ALTHOUGH Piraeus is mainly known as the port destination filled with ferries to the islands, it has also blossomed as an art destination in recent years, as well as offering visitors great dining and shopping.  In this second part on the Piraeus art scene, we will take a look at DL and Enia – two spaces in one large, old, two-storey warehouse, where you get to roam around and view the works of artists that are exhibiting there till the 22^nd February, 2025. Furthermore, a look at what else you can see in Piraeus at Art Prisma, Kapsiotis and the Municipal Gallery of Piraeus. Piraeus’s art scene has developed in interesting directions, with new galleries opening and offering visitors a most contemporary art experience which adds yet another aspect to this district’s multi-faceted character.

DL and Enia

The first works you encounter upon entering this space these days, are those of Yiannis Christakos. His solo exhibition is entitled In the Crack of the Space, curated by Bia Papadopoulou. Large canvases that explore the contours of maps, to which threads and other materials such as resin have been added, set the scene which conjures up associations of travelling, both esoteric and worldly. The delicate lines of these works weave a tapestry of thought-processes that mesh history, memory and geography.

In another space, you come across the work of Alison Whitmore, whose exhibition Killed Women comprises delicate handkerchiefs embellished with lace, upon which the artist has embroidered the portraits of women that were victims of femicide – cases of domestic violence, victims of date apps, of family members etc. The exhibition’s material states that an average of 120 women every year are killed by men in the UK. Handkerchiefs are often associated with grief, and with this delicate issue that the artist has focused on in this series of works, she hopes to bring awareness to this grave issue.

The works of Bella Easton occupy a large hall in this art space. Her exhibition Everything Flows, is inspired by the words of Heracleitus (“All things come into being by conflict and opposites”), and T.S. Eliot (“At the still point of the turning world. Neither flesh nor fleshless; neither from nor towards; at the still point, there the dance is”). Easton’s internal landscapes are created through an intimate ad very personal journey that seeks a place of safety, creating her own history in a time where our world has become increasingly turbulent. These works seem to be inspired by antique tapestries, ornate wallpaper and tile designs, where mirrored images of flower motifs and decorative designs are integrated into large compositions, evoking a dreamlike calmness and serenity via their myriads of forms.

Upon entering the upper storey of this space, you will come across the work of Hermione Syrogianopoulou, who has developed an artistic practice which explores the processes of weaving and rug-making, via the use of metal wires and threads. Her metal furs, textiles, and flokati-style rugs take over the space and create an interesting dialogue with its post-industrial character.

Also on the upper floor, are the works of Guillaume Krick, in the exhibition Oil Paintings Revisited. Krick recycles plastic found on the beach, melts it together to create abstract collages in a way that recalls early modern art. By reusing plastic toy components, he creates frames around the collages, which  hark back in a tongue-in-cheek manner to the frames of the  most prestigious museums.

Further down in the next hall, are the works of Jackie Berridge. Her exhibition Flights of Fancy presents paintings which are a mash of inspiration from childhood memories, dreams, and traditional stories. She creates fantastical landscapes populated with beings and anthropomorphic creatures, telling tales of joy and sadness mixed with shades of darkness. Next to Berridge’s works, in an adjoining room, are the works of an artist known simply as b. The exhibition Water Memories by b., present the artist’s canvases inspired by memories of playing with water in the garden. Happiness, pastel colours, stylized forms and pop art influences are fused into the creative processes of this artist.

•             DL and Enia is on 55 Mesolongiou St, tel 210 4619700. Open Thurs and Fri noon-7.30pm and Sat noon-4pm. You can visit the site here

What else?

Meanwhile, in the centre of Piraeus, close to the main shopping streets, is gallery Art Prisma, where Kosmas Panoridis exhibited recently, bringing to the space a whole host of art and artefacts inspired by his work in stage design and costume. Sequins, lace, embroideries and velvet are among the materials that he uses to create elaborate designs and scenes, but also clothes with artistic flare. These days, Stathis Panou is exhibiting his work there in an exhibition entitled The Right Side of Dystopia (runs till Jan 6).

The annual Xmas exhibition at Kapsiotis gallery with works by some of the most familiar names of the Greek art scene runs till December 31, while the Municipal Gallery of Piraeus is hosting an exhibition of works by artists inspired by Kassos, which runs till December 10, curated by Iris Kritikou and Nikos Mastropavlos. In this exhibition, works by the internationally acclaimed artist from Kassos, Antonis Malliarakis (known as Mayo), meets with those of other acclaimed Greek artists who have loved and painted Kassos. The exhibition runs till December 10 at the Municipal Gallery of Piraeus, an impressive building in itself worth visiting.

• The Municipal Gallery of Piraeus is on 29 Filonos & 28 Notara sts. Open Mon-Fri 5-9pm, Sat & Sun 10am-2pm, on. Tel: 214 4090 158 – 214 4090 159; E-mail: pinakothiki@piraeus.gov.gr

• Gallery Art Prisma is on 187 Kountouriotou St, tel 210-4296790. You can also visit Art Prisma on fb here

• Gallery Kapsiotis is on 153 Alkiviadou St, tel 210-4129257 You can visit the galler’s website here
• Click here to read the first part of this feature on the Piraeus Art Scene.

Art Scene Athens’ is written/run by artist/journalist Stella Sevastopoulos. Dedicated to presenting what is happening on the Greek art scene (but not only), and also to giving Greek artists (and artists based in Greece) an international voice on the internet. For more on Stella Sevastopoulos’s art, click here If you would like to be featured in Art Scene Athens, please send email (stelsevas@yahoo.com).