Govedarou Art Gallery presents the group art exhibition entitled: "THE DYNAMICS OF COLORS" curated by EKPA Art Historian, MA Journalist and member of AICA Greece, Nikolena Kalaitzakis.

The Art Historian and Curator of the exhibition, Nikolena Kalaitzakis, among others, notes:

"The exhibition, as its title betrays, seeks to highlight the Dynamics of Colors, through freely themed works, the connecting link of which is the exploitation, on the part of visual, vivid, intense colors. "Color", a structural element of Art, has accompanied the greatest movements since its beginnings. Ernest Schachtel's opinion is interesting, according to which: "the experience of color is similar to that of emotion or emotion. In both cases we tend to be passive receivers of stimuli. An emotion is not the product of the actively organizing mind. It just presupposes a kind of openness that, for example, a depressed person might not have. Emotion excites us in the same way that color excites us. The scheme, in contrast, seems to require a more active response. We detect the object, establish its structural framework, relate the parts to the whole. Similarly, the mind dominates impulses, applies principles, coordinates a variety of experiences, and decides upon a course of action."

Participating artists:

Pelagia Androulaki / Eleni Arvanitaki / Christianna Asprouli / Kostis Atsalis / Evangelia Vekiaropoulou / Eleni Vogiatzaki / Alexandros Voutsas / Stella Yagoulis / Aikaterini Gounari / Dimitra Gounari / Magda Dimoudi / Phaedra Englesou / Thanasis Zisis / Maria Zygomala / George Iliadis / George Kokkinos / Giorgos Kokkinos / / Dimitra Kotsonas / Konstantinos Kounalis / Dimitra Koufopoulou / Vasiliki Kostopoulou / Irini Monommatou / Olga Moutsianou / Kristi Boutsai / Louiana Papadopoulou / Gina Papadopoulou / Maria Papalexiou / Christiana Papamali / Stefania Papatrezi / Maria Pediaditi / Dimitris Petropoulos / Vaso Pouridou / Eleftheria Protini Sarisavva / Vivetta Sarri / Irida Spinulas / Pavlos Spourelas / Alexandra Stefanidou / Anthi Symeonidou / Antigoni Tziora / Nikos Tsiotas / Maria Chalkia / Maria Harkoutsi

Opening: Friday, December 2 (6 - 9 p.m.)

Exhibition duration: December 2-16, 2022

NIKOS KAZANTZAKIS: “ASCETIC”

Group exhibition at GOVEDAROU ART GALLERY

The inspiration of the curator of the exhibition Nikolena Kalaitzaki behind her choice for the title.

Nikolena KalaitzakiArt Critic, Exhibition Curator, MA Journalist & MSc Educator writes the following for the exhibition at Govedarou Art Gallery:

Nikos Kazantzakis' "Ascetic" is for me one of the most inspiring, spiritual creations that have existed over time. It is a majestic philosophical work, contemplative, with theological and political implications, which seeks to interpret and decode the meaning of human existence, which through constant and painful struggle, through battles, victories, defeats, joys, pain and sorrows, through the realization or frustration of his dreams, he succeeds with stubbornness and invulnerable inner fist to rise to the highest of the "superman" who can calmly, with heart, declare to the end: "I hope for nothing, I am not afraid of anything, [ ...], I am free ».

The works of the exhibition draw their inspiration from the book "Ascetic", with each artist quoting his personal visual narrative, which emerges through his spiritual interaction with this work. Thus, the works presented in the exhibition thematically deal with the eternal enigma of life and death, the joy and sorrow that accompany the moments of earthly, perishable and indestructible tour, and generally embrace the concept of freedom, attempt to give shape to soul, to travel us to the dark embrace of the abyss, to the vastness of heaven or to show us even God.

Nikos Kazantzakis "Ascetic"(work completed between 1922-1923) is a magnificent and timeless intellectual creation that manages to belong to every era. And this is because, his main distillate teaching, as I personally at least perceive it, is that man if he has faith in himself and mental endurance has the power to achieve everything against all obstacles, predictions and adversities of the path • is the very creator of reality who wants, from the heart, to live. There is, indeed, so much optimism behind it! "Ascetic" I feel that it shakes us from the misery of our comfort and tells us: "Get up now and Live! Reach your dreams! " And we often need that voice ...

The purpose of Art is to live through us and those who love it.Even if we ephemerals leave ... Art will breathe because it is immortal; at least the next generations will rejoice in Art (!). I chose Govedarou Art Gallery in Thessaloniki because I always work according to my heart, mind, intuition and instinct, both personally and professionally. And this gallery includes all of the above.

Kazantzakis always characterized his book “Ascetic” as a theological work. This can be seen in the participant artworks. I believe that the reader of an intellectual creation, a book in this case, as well as the viewer of a work of art has the freedom to interpret its content in the way they perceive it. Each of us sees, what one can see and respectively feels what one can feel. In case one can see or feel something further, this is good for his evolution. The adored Kazantzakis indeed characterized his work "Ascetic" purely theological and I certainly would not dare to go against it (!), But for me, for example, "Ascetic" is something beyond that, "a hymn of life", an excellent "self-improvement manual" that provides food for thought and action.

Govedarou Art Gallery presents the group art exhibition entitled: "NIKOS KAZANTZAKIS: ASCETIC", curated by the Art Historian EKPA, MA Journalist and Member of AICA Greece, Nikolena Kalaitzaki.

The Art Historian and Curator, Nikolena Kalaitzaki, hereby notes:

"I audaciously unfold my little narrative, giving space to the thought to let the heart dance to the bloody, deep red, but even more free rhythms of an eternal ASCETIC, written in 1922 with ink. Joy and sorrow or sweet sorrow (?), life and death or something beyond (?). Abyss, perishable soul and non-perishable body or vice versa(?). The unsolved enigma and the dreams that even if they cry do not dry out; they seek to confront carnal demons and imaginary gods, fulfil and be fulfilled with majestic, disobedient offspring of a wonderful and invulnerable superman; the background is dominated by the inexhaustible light and the blue horizon.      

It is said that people never forget those who speak the truth in their hearts and Nikos Kazantzakis, the charismatic thinker, inspirational and tireless writer, internationally recognized for his valuable work is undoubtedly one of those unforgettable persons that we proudly and awely recognize as our own people, as we are blown away by the momentum of his mental warmth and superiority that stays here forever and accompanies our starlit passage. 

// WE COME from a dark abyss, we end in a dark abyss, and we call the luminous interval life. As soon as we are born the return begins, at once the setting forth and the coming back; we die in every moment. Because of this many have cried out: The goal of life is death! But as soon as we are born we begin the struggle to create, to compose, to turn matter into life; we are born in every moment. Because of this many have cried out: The goal of ephemeral life is immortality.

(Nikos Kazantzakis, extract from “Ascetic”) //".

Participant Artists:

Eleni Arvanitaki • Efthymis Argyratos • Kostis Atsalis • Stella Varna • Efi Verikiou • Maria Vlaserou • Evita Voudouri • Alexandros Voutsas • Eirini Georgopoulou • Silia Giakamozi • Skevi Giapani • Veroniki Damianidou • Faidra Englezou • Maria Zisi • Vasiliki Karampampa • Stella Koza • Kostas Kounalis • Lina Kountouraki • Dimitris Lapousis • Thanos Liakos • Ntorina Malliou • Antonia Mantzouka • Thetis Marianou • Stavroula Mitsakou • Aliki Michailidou • Eirini Monommatou • Chrysa Bezirgiannidou • Giota Bouza • Konstantina Ntziavou • Themistoklis Papapanagiotou • Vangelis Pappas • Tzeni Petropoulou • Eleftheria Rapanaki • Michalis Sismanidis • Irida Spinoula • Nikolas Fotiadis • Maria Chalkia • Katerina Chatzi • Elli Chousou

Opening: Friday, February 25 (6 - 9:30 p.m.)

Exhibition duration: February 25 - March 11, 2022

Opening hours:

Monday, Wednesday & Friday: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Tuesday, Thursday: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. & 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Saturday: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Closed on Sundays

Sponsored by: Polismagazino & Thessculture

*To enter the gallery, it is mandatory to use a mask and show a certificate of illness or vaccination. Maximum number of people staying in the space at the same time: 27 people.