A major art event for Kalamata, the exhibition “Parallel Lives” will be inaugurated on Sunday 12 November at the main cultural core of the Messinian capital, the “Dance Megaron“.

The exhibition presents works by 35 iconic Greek artists from the first decades of the 20th century to the present day, curated by Artemis Potamianou.

The exhibition is structured in such a way that the works “converse” in sections – parts of a dialogue. These sections create themes such as social institutions, the roles between people, gender and class, the need for change, the struggle and anxiety for a better future, but also issues that relate to the practice of art itself, representation and reproduction. In the end, a virtual stylistic myth is created that reveals to the viewer the path of a unique journey through the expressive imprint of artists whose work has no common references that are not easily understood at first reading.

As the curator of the exhibition Artemis Potamianou notes, “the artistic practice, the creation of a work of art regardless of the era, the subject matter or the means used by the artist is mostly a solitary process. A highly personal, almost mysterious in nature, it is a work that is carried out starting from the intellect, thought, association, need, research, and quests of the visual artist and is shaped by a multitude of parameters outside his or her sphere of influence. The exhibition “Parallel Lives” is a celebration, a tribute to human creativity. Starting with specific themes common to the artists’ selected works, a dialectical narrative begins that unfolds based on the common quests and questions posed by each work.”

In their imaginative presentation in the exhibition space of BlackBox, the viewers’ gallery intersects horizontally the three imaginary rooms of the exhibition, so that the artistic practice, the dialogue between the works is activated under the viewer’s gaze. The “stake” of the exhibition, as the curator of the exhibition notes, is “the participation, the interaction, the translation and transposition of the personal artistic process into experience and life, a synergy that ultimately determines the life of a work of art”.

The exhibition consists of paintings, sculptures, mixed media and installations of all sizes, belonging to private and public collections and signed by (in alphabetical order): Alexis Akrithakis, Angelos Antonopoulos, Costis Velonis, Spyros Vikatos, Yannis Gaitis, Vaso Gavaise, Vangelis Gokas, Yannis Grigoriadis, Giorgos Gounaropoulos, Giorgos Gyzis, Giannis Ziogas, Vlassis Kaniaris, Elli Kelemendris, Panagiotis Koulouras, Panagiotis Lambrinidis, Giorgos Lappas, Konstantinos Maleas, Christina Mitrense, Fryni Mouzakitou, Spyros Papaloukas, Konstantinos Parthenis, Nafsika Pastra, Pavlos (Dionysopoulos), Artemis Potamianou, Iphigenia Sdoukou, George Sikeliotis, Angelos Skourtis, Vassilis Skylakos, Marios Spiliopoulos, Maria Stamatis, Tassos (Alevizos), Yannis Christakos, Kostas Christopoulos, Chryssa (Vardea) and Yannis Psychopedis.

“The exhibition “Parallel Lives” is not just limited to the presentation of important works, but ultimately deals with the Greek history of art. In this way, it confirms once again the fact that the Municipality of Kalamata consistently supports cultural initiatives that carry timeless messages and promote the work of artists”, underlines the Mayor of Kalamata, Athanasios Vassilopoulos.

“The artists participating in the exhibition may belong to different eras, follow different practices and have never “met” in real life. However, their works certainly meet in common places, their comments intertwine and their problematics trace paths that are sometimes unexpected for the viewer. What the exhibition highlights is the different approaches and problematics embedded in the works, inspiring the viewer to explore the mysteries of artistic creation. “. says the visual artist – artistic director of the Visual Arts Department of K. E. Faris of the Municipality of Kalamata Panagiotis Lambrinidis.

The exhibition is presented by the Visual Arts Sector of K. E. Faris of the Municipality of Kalamata

The works come from the collections: Municipal Gallery of Larissa-Museum G. I. Katsigra, George N. Vogiatzoglou Gallery, the Collection of Contemporary Art of Polly and Christos Kolialis, the V. & M. Theocharakis Foundation, the Dimitris Liberopoulos Collection

Exhibition Curator: Artemis Potamianou

Opening Night: Sunday 12 November 2023 at 12. 00

Exhibition Duration: 12. 11-12. 12. 23

Tel: 6932134556