The City of Athens, through its Organization for Culture, Sports and Youth (OPANDA), presents the exhibition “Sunflowers in Darkness and in Light”, on view from September 21 to November 9, 2025, at the Angeliki Hatzimichali Museum of Folk Art and Tradition, in collaboration with the volunteer group Velones in Action.
Art as a Bridge to the Deafblind Community
The exhibition seeks to raise awareness about the deafblind community — people living with combined vision and hearing disabilities — through the universal language of art. It invites visitors to understand and connect with those supported by the Panhellenic Association of the Deafblind “To Iliotropio” (The Sunflower), the only organization in Greece dedicated to their education, empowerment, and social inclusion.
The title “Sunflowers in Darkness and in Light” draws on the sunflower as a symbol of hope, brightness, and communication. Chosen by the deafblind community, the flower embodies strength and resilience — always turning toward the light, even when unseen.
Two Worlds, One Experience: Darkness and Light
The exhibition unfolds as a dialogue between art and sensory experience, between darkness and illumination. It is not about loss, but about perception and reconnection — an exploration of how communication and presence take on new forms beyond sight and sound.
Divided into two main spaces — the Room of Darkness and the Room of Light — the exhibition encourages visitors to explore through touch, movement, and reflection.
In the Room of Darkness, the sense of isolation and silence gives way to tactile understanding. Sculptures, reliefs, and installations are designed to be experienced by touch, inviting visitors to “see” with their hands and to feel the language of texture and form.
In contrast, the Room of Light bursts with color, movement, and energy — filled with sunflowers, natural and artistic, symbolizing openness, connection, and vitality.
Threads of Expression
Participating artists — textile creators from Greece and abroad, along with members of Velones in Action — present works inspired by the sunflower’s symbolism. Through color, thread, and texture, they create art dedicated to the deafblind community: to people who may move unseen among us, yet whose presence and experience call for recognition, empathy, and genuine connection.
As the artists describe it:
“Our participation brings forward a flower that looks not only toward the sun, but also toward the soul — a sunflower that turns to the light even when it cannot see it. A symbol of light within silence and darkness.”
The exhibition is accessible to visitors with vision disabilities, with Braille information provided in collaboration with the Panhellenic Association of the Deafblind “To Iliotropio.”
At the end of the exhibition, participating artists will donate selected works to the Association, to be sold at a charity art bazaar supporting its mission.
Exhibition Details
- Duration: September 21 – November 9, 2025
- Curator: Stavroula Pisimisi, folklorist and Head of the Angeliki Hatzimichali Museum
- Organized by: OPANDA & Velones in Action
- Venue: Angeliki Hatzimichali Museum of Folk Art and Tradition, 6 Angelikis Hatzimichali Street, Plaka
- Hours: Tuesday–Friday 11:00–16:00, Saturday–Sunday 10:00–15:00 (Closed Mondays)
- Admission: Free
- Accessible to visitors with vision disabilities, Braille information provided
