Exhibition of artworks from the collection of the Foundation Museum of the Macedonian Struggle and Modern History of Macedonia

With great success and impressive attendance, the opening of the exhibition “Visual Approaches to the History of Macedonia, 19th – 20th century“, was held on Wednesday, April 3, by the Mayor of Thessaloniki, Mr. Stelios Angeloudis, at the Foundation of the Museum of Macedonian Struggle and Modern History of Macedonia (IMMA).

The exhibition includes artworks and archival material from the collection of IMMA, emphasizing the artistic memory that conveys the need for revolution and the vision of the struggles in Macedonia for freedom.

In his heartfelt speech, the Mayor of Thessaloniki referred to the timeless message that the exhibition sends out about the greatness of Hellenism and the great people of this small country, who put forward their patriotism and conquered the rights of the nation, a nation that regained its lost self-confidence with the Macedonian Struggle. He concluded his moving speech by supporting the Foundation’s management and the support of the Municipal Authority for the important work of the Museum.

The curator of the exhibition, Professor of UOM and Director of the Centre for Research in Macedonian History and Documentation of IMMA, Mrs. Stavroula Mavrogeni, highlighted the decisive contribution of the artists in narrating the struggles of the nation, stressing that the history of modern Greek art is chronologically identical with the history of the free Greek state.

A special moment in the event was the reference by the Museologist-Philologist and Director of IMMA, Mrs. Athina Pavlidou, who was also the coordinator and presenter of the event, to the renowned artists, Maria Kobatsiaris, Lazaros Pantos, Stelios Mertzanidis, and the younger ones Konstantinos Giannakoulas and Paraskevi Yapanis, who participated with their original works in the exhibition and attended the opening.

A short greeting on behalf of the Regional Governor of Central Macedonia, Mr. Apostolos Tzitzikosta, was given by the Regional Councillor, Mrs. Olia Vasilaki-Karozi.

The event was honored with the presence of His Eminence, the Reverend Athanasios Tsigos, representative of His All-Holiness the Metropolitan of Thessaloniki, the Coordinator of the Prime Minister’s Office in Macedonia, Mr. Maria Sarigiannidou, and the members of the Board of Directors of the Association “Friends of the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle”, the Managing Director of the Centre for Culture of Central Macedonia, Mr. Athanasios Michaelidis, a number of university students, art lovers, representatives of the media, culture and social institutions of the city.

The opening of the exhibition closed with discussions among the attendees accompanied by wine, courtesy of the NOEMA WINERY Winery. The exhibition will run until 30 September 2024.