Though the life of Medusa was cut short by the premature passing of its creator in 2017, she had the foresight to entrust her closest associates with the double undertaking of the book publication and the accompanying exhibition, and to provide for its realisation.
The exhibition chronicles the activity of the Medusa Art Gallery through historical works by its artists, shown for the first time at the gallery on 7 Xenokratous Street. This presentation illuminates the personal artwork collection created by Maria Dimitriadis and which, in accordance with her wishes, was bequeathed to the National Gallery – Alexandros Soutsos Museum. The exhibition also includes works on loan from Medusa’s artists, collectors, museums and institutions, in order to be as illustrative as possible of the character of the gallery itself and the work of the artists during the specific periods it promoted and represented them.
Through a loosely chronological timeline and a wealth of photographic and archival material, but, most of all, through a sequence of units based on the eclectic affinities between the artists and their works, the exhibition not only showcases the historical development of the Medusa Art Gallery and the avant-garde – even in current terms – nature of Maria Dimitriadis’ choices, but also rouses thoughts and questions regarding an entire life cycle of Greek art galleries from the post-junta “Metapolitefsi” era until the present. Shining through this voyage emerges inevitably the distinctive personality of Maria Dimitriadis, who left an indelible mark upon the Athenian art scene of the past four decades.
The exhibition presents over 230 works by 57 artists and accompanies a fully illustrated 456-page book, published in separate Greek and English editions. In addition, the exhibition will be complemented by a series of parallel events (guided tours, round table discussion, etc.), the details and dates of which will be announced shortly.