With the completion of the Acropolis museum in Athens, the argument concerning the Elgin marbles has once again come to the forefront of debate with what is arguably a clear and simple argument. Greece wants them back, please. Cut away from the almighty Parthenon temple that stands on the Acropolis of Athens, the Parthenon […]
Observations from the Urban Field.
During last year’s unusually warm winter, a cockroach society flourished in the dank kitchen of a ground-floor flat in one of the most densely-populated areas of the world, Kypseli. There were roaches in the sink, in the carpet, on the canvases, and on the tables. Without exaggeration, there were enough roaches to carpet the floor of […]
For the Sake of Argument: Painting Versus Installation
The Saatchi Gallery’s exhibition ‘The Triumph of Painting’ confronted the challenges painters face in a hyper-realistic age that is directed by photographic image. The exhibition aimed to revive the value of painting after a decade saturated with the 3D installations of the Young British Art movement. Saatchi, once a champion of these rebellious YBA’s, sold […]
…and the times they are a changin: A Eurosceptic accepting the Euro
Major economic reforms have been taking place in Greece since the early 1990s and one of the strongest catalysts for these changes has been the Euro. In November 2001, the price of a return ticket from Pireaus to the island of Crete cost ten thousand drachmas. One year later, after the EU had officially converted […]
Challenging Greek Art: Anathena
The commercial Greek art scene has always been traditionalist. One only needs to look at the notorious entry requirements for the Athens College of Art to understand this. Every year, a select few pass the entrance exams to attain a good degree with a weighty reputation after a five-year time-honoured education in ‘Fine Art’ […]