IF YOU CAN stand the heat and stay in the kitchen that Athens has become, then head to “Back to Athens 2025”, the annual international art meeting which gathers a whole host of artists and their works under the roof of the once grandiose 1920s Isaiah Mansion. Traipsing around this monumental albeit crumbling building and exploring all the curatorial proposals in all the nooks and crannies makes for a unique art experience.  

“Back to Athens 2025 International Art Meeting” presents 30 exhibitions, installations, performances and screenings featuring Greek and international artists and curators. BtA 2025 takes place from June 25 to 29 in the heart of Athens’ city center, showcasing artists and curators, along with artworks and ideas created during the 2024-2025 season that shape the vibrant contemporary art scene. With over ten years of presence in the Athenian contemporary art scene, BtA continues to bridge the gap between artists, artworks, and the public. It provides a deeper understanding of art trends, ideas, individuals, and the works themselves, presented in an annual review that documents these aspects without taking a critical approach.

This year’s overall theme of Back to Athens is “The Division of Life – a review”. The thinking behind it goes as follows: Life appears to be divided into the real, the provisional, and the imaginary—the desirable. Over the past few decades, much of the art production process has grown into an increasingly complex and fragmented process, often loosing from the overall context. The loss of a broader perspective, when paired with the lack of understanding of the meaning behind artistic production leads to occasional misinterpretations, as well as an increasing distance from the work itself. Routine and the lack of a sense of achievement, reduces the artistic work to a “job” whose main goal is to maximize gain with minimal effort, often sacrificing inspiration itself. The art world is a major economic force; however, the lack of a clear strategy and structured promotion limits its growth and the reach of its benefits and positive impact on society.

⬩ Curators ⬩

Takis Kaldis / Giorgos Kartalos / Julia Harrauer / Antigoni Kapsali / Marilena Kranioti, Ektoras Theoulakis / Lola Pfeifer (Supported by Kunstraum_flat1) / Stella Christofi / Christian Rupp / Georg Georgakopoulos / Alexandros Stanas (coordinating the presentation of Myrto Sakka / Giorgos Divaris / Sophia Panteliadou / Filippos Tsitsopoulos / Yiannis Mitrou / Johanna Tatzgern, Ursula Bast, Romana Weilguni-Künstlerinnenkollektiv PIKT / Kunstruktcollective / Johannes Rips, Presented by Kunst im Keller / Yiannis Christakos, Sakis Guntrubis, Triantafyllos Tranos

⬩ Art-Guest Artists’ installations

Werner Widmer / Babis Karalis / Giorgos Tserionis / Patrick Topitschnig / Maria Vozali (Cur.: Giorgos Divaris)

⬩ Performances ⬩

Maro Theodosiou, Yiannis Mitrou (lalangue) / Athanasia Tsopanargia / Tina Jeranko / DAS KONZERT, Performances, Kunstruktcollective / Ino Riga, Nafsika Riga (Familiar/Unfamiliar) / Lars* Kollros, [re]alities

⬩ Filippos Tsitsopoulos will give a short “guided tour” of the exhibition he curates.

“Back to Athens 2025” organisers: Georg Georgakopoulos, Fotini Kapiris, Christian Rupp

Organised by APART Art Research and Applications, Supported by: Bundesministerium für Wohnen, Kunst, Kultur, Medien und Sport, Austrian Embassy Athens, Das Land Steiermark, Upper Austria, coordinated by CHEAPART, participation athensintersection.

•             “Back to Athens 10” runs June 25-29, at Isaiah Mansion, 65 Patission Street, Athens 10433. Open 4-10pm Wed, Thurs, Fri, and 12-10pm Sat, Sun. Free entrance.

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).