movements and masterpieces on view, while contemporary artists — George Rorris, Andreas Kontellis, Leda Kontogiannopoulou, Andreas Georgiadis, and Manolis Anastasakos — reflect on how these historic figures shaped their own artistic paths.

Intro Photo: Louis Anquetin (1861-1932), Interior of Bruant’s club: The Mirliton, 1886-1887

Dora Trogadi

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