Bansky stunned the world and became one of the world’s most controversial artists when one of his most famous work, The Girl With The Balloon, was partially destroyed by a shredder built into the frame, moments after it was sold for $1.4 million. Bansky goes to extremes in order to display an impactful message, with intent to inspire and motivate what he believes to be an increasingly lazy and inactive, consumerist, materialistic, unjustifiably violent and aggressive society. Quirky and political, his work may be provocative, yet it opens people's eyes to some of the most problematic aspects of the modern world.
A ‘Spiritual Awakening’ Through Graffiti
Bansky uses graffiti as a tool for political and social commentary, and social change. He starts a personal revolution through so-called ‘vandalism’ that promotes anti-consumerism. Banksy's works have dealt with various social and political themes and they typically depend on visual imagery to convey a message that touches people's hearts; his work often troubles, moves, provokes, and sometimes even outrages the audience. For example, one piece depicts a small boy covered in snow, wrapped up against the cold who excitedly tries to catch some snowflakes. However, the entire mural shows that the white flakes are in fact ash produced from industrial waste. This particular mural is Banksy's most recent work, a Christmas gift to a Welsh town adversely affected by industrial pollution.
Be Prepared To Enter The ‘World of Bansky’
Beginning on February 27th, the walls of Technopolis in Athens will turn into a virtual museum of Bansky's most emblematic works. His provocative murals may annoy many, while his anonymity and enigmatic personality make the experience mysterious. The works of one of the most celebrated pop-artists will be displayed right in front of our eyes, giving us the opportunity to praise or condemn them. This exhibition is also philanthropic, as all of its revenues will be given to Amnesty International.
The Museum of Cycladic Art presents three of Crete's ancient cities and focuses on their common characteristics: their founding, glory, decline, demolition, abandonment and finally oblivion. These cities once lost and forgotten are now revived thanks to archaeological findings dating from the Neolithic era (7th-6th millennium BC) to the Byzantine period. The exhibition includes approximately 500 artifacts that underline the cities' grandeur and importance. Some of them were recently discovered, while others have been brought to light since Evans's excavation at Knossos. Statues, figurines, inscriptions, vases, jewelry, weapons and a wide range of art work, most of which were never presented before, recount glorious stories of the past.
The most striking fact regarding the ancient city of Knossos is that the present exhibition does not focus on the famous palace but on the city that stretched beyond it. The city itself bears great historical significance since it was built long before the palace in the Neolithic period and survived through the Geometric, Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, and Roman periods, long after the palace was destroyed. The exhibition manages to demonstrate the extensive efforts of archaeologists to persistently unearth evidence that portrays the grandeur of Minoan civilization and the magnificence of Knossos.
As far as the city of Eleftherna is concerned, it is worth nothing that the site's specific location was unknown until the 18th - 19th century. With an initiative of Eleftherios Venizelos the area was explored by Efstathios Petroulakis. A couple of decades later, Humfry Payne conducted a short-lived archaeological excavation, however, systematic excavations did not begin until 1984.
Last but not least, Aptera was identified by R. Pashley in 1834. The first excavations were conducted by the French Archaeological School and later, by various Greek, Italian and German archaeologists. Systematic excavations began in 1958 by the Greek Archaeological Service and are still ongoing.
Guided tours: Every Saturday and Sunday at 12:30
Duration: Until April 30
One of the greatest and most productive contemporary dance companies returns to the Athens Concert Hall to dazzle its audience. The Nederlands Dans Theater I, which was founded in 1959 by Benjamin Harkarvy, Aart Verstegen and Carel Birnie together with 18 members of the Dutch National Ballet, got unprecedented recognition and success due to its ingenuity and anti-conformity. The famous Czech choreographer Jiří Kylián, who worked as NTD's artistic director, dynamically contributed to the group's unrivalled reputation by investing in young dancers and fresh talent, offering them the opportunity to stand out internationally.
NTD will be in Athens again to present three extraordinary choreographies – two old and one brand new. Safe as Houses, Partita for 8 Dancers, and Walk the Demon will be exquisitely performed by the brilliant dancers and soloists of the The Nederlands Dans Theater I.
This event will be held on February 1, 2, 3, 4 at the Alexandra Trianti Hall.
117 years ago, Anton Chekhov wrote "Three Sisters" as a comedy about the problem of human orientation in life and in order to describe how our eagerness to fulfil our dreams and the idea of the future prevent us from fully living fully in the present; nowadays, people still tend to do the very same. They only look forward to the future and the present is taken for granted as if it will last forever. The Onassis Cultural Centre (SGT) will be staging this outstanding work by Anton Chekhov on its main stage from the 16th-27th of January.
Dimitris Xanthopoulos stages “Three Sisters” by depicting the suffocating environment of a provincial town, where three sisters are trapped or at least feel trapped, unable to do anything to escape. In this production, the lead role of the younger sister, Irina, is played by a young non-professional, Kalliopi Kanellopoulou-Stamou, who dazzled audiences with her talent at the OCC's Onassis Youth Festival. The other two sisters Olga and Massa are portrayed by Mando Giannikou and Angeliki Papathemeli respectively, and lastly, Kulygin's role is played by Vasilis Karamboulas. Sink into Chekhov's world and discover the hidden meaning behind the words and the silence, as well as the protagonists’ inner demeanour. “Three Sisters” is a play that depicts a static yet charming world in which everyone desperately tries to fit.
