The Fine Arts Program of the European Cultural Delphi Centre is one of its most emblematic initiatives, shaping its artistic identity through significant exhibitions and events.
It was inaugurated in 1988 with the International Meeting “Painting and Sculpture at the end of the 20th century”, a milestone event that combined a symposium with an exhibition of painting and sculpture, featuring works by distinguished contemporary artists.
Since then, fine arts exhibitions have become an integral part of the Centre’s cultural identity, fostering an ongoing dialogue between art, history, and contemporary thought.
Below, you will find a timeline of the most significant exhibitions held over the years.
Timeline
1st International Meeting on Fine Arts “Painting and Sculpture at the end of the 20th century”
Symposium and exhibition with works by Takis, Chryssa, Pascalli Pino, Robert Rauschenberg, Arnülf Raine, Theofylaktopoulos, Jochen Gerz, Isamu Noguchi, Lynda Benglis, Dennis Oppenheim, Anne & Patrick Poirier, Antonio Saura, Charlemagne Palestine, Nam June Paik, Wolf Vostell, Frank Stella, Niki de St. Phalle, Barry Flanagan, Mark Verstockt, Α. Fassianos, M. Raysse, Andy Warhol, J. P. Raynaud, César, Lucas Samaras, Giulio Paolini, Ν. Kessanlis, V. Kaniaris, G. Lappas, Jafar Islah, Y. Tsarouchis, Y. Moralis, D. Mytaras, etc.
Curators :
Dora Iliopoulou-Rogan, art historian
Sania Papa, art theoretician
Katerina Koskina, art historian
Eleni Kokorda, art historian
2nd International Meeting on Fine Arts “The position of Fine Arts in today’s societies”
The meeting focused mainly on the symposium. The exhibited artworks included the water-powered steel project “Shield” by George Zongolopoulos, which was donated to the European Cultural Centre of Delphi by the artist.
Curator: Katerina Koskina, art historian-museologist
Greek Contemporary Artists
In cooperation with the Pierides Gallery
Curator: Takis Mavrotas, art critic and theoretician
Clay and Plastic Art Creation
Curator: Takis Mavrotas, art critic and theoretician
International Meeting on Sculpture
Eleven renowned sculptors were invited to produce in situ one artwork. The works remained at Delphi, as the first exhibits of the Sculpture Parc. Artists : Nikos Alexiou, Kostas Varotsos, Lydia Venieri, Michel Gerard, Theodoulos Grigoriou, Jason Molfessis, Patrick Reynaud, Manuel Saiz, Panagiotis Tanimanidis, Costas Tsoclis, Alfredo Romano.
Curator: Sania Papa, art theoretician
International Meeting on Fine Arts “Tribute to Delphi: Visual Versions”
European artists created works of art, inspired by the Delphic Ideal. The works of A. Antonopoulos, Vl. Kaniaris, J. Christoforou, G. Yanakos, Danil, E. Fischer, S. Karavouzis, R. Kesseler, C. Kouvaka, Mich. Manousakis A. Nehrig-Kokka, Y. Psychopedis, N. Roos, M. Spiliopoulos remained at Delphi.
Curator: Athena Schina, historian and art critic
Sculpture exhibition by Aristide Patsoglou
Symposium “The Russian Avant-Garde (1910-1930): An unfulfilled plan”
The symposium was held in the framework of the exhibition of the famous Costakis Collection, which was presented at the Athens National Gallery, from 6/12/1995 to 8/4/1996, in cooperation with the European Cultural Centre of Delphi.
Supervision of the exhibition and the symposium : Anna Kafetsi
Exhibition “Greek artists and Ancient Greek Drama: Stage sets and costumes”
Stage sets and costumes designed by well known Greek artists, such as Spyros Vassiliou, Nikos Engonopoulos, Yannis Moralis, Dimitris Mytaras, Yannis Tsarouchis, Alekos Fassianos and Nikos Hadzikyriakos-Ghika
Artistic concept: Anna Skarlatou, photographer/journalist
Exhibition: “Alekos Fassianos: Anthropocentric Painting: 1960-1998”
Presentation of 43 works of the artist from various private collections as well as his new work “The Treasure of the Athenians” that remained at Delphi.
Curator: Takis Mavrotas, art critic and theoretician
Exhibition “Delphiques” and one-day conference “Myth and Contemporary Art”
Retrospective exhibition of the sculptor Theodoros Papadimitriou and workshop on “Myth and Modern Art” on 26 June. The sculpture “Sphinx II” remained at Delphi.
Exhibition “Major Artists of the 20th century Chryssa-Takis”
The exhibition included eighteen monumental works by Takis, seven from the “Photovoltaic Energy” series, three musical sculptures, seven from the “Acoustic Strings” series as well as the sets designed for the performance “Electra” by Sophocles directed by Michael Cacoyannis.
The series “Cycladic Books” with the subtitle “Green Line” by Chryssa, including works from honeycomb and aluminum (“Chinatown”, “Piccadilly Circus”, “Athens Landscape No. 2 and No. 3”, “Paris Landscape No. 2”) as well as two sculptures of neon and plexiglas “Marilyn” and “Times Square”, were first presented.
The conference “Art and Technology in the 20th century” was held on 17 June, in the framework of the exhibition.
The works “Tribute to Apollo” by Takis and “Journal” by Chryssa remained in the collection of the European Cultural Centre of Delphi. Curator: Takis Mavrotas, Art critic and theoretician
Documents exhibition “Jannis Kounellis and the Theatre”
The exhibition was realised in the framework of the XI International Meeting on Ancient Greek Drama
Exhibition ‘Apollo’s Heritage”
Exhibits: Fifty important works, large-scale paintings, sculptures, drawings, constructions, installations and video art of sixteen leading artists such as Giorgio De Chirico, Salvador Dali, Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Gkika, Nikos Engonopoulos, Yannis Tsarouchis, Yorgos Sikeliotis, Takis, Arman, Fernando Botero, Chryssa, Dimitris Mytaras, Alekos Fassianos, Sarantis Karavouzis, Yannis Psychopedis, Dimitris Sakellion, Yorgos Xenos.
The exhibition was part of the events of the “Apollo” International Meeting.
Curator-organisation: Takis Mavrotas, art critic and theoretician
Exhibition “Columns and Pillars”
A spectacular theme exhibition with paintings, sculptures and art installations. Participating artists: Yannis Moralis, Stephen Antonakos, Costas Tsoclis, Pavlos, Gunther Uecker, Yannis Parmakellis, Chryssa, Dimitris Mytaras, Alekos Fassianos, Sotiris Sorongas, Novello Finotti, Yannis Bouteas, Opy Zouni, Yannis Psychopedis, Patrizia Molinari and Iotoff.
The permanent collection of the European Cultural Centre of Delphi includes the works “Column” by Yannis Parmakellis, “Presence” by Stephen Antonakos, “Pillars” by Costas Tsoclis and “The gods sleep in the stones” by Patrizia Molinari.
The exhibition was part of the events of the “Year of Pericles”.
Curator: Takis Mavrotas, art critic and theoretician
Exhibition “Masaaki Noda, Apollo’s mirror”
Curator : the artist
Exhibition : Costas Tsoclis PEACE
Curator: Takis Mavrotas, art critic and theoretician
Exhibition “Alexandra Athanassiadis: Horses and Armour”
Twenty-six sculptures made of bronze, iron and wood by Alexandra Athanassiadis. Horses without a rider on “sculptural” gallop and ”empty” armours referring to the adventurous, fearless but invisible horsemen and soldiers.
Curator: Efi Andreadis, art critic
Exhibition “Mayo- Painting”
The exhibition in Delphi included 19 oil paintings and 15 ink drawings and was held in honor of the French Presidency of the European Union.
The conference on “Postwar Generation: Greek artists in Paris” was held during the exhibition on 12 July.
Curator: Efi Andreadis, art critic
Exhibition “Bella Raftopoulou, Sculpture-Drawing”
The “mythological” universe of Bella Raftopoulou through 10 stone sculptures, 29 small sculptures of metal, 96 projects for the Delphic Festivals 1927-1930 (ink on paper), 10 bronze and silver medals and manuscripts. The panel “Greek artists in Paris before World War II” was held during the inauguration of the exhibition on 10 October. The exhibition was organised with the collaboration of the National Art Gallery-Alexandros Soutsos Museum.
Curator: Efi Andreadi, art critic
Exhibition “Marathon in the work of eight contemporary artists
Eight artists with different artistic views, Alexandra Athanassiadis, Nikos Alexiou, Evgenia Apostolou, Venia Dimitrakopoulou, Nikos Navridis, Vana Xenou, Danae Stratou and Nakis Tastsioglou, created and exhibited new works inspired by the Battle of Marathon.
Curator: Efi Andreadi, art critic
Exhibition “C. P. Cavafy This little pencil portrait”
Twenty-two Greek and foreign artists created and presented new works for the celebration of the Year of Cavafy by the European Cultural Centre of Delphi.
Among them : Valerio Adami, Alexandra Athanassiadi, Pat Andrea, Alexis Veroukas, Dimitris Geros, Stefanos Daskalakis, Pavlos Dionysopoulos, Kadio Lambropoulou, Gudrun von Laitner, Michalis Makroulakis, Dimitris Mytaras, Ioli Xifara, Aristidis Patsoglou, Edward Sakayan, Sotiris Sorongas, Anna Maria Tsakali, Costas Tsoclis, Alekos Fassianos, Manolis Haros, Yorgos Hadoulis, Apostolos Hatzaras, Yannis Psychopedis. The exhibition included also eight etchings of Cavafy by David Hockney and a printed collection of poems with handwritten corrections by Cavafy himself.
Exhibition “Opy Zouni: ‘Last brushstroke’ – her workshop”
The exhibition was organised with the support of the family of Opy Zouni.
26 projects, of which 21 came from the last creative period of the artist, were exhibited for the first time.
Exhibition advisor: Katerina Koskina, art historian and museologist
Exhibition “C. P. Cavafy Painted – 40 Contemporary Greek Artists “
Organised at the B. & M. Theocharakis Foundation for the Fine Arts and Music, in cooperation with the European Cultural Centre of Delphi.
Curator: Takis Mavrotas, art historian and critic, artistic director of the Foundation
Exhibition: ΜAYO 1905-1990. Donation: Lucilla Mussini-Bombieri
Exhibits: 21 artworks by Antoine Mayo, which were donated to the European Cultural Centre of Delphi by Lucilla Mussini-Bombieri Curator: Efi Andreadi, art critic
Exhibition “Delphic reflections on Plastic Arts”
Exhibits: Artworks from the collection of the European Cultural Centre of Delphi
Curator: Efi Andreadi, art critic
Exhibition”Alfredo Romano. Angelis suis mandavit de te”
Curator : the artist
Conference «The sculpture of Takis in the 21st century» and art exhibition
Coordination and curation of the exhibition : Takis Mavrotas, art critic, artistic director of the B. & M. Theocharakis Foundation for the Fine Arts and Music
Sponsor : ATHANASIOS KTORIDIS Foundation
Exhibition “DELPHI: from the art collection of the European Cultural Centre of Delphi”
At the Archaeological Museum of Delphi.
With the cooperation of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Phocis
ΕΧΗΙΒΙΤΙΟΝ “PABLO PICASSO. Rare posters and ceramics by the trailblazing revolutionaryof art and democracy”
Curator: Takis Mavrotas, art critic and theoretician
The exhibition was organized on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the restoration of Democracy in Greece and joining the events around the world for the 50th anniversary of Picasso’s death.
Fifty-five rare, authentic posters, from the collection of Werner Röthlisberger, created by Picasso himself using lithography, intaglio, or linoleum techniques, were presented for the first time in Greece. Among the exhibits were 20 representative ceramics belonging to
private collections, that exemplify his passion for the humble earthenware clay and the art of pottery.
In the framework of the exhibition, a Round Table Discussion on the theme “Pablo Picasso, a leading innovator of the 20th century art” was organized on Sunday, 12 May 2024.
Participants:
Mihalis Arfaras, painter
Erato Chatzisava, Rector of the Athens School of Fine Arts
Andreas Gofas, Director of the European Cultural Delphi Centre, Professor, Panteion University
Takis Mavrotas, art theoretician, curator of the exhibition
Panagiotis Roilos, President of the European Cultural Delphi Centre, Professor, Harvard University
Maritsa Travlos, ceramist
Syrago Tsiara, Director of the Greek National Gallery
