THE EVRIPIDES Art Gallery says goodbye to 2021, and welcomes 2022 with a group exhibition entitled ‘With a feeling of hope…”, inspired by the words of writer Ilias Venezis. The exhibition commemorates the hundred years that have passed (1922-2022), since the Asia Minor catastrophe (or Smyrna catastrophe), when around 500,000 Greek and Armenian refugees of Asia Minor, were uprooted from their homes. Many managed to survive due to their strength of will, and also to succeed, each in their own line of work. Many of the Greeks of Asia Minor who then settled in Greece, left their indelible mark here. Curated by Louiza Karapidaki, the exhibition presents the works of 31 artists.

The exhibition is organized in 6 thematic units: ‘Personal tales’, ‘Asia Minor’s people of arts and letters’, ‘Landscapes of memory’, ‘Heirlooms’, ‘Symbolic references’, ‘References that pay tribute’. As you walk through the exhibition, you will encounter a great variety of different works, from the abstract (eg Manolis Charos’s abstract landscapes sprinkled with glitter), to the realistic and expressionistic (eg Chryssa Verghi’s rendition of the foliage of a large plane tree, with emphasis on the contrasts of light and dark, inspired by Seferis’s poem ‘Astyanax’). From the grand panoramic seascape by Maria Filopoulou, to the intricate lace incorporated into the artwork of Irini Gonou, and the atmospheric mixed media works dedicated to the acclaimed photographer known as Nelly’s, by Elena Kyrkili, this is an exhibition which pays a respectful tribute to Asia Minor Greeks, their life and achievements.

Participating artists:

Savvas Georgiadis, Andreas Kontellis, Michalis Madenis, Spyros Kotsalas, Kostas Papatriantafyllopoulos, Elena Kyrkili, Yiannis Efthimiou, Vasilis Goumas, Daphne Angelidou, Andreas Nikolaou, Dimitris Andreadakis, Chryssa Verghi, Miltos Golemas, Yiannis Michaelides, Maria Filopoulou, Vassilis Papanikolaou, Manolis Charos, Miltos Pantelias, Irini Gonou, Tassos Mantzavinos, Katerina Yiannaka, Elli Embedokli, Christos Pallantzas, Vangelis Rinas, Yiorgos Kouvakis, Erietta Vordoni, Konstantinos Nikou, Lila Papoula, Stoyan Donev, Stella Kapezanou and Deni Theocharaki.

• ‘With a feeling of hope’ runs till the end of February. The Evripides Gallery is on 10 Herakleitou & Skoufa sts, Kolonaki. Tel 210-361-5249. evripides-art.gr, info@evripides-art.gr. Open Tues, Thurs, Fri 11am-8.30pm. Wed 11-5 and Sat 11am-4pm. 
• ‘Art Scene Athens’ is written and run by artist/journalist Stella Sevastopoulos, who has been covering the Greek art scene since she moved from London to Athens in 1994. For examples of her artwork, you may visit her online portfolio.