Tis Lygeris to Forema, tis Nifis to Foustani” – A Narrative Embroidery Exhibition

The City of Athens presents the exhibition “Tis Lygeris to Forema, tis Nifis to Foustani” at the Angeliki Chatzimichali Museum of Folk Art and Tradition from February 6 to March 16, 2025. A collaboration with the Folklore and Historical Museum of Larissa, this exhibition showcases 16 embroidered pieces narrating the traditional Greek wedding preparations.

Created by contemporary Larissa-based embroiderers, the works highlight wedding customs, protective rituals, and symbolic motifs while also reflecting on social issues such as gender roles and inequality. The exhibition reinterprets embroidery as a storytelling medium, much like the historic Bayeux Tapestry, using folk art to comment on tradition and modern identity.

As part of the exhibition, a special event on March 9 at 12:00pm will honor three pioneering women in Greek culture: folklorist Angeliki Hatzimichali, Folklore and Historical Museum of Larissa founder Lena Gourgioti, and folklorist-painter Athina Tarsouli.

Dates: February 6-March 16

Hours: Tuesday-Friday 11am-4pm, Saturday & Sunday : 10am-3pm

Admission: Free

‘Athens’ Polykatoikias 1930-1975: Formation of a Typology’ at Goethe-Institut Athen

Photographer: Dimitris Kleanthis/Athens’ Polykatoikias 1930-1975.

The urban polykatoikia is the type of building that transformed Athens into a modern metropolis in the 20th century. For forty-five years, this model was the undisputed residential ideal of all social classes. The exhibition Athens’ Polykatokias 1930-1975. Formation of a Typology approaches the polykatoikia typology as an urban heritage in which ideas and visions for urban life and cohabitation were inscribed and gradually condensed into a final, iconic form.

Photographs and architectural plans trace the innovative evolution of concepts for key polykatoikia features – floor plans, entrances and balconies. The presentation of polykatoikia designs from five decades is a retrospective tribute to the Greek architects who contributed to the formation of this building type, eventually providing the models for the informal polykatoikia mass production of the post-war years.

The exhibition is based on the 2023 book “Athens’ Polykatoikias 1930-1975” by the German architect Kilian Schmitz-Hübsch and Greek photographer Dimitris Kleanthis.

Dates: February 7-March 1

Hours: Monday-Thursday 8am-10pm, Friday 8am-5pm, Saturday 8am-1:30pm

Admission: Free

“Africa Among Us*” at the Benaki Museum- Pireos 138

The Benaki Museum, in collaboration with the ANASA Cultural Center for African Arts and Cultures, presents “Africa Among Us”, a participatory exhibition that amplifies the voices of Greece’s Afro-diasporic community. Inspired by a recent donation of objects from Nigeria, Cameroon, and Kenya, the exhibition weaves together museum artifacts, personal items, and oral histories to highlight African, Afro-Greek, and pan-African cultural heritage.

Beyond the main display, the exhibition features over 30 events, including performances, discussions, workshops, guided tours, and a pop-up exhibition by African artists based in Greece. Addressing themes of identity, representation, and cultural rights, “Africa Among Us” explores complex topics such as Greekness, Blackness, justice, and discrimination in contemporary Greek society.

Dates: February 13-May 25

Hours: Thursday-Sunday 10am- 6pm, FridaySaturday 10am – 10pm

Admission: ticket required

Borrowed Time: The Toil of the Artist through the work of Yannis Pappas

Borrowed Time: The Toil of the Artist through the work of Yannis Pappas/Benaki Museum

Another exhibition of the Benaki Museum, “Borrowed Time” offers a rare insight into the artistic journey of renowned sculptor Yannis Pappas, celebrating the challenges of the creative process. Featuring a diverse collection of drawings, paintings, sculptures, and photographs, it moves beyond the finished work to reveal the layers of effort, inspiration, and experimentation that shape an artist’s vision.

By showcasing different media side by side, the exhibition explores how ideas evolve over time, emphasizing dedication and artistic labor. The title reflects Pappas’ perception of time—not as a constraint, but as a borrowed resource that enriches creation.

Dates: February 20-July 27

Hours: Thursday, Sunday 10am- 6pm, Friday, Saturday 10am-10pm

Admission: ticket required

“Voices of Africa” at Roma Gallery – A Celebration of Contemporary African Art

Adjei Tawiah (b.1987), I can’t be held back, 2023, Oil on canvas with sponge
152.4 x 121,9 cm

Boris Nzebo (b. 1979), The Heart of Man, 2016, Acrylic on canvas, 150 x 150 cm

Roma Gallery presents Voices of Africa, an exhibition showcasing the dynamism and innovation of contemporary African art. Featuring works by distinguished artists such as Aboudia Abdoulaye Diarrassouba, Sejiro Avoseh, Amadou Opa Bathily, Amani Bodo, Armand Boua, Salifou Lindou, Boris Nzebo, Hyacinthe Quattara, Yeanzi Saint Etienne, and Adjei Tawiah, the exhibition captures Africa’s rich artistic landscape.

Salifou Lindou (b.1965), Untitled, 2022, Pastel on paper mounted on canvas, 200 x 150 cm

Through bold compositions, intricate textures, and striking colors, Voices of Africa explores themes of identity, urbanization, and cultural transformation in contemporary Africa.

Dates: January 30-March 1

Hours: Thursday, Sunday 10am- 6pm, Friday, Saturday 10am-10pm

Admission: No ticket required

Theodoros, sculptor – In Lieu of a Retrospective at EMΣT | The National Museum of Contemporary Art, Athens

Theodoros, sculptor Sculpture for Public Participation – Participation Prohibited , 1970-2005 Installation Photographic installation 2 digital prints 160 x 100 cm each, Donated by the artist, 2007.

The first major exhibition dedicated to sculptor Thodoros since his passing, showcasing nearly all his works and extensive archival material he bequeathed to EMST. The exhibition highlights his pioneering contributions to Greek sculpture, his engagement with performance art, sound sculptures, conceptual works, and institutional critique. Thodoros was a vocal advocate for the social and political role of the artist, actively shaping public discourse through media presence. The exhibition also includes works by five contemporary artists—Nikos Arvanitis, Paki Vlassopoulou, Iris & Lida Lykourioti, Kostas Bassanos, and Yiannis Papadopoulos—who critically engage with themes central to Thodoros’ practice. The exhibition will be inaugurated by Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni.

Theodoros, sculptor, …The clay brings us closer, 1997, Wood, metal, clay, fabric, 150 x 180 x 120 cm, Theodoros’ sculptor Inheritance

Dates: February 8 2025- February 2026

Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 11am-7pm

Admission: ticket required

“That’s What she said” by Sofia Rozaki

According to the curator, Eleni Michailidi: Titled “that’s what she said”, the exhibition appropriates a common punchline with a supposedly unintended humorous double entendre: a double meaning, one of which is typically obvious, while the other suggests an underlying message with sexual connotations. The artist as a badge of honor – an open call to forge and render visible non-traditional feminist kinships and relationships, re-appropriates this sexist cliché negative speech act.

Rozaki’s mixed-media paintings balance queer formalism and surrealism, blending everyday details, pop culture, art history references, and feminist iconography.

Dates: February 13- March 15

Hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 11am-9pm, Wednesday, Saturday 11am-3pm

Admission: Free