Echoes of the Revolution of 1821 in the art of today

As part of the celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of the Revolution of 1821, the Foundation of the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle and the Modern History of Macedonia in cooperation with the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki organized an art exhibition at the Museum, entitled “Echoes of the Revolution of 1821 in the art of today”, the opening of which took place on Saturday, June 5.

The artistic compositions presented in the exhibition are the result of the art competition co-organised by two institutions from December 2020 to May 2021 and can be divided into four categories: works that link the present with the past, works that relate to “scenes of the Struggle”, works on the theme of the “dying hero” and works that represent the suffering of war. Among the works that competed, the jury, consisting of people of the literary and artistic world, singled out the sculpture “Untitled” by Mrs. Vasiliki Karakosta, which received the first prize, the second prize was awarded to “Greece in the ruins of…” by Mr. Nektarios Pachiadakis, while the third place went to the ready-made “Memories” by Mr. Konstantinos Giannakoulas. In addition, the creations “Kipseli” by Ms. Anna Botou and “The Wise Earth highlights free Greece” by Ms. Paraskevi Yapanis left a positive impression, receiving first and second praise respectively.

The opening of the art exhibition was attended by the Rector of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Professor Nikolaos Papaioannou, the Members of Parliament Mr. Konstantinos Gioulekas, Dimitris Kouvelas, Stratos Simopoulos, the Mayor of Thessaloniki Mr. Konstantinos Zervas, the Deputy Mayor of Education Ms. Ioanna Kosmopoulou, the President of IMMA, Mr. Nikolaos K. Margaropoulos, Mr. Socrates Doris, Managing Director of the Centre of Culture of the Region of Central Macedonia, members of the Board of Directors of the Foundation of the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle, as well as professors of the city’s university institutions.

In his address, the Rector of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki stated: “Today’s event is one of the most special that we have the pleasure to organize as the Aristotle University in cooperation with the always energetic Museum of the Macedonian Struggle, because we came to honor those whom, as a Higher Educational Institution, we primarily represent: our own students. The compositions of the almost fifty participants in the exhibition are the most faithful testimony to the ferment that has been taking place at our University throughout this difficult period of the pandemic, and which can now be expressed in their physical space in the appropriate way. As the title of the exhibition eloquently emphasizes, what we will witness “echoes” the Struggle of 21. It is here where “intangible” memory is reflected as a tangible imprint. And at the same time, our collective memory and our national identity imaginatively meet with the most important cross-section of modern Greek history. It is a retrospective look into the past as well as a glimpse into the future, as we are given a rare opportunity to see how the younger generation, our own children, reflect on the ancestral struggles of our homeland”.

President of the Foundation of the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle, Mr. Nikolaos K. Margaropoulos, stressed the Foundation’s duty to be a communicator of new ideas in the field of culture and to highlight them in the best possible way, always with respect to both the work and the creator. It is a bet of the Foundation of the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle and the Modern History of Macedonia, always in close cooperation with major academic institutions, such as the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, to continue to support every initiative that strengthens and promotes the history and cultural life of Thessaloniki and Macedonia in general.