NEW TERRITORIES

Exhibition Dates: February 3rd – May 15th 2016
Venue: Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum | 4 Karyatidon and 12 Kallisperi, Athens, Greece

The new exhibition at the Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum, “New territories”, brings together 50 established and emerging Greek studio jewelry artists presenting unique works show cased for the first time.

Handcrafted in the workshops of the artists, these jewelry objects are the antithesis of commercial high end, fine or jewelry of mass production. These works display a progression from traditional Greek metalsmithing to the use of new techniques and types, straying from the two-dimensional form and materials of the traditional object. They are marked by their direct and close connection to socio-political developments, the world of fashion and international trends in studio jewelry. The exhibition aims to showcase the talent as well as to highlight them as part of a vibrant current in contemporary visual art.

The exhibition illustrates the designers’ boundless imagination as well as the dynamism of a new “industry” associated to international studio jewelry production. New trends in crafts have grown to reply to global competition reflecting current events. Still, history and cultural traditions are very much embedded in the Greek artists’ agenda and the artists have been inspired from ancient Greek mythological heroes to Byzantine religious art and Greek regional costumes from the 17th and 18th centuries. However, evoking a moment in time is just what the artists attempt to show in this exhibition. It is here were we meet some troubled citizens influenced by the current economic unrest exploring a visual representation of catastrophe and then hope. Others seek a more romantic side of contemporary making and address environmental issues, using driftwood and dried flowers. Many of the artists have become involved in teaching classes to mentor the young ones in their own secrets. These experienced artists share with us works that are conceptual but of the highest technical craftsmanship. In the hands of the craftsmen we find that wearable jewelry can become free standing objects and vice versa, leaving the viewer to experience and imagine form and function in three dimensions.

Bridging geographical barriers we find that many of the participants have participated in shows in European countries mainly Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands. Their participation in art fairs and major jewelry shows has brought them experience with current trends and a new know how. But there is still some way until a higher recognition from museum curators and private collectors. After 22 years of presenting innovative temporary exhibitions with decorative arts and promoting studio jewelry in Greece, the ILJM once again attempts to take the initiative to showcase the work of contemporary artists active in Greece and abroad. For this we have enriched our winter program with lectures by distinguished international guests from museums and galleries, art historians and collectors who will meet with the artists and give lectures to the public. Also in the next few months artists will organize events to better demonstrate their work to experts and the public through lectures, workshops, performances and highlight the educational role of the exhibition.

Meet the Artists:

MARIA APOSTOLOPOULOU • CHRISTINA ATHANASOULA MANTZAVINOS • SOFIA BACHLAVA SARINA BEZA • ERATO BOUCOYANNI • CORINNA COUTOUZI • DIMITRIS DASSIOS STELLA DELIGIANNI • ISMINI DOUZENI • ACHILLEUS GEORGIADIS • AFRODITI GOULA AKIS GOUMAS • GEORGIA GREMOUTI • MARIA GRIGORIOU • DORA HARALAMBAKI IOSIF IOSIFIDIS • MARIA KALAOGLOU • ANASTASIA KANDARAKI • KONSTANTINA KARAGEORGI NIKOS KARAKOSTAS • HARA KARAMICHALI • VOULA KARAMPATZAKI • STAVROULA KAZIALE APOSTOLOS KLEITSIOTIS • VALLY KONTIDIS • MARIA KOUTMANI • MARIA MARGONI MARIA MASTORI • MARY ZOI MOUSTAKOUDES • DIMITRIS NIKOLAIDIS POLYTIMI NIKOLOPOULOU • DESPINA PANTAZOPOULOU • SOFIA PAPALEXIOU KATERINA PIMENIDU • EVANGELOS POLYZOS • GEORGIOS POLYZOS • ASPASIA POLYZOU MARIA PSARIANOU • KATERINA PSOMA • ANGELIKI ROCANAS • ANDRONIKOS SAGIANNOS IOANNIS SIOTIS • CHRISTINA SOUBLI • VASILEIOS STAMOULIS • SOFIA ZARARI GESTHIMANI ZOULOVITS

http://www.lalaounis-jewelrymuseum.gr/
http://www.lalaounis-jewelrymuseum.gr/archive-past-exhibitions/