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The National Library of Greece (NBG) presents the painting exhibition of Michalis Madenis entitled “The Exiles”.

Curator: N. P. Paisios  

Daring and sensitive, Michalis Madenis depicts the inmates of a psychiatric hospital revealing the plight of mental disease through their afflicted countenance. They are the truly exiled from life and society, exiled from even their very own selves. They are austere and monumental figures who enthrall us with their rough look or sad eyes and their tormented bodies in awkward positions. In this series of portraits, Madenis uses painting as the main format focusing on the faces. Figures are surrounded by a vague dark space from which they emerge in bright light. Thus, viewers can discern all their details, culminating in what social convention has taught them to avoid usually: the human gaze. The exhibition also has a detailed catalogue (edited by Stavros Zoumboulakis).

Το νήμα της ζωής, 2020 Λάδι σε μουσαμά 200 × 230 εκ. Ανήκει στην Εθνική Πινακοθήκη – Μουσείο, Αλεξάνδρου Σούτσου / The thread of life, 2020 Oil on canvas 200 × 230 cm ( National Gallery – Museum, Alexandros Soutsos)

Michalis Madenis was born in Komotini in 1960. He studied in the School of Fine Arts in Athens (1985-1990), on scholarship from the State Fund, under Panagiotis Tetsis, graduating summa cum laude from his workshop. He continued his studies in the Hague, at De Vrije Akademie voor Beeldende Kunste, on scholarship from the Dutch government for the first year and the Greek State Fund for the next two years. In May 1992 he had his first solo exhibition in Nees Morfes gallery. From 2006 to 2017 he worked in the National Gallery – Alexandros Soutsos Museum, in charge of the children’s workshop and the educational programmes. His works can be seen in the National Gallery, the Hellenic Parliament, the Bank of Greece, the Vorres Museum, the Frysiras Museum, the Historic Archive – Hydra Museum, the Vasilis and Eliza Goulandris Foundation, and in public and private collections in Greece and abroad. He has participated in numerous group and solo exhibitions.

Νύφη, 2020. Λάδι σε μουσαμά 200 × 230 εκ. / Bride, 2020. Oil on canvas 200 × 230 cm.

INFO

Free entrance

Daily: 09:30-20:00

Duration: 31/01/2022 – 31/03/2022

Multipurpose Hall, 2nd floor, NBG, SNFCC