MONTH IN REVIEW: October 2023
A roundup of this month’s art and design news about the makers and creators from Greece and Cyprus
“Art may not solve social problems, but it acts as a counterbalance to the mass decline we experience and multiplies beauty in the troubled societies we live in,” said Vassilis Vassiliades, Artistic Director of the Larnaca Biennale which is currently in its third annual cycle. These thoughts seem more important today than ever as we navigate this rather divisive world climate. We can look to art as an escape and lesson, and this month, the makers and creators from Greece and Cyprus prove the possibility that art can multiply beauty in the everyday.
Credit: NEON
Dimitris Daskalopoulos was awarded an OBE
Dimitris Daskalopoulos, philanthropist and founder of the D.Daskalopoulos Collection and NEON, was awarded an OBE - Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in the 2023 UK Honors List in recognition of his services to the arts and philanthropy. This honorary award is given to foreign nationals who have made achievements in either the UK, where their achievement has a significant international element, or in another country.
The Paris Commune [instagram.com/steliosfaitakis]
Artist Stelios Faitakis passed away at the age of 47
Stelios Faitakis was a contemporary Greek artist who combined Greek Orthodox iconography with street art. His first foray in the spotlight was with his street art works in the 1990s. He would sign the pieces as “Bizare.” He solidified his position in the art world after showing the mural “Socrates Drinking the Hemlock” at the Venice Biennale in 2007. Since then, he created works that blended Byzantine icons and themes with current events, namely the Greek economic crisis that started 2008.
® Museum of Cycladic Art
The Museum of Cycladic Art launched Cycladic Identity
Cycladic Identity is a new initiative that aims to actively contribute to the protection of the cultural and natural heritage of the Cycladic islands and their local communities and visitors. This effort has been launched in response to the pending effects of increased tourism, abandonment of local traditions and customs, and climate change that these islands face. Through cultural programming and preservation projects, the museum seeks to motivate the islanders to participate in the cultivation of their own heritage by safeguarding the elements that led them from the past to the present and can direct them to a more sustainable future.
We wrote more about it here.
Gallina, a new restaurant designed by LOT Office for Architecture and Objects of Common Interest, opened
LOT Office for Architecture and the sibling design studio Objects of Common Interest designed a new dining experience for Gallina, a new restaurant in Athens that is owned by collector Philippos Tsangrides.
Wood, stainless steel, and marble dominate the interior. Banquettes are accompanied by custom chairs made with stainless steel and gel cushioning, a signature material choice of Object of Common Interests, a steel staircase leads patrons up to the wine room for tastings which is wrapped in warm-colored wood that matches the downstairs bar area.
The Larnaca Biennale opened for its third annual season
The third annual Larnaca Biennale commenced this month under the theme “Home Away from Home.” Artists and performers from across the globe are exhibiting their work which invites the public to engage, learn, and reflect about the many meanings of home.
The Biennale has a robust programming of events until November 24. Participating artists have explored the “Home Away from Home” theme through psychological, environmental, philosophical, technical and architectural angles. Each week of the Biennale and its calendared events will focus on one of these themes. Programming includes: journaling workshops that create open spaces for the public to reflect on and express their personal narratives and gain insights into their relationship with “home;” talks such as Dr. Christakis Peristianis's discussion on the legacies of displacement that are underscored by the impact our homes, both lost and remember, have on personal identities; and open air cinemas featuring independent short films from across the globe.
At the opening ceremony on October 11, artist Beth Krensky (USA) presented a performance piece at the Salt Lake in Larnaca. The artist encouraged the public to walk with her in silence around this environment and they ended at the Minicipal Gallery space. The public was encouraged to remember their past and current homes as a homage to the 2023 theme as they embarked on this journey together.
The full program of events can be viewed here.
Rizzoli Electa’s, Stephen Antonakos: Neon and Geometry
A new monograph about artist Stephen Antonakos was released
A new monograph entitled Stephen Antonakos: Neon and Geometry and written by David Ebony was published. The book is a retrospective of the preeminent Greek-born American artist, who was a pioneer in the use of neon in the realm of fine art.
Athens Art Book Fair celebrated its fourth season
The Athens Art Book Fair is an artist-run initiative that brings together artist publications produced in Greece and the globe. The three-day affair involved a myriad of exhibitors and a schedule of programming – such as public talks, poetry readings, musical performances, and radio events – that explored the aesthetic, thematic and cultural influences that artists’ books have in today’s market.
