On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the death of painter, iconographer, and writer Fotis Kontoglou (1895–1965), the Melina Mercouri Cultural Centre presents Taximia: In the Tradition of the Greek Way – From History to Contemporary Painting, an ambitious exhibition that examines the continuity and relevance of the so-called “Greek way” in visual art.
Far from a retrospective alone, the exhibition unfolds as an extensive artistic and editorial project dedicated to Kontoglou’s spirit and intellectual legacy, bringing Greek tradition into the present through the work of contemporary artists who continue to engage with its principles.
Greek writer, painter and icon painter Fotis Kontoglou.
A Dialogue Across Generations
Featuring approximately 150 works, the exhibition traces a lineage that links some of the most significant figures of modern Greek art. Works by Fotis Kontoglou, Stefanos Almaliotis, Aginor Asteriadis, Rallis Kopsidis, and Tasos Mantzavinos are presented alongside pieces from private collections managed by the Archive of Modern Greek Religious Art, as well as major loans from the Vogiatzoglou Art Gallery.
The narrative expands to include seminal artists such as Yiannis Moralis, Vasso Katraki, Kostas Papanikolaou, Konstantinos Parthenis, Yiannis Tsarouchis, Pavlos Samios, and Alekos Fassianos, while also highlighting contemporary creators who draw inspiration from the same cultural and aesthetic foundations.
The Greek Way as Living Practice
Rather than defining the “Greek way” as a closed stylistic school, the exhibition approaches it as an attitude, a mode of engagement with the world. It is visible in the line that captures light rather than describes it, in a colour palette shaped by memory and place, and in motifs that carry the pulse of folk tradition. This is an art that does not merely observe, but converses — with history, with lived experience, and with the present moment.
The exhibition also foregrounds the vital role of collectors, private initiatives, and cultural institutions in safeguarding and sustaining this continuity. Key contributors include the non-profit organisation DOMOS, painter Giorgos Kordis, the Martinos–Kontoglou family, the Archive of Modern Greek Religious Art, and the Vogiatzoglou Art Gallery, whose combined efforts frame Greek artistic identity as an ongoing dialogue rather than a static inheritance.
Self-Portrait with His Wife and Daughter – Donor Inscription – 1932 – Fresco – 60 × 90 cm
Fotis Kontoglou and the Formation of Modern Greek Art
Born in Ayvalik in 1895, Fotis Kontoglou emerged as a defining figure of modern Greek art through his lifelong quest for authenticity. Drawing on Byzantine iconography, folk painting, and earlier traditions such as Fayum portraits, he championed a return to Greek visual roots across painting, ecclesiastical art, and literature.
Kontoglou’s influence proved decisive for the evolution of modern church painting and the broader search for Greek cultural identity. A central figure of the Generation of the ’30s, he mentored artists such as Yiannis Tsarouchis and Nikos Engonopoulos, leaving a profound mark on 20th-century Greek art.
A Collectible Publication and Parallel Events
Accompanying the exhibition is a collectible volume published by DOMOS Editions, featuring texts by leading scholars, artists, and critics. The publication includes reproductions of the exhibited works and an in-depth essay by art historian Niovi Kritiki, who examines the Greek way as a living, evolving artistic continuum.
The exhibition programme is further enriched with archival material, educational activities, guided tours, reflective essays, and musical events, ensuring wide public engagement and national visibility.
Practical Information
Venue: Melina Mercouri Cultural Centre, Municipality of Athens
66 Irakleidon Street, Thissio (1st floor)
Opening Hours:
Tuesday–Friday: 11:00–19:00
Saturday & Sunday: 11:00–15:00
Admission: Free
Organiser: DOMOS – Centre for Research, Arts & Culture
Concept: Giorgos Kordis
Curator: Niovi Kritikou
Participating contemporary artists include: Demosthenis Avramidis, Nektarios Antonopoulos, Giorgos Armakollas, Fotis Varthis, Giannis Efthymiou, Markos Kampanis, Nikos Kanavos, Kostas Karakitsos, Christos Kehagioglou, Giorgos Kordis, Alekos Kyrarinis, Dina Liarostathi, Nektarios Mamais, Aimilios Metaxas, Stavroula Mitsakou, Anastasios Bampatzias, Christos Papadakis, Xenia Papadopoulou, Gina Papadopoulou, Achilleas Papakostas, Fr. Stamatis Skliris, Kostas Papatriantafyllopoulos, Babis Pylarinos, Tzeni Saridi, Hampis, Pantazis Tselios, Emmeleia Filippopoulou, and Fayi Psychopaïdopoulou.
