THE EXHIBITION by Natasa Biza entitled ‘Changing Grounds’ at the National Gallery is part of the ‘Space in Between’ programme that aims to readdress and see anew the gallery’s various collections and history, combining it with the contemporary artistic practice. This archival exhibition, curated by Elpiniki Meintani, was inaugurated at the National Gallery on November 12, and runs till September 30, 2026.

Biza’s work lies at the crossroads of art and documentation, archival and historical exploration.  Her exhibition at the National Gallery of Greece explores archival material about the establishment’s evolution through video, photography, book-making, plus a series of 16 lazer-engraved, brass plates.

Biza is interested in catching “That which falls into the void, that which isn’t focused on as the main story” in her artistic practice. It’s the little things that count, those which don’t make it into the big history books. And so, she focuses on subjects such as the curtains that were hung at the National Gallery, the windows that were changed, the fate of a sculpture and its plinth, created by Kapralos, or the ‘affliction’ on a work by Gyzis, described as “Weisskrankeit” in the archives.

Biza explains about her process, and how one bit of information asks for questions, which nevertheless may remain unanswered: “I had fallen upon some notes by Kalligas, who was director of the National Gallery during the period 1949-1971. He was very organized, something which appealed to me. He had made notes on a photograph which stated that it was the National Gallery before the changes made by the following director, Ioannou, who changed the windows. This made me start wondering, why change the windows?”

The first thing that Biza had found when she started searching the archives, was 4 photographs with curtains, at the National Gallery: “The photographs were dated 1969. This made me search the archives further, and I came to the conclusion that these photos were from the day that the curtains were hung in the gallery.” Biza thus decided to blow up these photographs, and turn them into art. You will find them presented in the exhibition, next to the series of lazer-engraved brass plates, whose images are based on photographs from the gallery’s ‘Vassilopita’ cutting ceremonies.  

Biza’s artistic process is about searching and finding, posing questions, not necessarily giving answers. The viewer is drawn into a world where the history of the National Gallery is explored and reviewed through the artist’s particular perspective and focus.

WHAT’S MORE

Also still running at the National Gallery is the awe-inspiring Tetsis retrospective (which you can read about here), plus the Gallery’s permanent collection, not to be missed either!

For more info, visit the National Gallery’s site here

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