The Museum of School Life and Education co-organizes with the Municipality of Athens through the Cultural, Sports and Youth Organization of the Municipality of Athens (OPANDA) and with the coordination of the Cultural Office of the Mayor of Athens, the exhibition “With a needle and a thread: On the Canvas of History” until September 18 at the Museum of Folk Art and Tradition “Angeliki Hadjimichali”.

Two hundred years after the Greek Revolution and the creation of the Greek state, women from all over Greece and the Greek Diaspora, taking up thread and needle, rediscover the rich tradition of embroidery, from Circe and Penelope to the present day. Throughout the ages, embroidery works of art have adorned many of the world’s great museums, while in recent years this type of craft has been gaining ground, constantly acquiring “fans”.  Among them are the 177 Greek women, who, inspired by the course of Hellenism, have chosen with their own criteria persons and events that stood out in the long history of the Greek nation.

From the myth of Philomela and Prokni, the Karyatids, Theodora and Justinian, “The Hypermacho” and Digenes, the Charter of Greece by King Velestinlis, the Hymn “To Freedom”, Kolokotronis, Kavafy, Kiki Dimoulas, the “Rapture of Europe” and the first female President of the Republic. They embroider the image of a Greece that has its roots in myth, stretches to the ends of the earth and pulsates creatively to this day.

The women of the Companionship of the Collective Embroidery, with the inspiring guidance of Mrs. Claudia Mamalis and the assistance of the internet, manifest their philanthropy in practice by telling with needle and thread about persons and events of Greek history. At the same time, modern technology comes to enhance the creative collectivity and communication, by creating fields through which experience is exchanged on a technical level and applications and tools of cooperation are developed. The exhibition includes 325 handmade embroideries of the Companionship of the Collective Embroidery.

The Lyceum of Hellenic Women of Volos participates, which created, in life size (1.93 x 2.01 m), the Charter of Greece by King Velestinlis, contributing to the anniversary of the celebration of the bicentenary of the national Palingenesia. It is composed of 12 leaves, embroidered by an equal number of embroiderers using traditional stitches (back stitch, pseudo-Byzantine, free Attic, chain, pearl stitch), which were considered the most suitable for rendering the details.

Maria Galanaki embroidered the Rapture of Europe in the traces of traditional Cretan embroideries, where she tells the myth of the abduction of Europe and its transfer from Zeus to Crete. Sophia Mela embroidered the score of the first two stanzas of Dionysios Solomos’ “Hymn to Freedom”, a dove and laurel leaves.

Finally, Melissanthi Spei with Colours and “Butterfly Threads” invites young and old to touch and enjoy the materials of embroidery.

A different exhibition, celebrating collectivity and female cooperation as a symbolic participation in the celebration of two hundred years of national independence and creation.

Exhibition details:    

“With a needle and a thread: On the Canvas of History”

Until 18/9/2022

Museum of Folk Art and Tradition “Angeliki Hadjimichali” of the Municipality of Athens.

Hours of Operation: Opening Hours: Tue-Fri: 11:00-16:00, Sat-Sun: 10:00-15:00, Not closed www.syllogikokentima.gr

Idea – Initiative – General Curator:

Dr. Aikaterini Polymerou-Kamilaki

Scientific Committee:

Dr. Katerina Koskina – Stavroula Psimisi – Evangelia Kantartzi

Coordination – Production:

PostScriptum

Presentation Editing: Melissanthi Spei

Melissa Sapie, Architectural Consultant: Galatea Patsouri

Graphic Design.

Construction – Printing: Clevermedia

Digital Media: Phoebe Konstantinidi

Digitization of works: Dimitris Athanasiadis

Videographer: Ines Perot

Audio Recording: Agapi Zita

Co-organization:

Museum of School Life and Education – Culture, Sports and Youth Organization of the Municipality of Athens

Funding:

Ministry of Culture and Sports