The exhibition “In the land of Campanelli: Naxos, Athens, Mauthausen”,

was inaugurated by the Minister of Culture and Sports,

in the context of the Literary Year of Iakovos Campanelli.

The Ministry of Culture and Sports honours the work and personality of Iakovos Campanellis

In her address, Lina Mendoni said: “Naxos, Athens, Mauthausen. Three stations of life that shaped the creator Iakovos Campanellis and defined his style, his writing, his “literary destinations“. Places that carved out a particular and unique life path, a refined artistic personality, a deeply political personality.

Self-taught, but carrying within him the vein of writing, he managed to conquer all genres of discourse. A screenwriter, poet, lyricist, writer, actor, journalist, he left an indelible mark on modern Greek cultural life with his multifaceted and multidimensional work, from his first steps until his death in 2011.

As a surviving prisoner of Mauthausen, he was a tireless fighter for the restoration of democracy. From this struggle he drew inspiration and themes for his great works, which were permeated by universal human values. The work ‘Mauthausen’ placed him on the international anti-war literary stage. Years later he was asked to edit the inscription on the monument in Greece, in memory of the prisoners who were not given a second chance in life.

The exhibition we are inaugurating attempts to capture the multifaceted career of Iakovos Campanellis. To trace and illuminate those elements that link him to a wide range of artists and thinkers of contemporary Greece, those whose work and lives are exhibited, in a unique way, from floor to floor, at home, at the Hadjikyriakos-Ghika Museum, which is our host tonight.

A genuine exponent of the Greek soul, through his work he captures the characteristics of the Greeks of his time, the fragile social reality of his era.

Taking as its starting points the places that defined a special and unique life path, the exhibition aims to highlight the work and personality of a great creator who played a decisive role in shaping the intellectual and artistic life of the country during the second fifty years of the 20th century. Through posters of his works, programmes, manuscripts, photographs and personal objects, the viewer participates in a fascinating journey of discovery into the world of Campanelli.

The exhibition is not only limited to the ground floor of the Gika Gallery, but also extends to the other floors of the Gallery. There, a “dialogue” between Campanelli and his beloved collaborators, whose work is presented in the permanent collection. In several cases, the display cases were redesigned to include exhibits that highlight relationships and collaborations. Manolis Anagnostakis, Spyros Vassiliou, Karolos Koun, Mikis Theodorakis and Manos Hadjidakis are some of the collaborators included in these ‘dialogues’. In this way, the relationships between people and between the arts are vividly described. In this way, the exhibition “In Campanelli’s country. Naxos, Mauthausen, Athens” reflects the multi-modal path of the artist and highlights eclectic affinities with a wide range of artists and thinkers of contemporary Greece.

The exhibition was organized by the Ministry of Culture and Sports. It was curated by Katerina Kampanelli and Sissy Papathanasiou, while the design was undertaken by Pavlos Thanopoulos. The exhibition is accompanied by a detailed catalogue.

The exhibition will be open to the public from 30 March and will run until 30 July 2022. During its duration, the Gika Gallery will have extended opening hours: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10:00-18:00.