The juxtaposition of the avant-garde and antiquity. Attending a modern dance recital, theatrical or musical performance in an ancient theatre, such as Epidaurus or Herodion. The wealth of contemporary culture in Greece is plentiful and easily accessible. You’ll visit modern art exhibits in the museums of Athens, Thessaloniki, Rhodes and Andros.
You’ll experience music under the stars at concerts in village squares and screen films in open-air cinemas – a summertime staple, especially in Plaka and in the National Garden. The outdoor concerts of Corfu’s philharmonic orchestra are famous. There are new, groundbreaking artists to discover, installations in the hip neighbourhood of Gazi and the annual International Film Festival of Thessaloniki. The arts and modern culture in Greece will overwhelm you.
Every season of the year, contemporary art can be found everywhere in Greece. Foreign and Greek artists of international acclaim present their work in mystical and sacred spaces of historical significance. Ancient theatres, specially designed venues for performances inside castles, renovated industrial spaces and warehouses, squares, pedestrian streets and traditional villages. All sorts of unique places are transformed into provocative settings, where you’ll have the opportunity to encounter Greek modern art that’s world-renowned.
Contemporary Art Venues In Greece
Sitting in the grandstands of the ancient theatre of Epidaurus, you’ll be awed by cutting-edge performances. In the whitewashed patios of island chapels, next to the sea and under the moon, you’ll listen to Greek popular music. In the cobblestone streets of mediaeval Kastelli, you’ll attend the Santorini Biennale, a meeting point for artists and designers from all over the world. And in the old warehouses in the port of Thessaloniki, you’ll admire the work of modern Greek photographers.
On the islands and in its cities, artists find inspiration and refuge. Notable are the performances and recitals of the Athens Festival, held at the ancient theatres of Epidaurus and Herodion. Make time for the Modern Art Museum of Rhodes, or go to Andros, where there are periodic exhibitions of internationally acclaimed artists. Don’t miss the Kalamata International Dance Festival, the Lefkas International Folklore Festival and the installations at the DESTE Foundation in Hydra.
In Athens, you’ll visit the impressive collection at the redesigned new Benaki Museum, the Athenian Annex of the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art in Thiseion, DESTE (founded by the collector Dakis Ioannou), and Technopolis in Gazi. Contemporary art in the capital is thriving with new arrivals: In the spring of 2014, the famous old Fix brewery will become the new home of the National Museum of Contemporary Art.
Depending on the season, you’ll attend the Athens Biennale, Art-Athina or the Athens Video Art Festival. And there’s more – dozens of modern art galleries can be found in all the large cities and cosmopolitan islands of the Aegean. The alliance between the ancient and the avant-garde is what makes the art scene here unique.
