Exhibition “Greece, an iconic land. Art in the Greek National Tourism Organisation posters (1929-1976)”

46 poster-artworks

The exhibition “Greece, an iconic land. Art in the Greek National Tourism Organisation posters (1929-1976)” features 46 poster-artworks by leading artists and photographers who placed Greece on the international cultural map and shaped its visual identity.

The posters come from the Alpha Bank Art Collection, the National Historical Museum and the private collection of Spiros P. Gaoutsis.

Greece as a living cultural experience

The exhibition aims to highlight how, as early as the Interwar period, Greece shaped a clear international image, one closely associated with art, aesthetics and culture.

The exhibition traces the way in which Greece introduced itself to the world. Through colours, compositions and aesthetic explorations, the country is presented as a living cultural experience and a source of inspiration, beyond the concept of a mere travel destination.

Corfu in the spotlight

A special mention is made of the island of Corfu, as it is a destination that played a pivotal role in the development of Greek tourism.

The 2 distinctive exhibition posters depicting Corfu shed light on the island’s enduring relationship with travel and cultural encounters. 

The artistic identity of Greek tourism

The history of tourism in Greece is inextricably linked to the course of the modern Greek state.

As of 1929 and for many decades, the posters of the Greek National Tourism Organisation were not merely advertising media, but authentic works of art created by prominent artists of the 20th century.

Some of the artists standing out among them are:

• Yannis Tsarouchis
• Yiannis Moralis
• Panayiotis Tetsis
• Spyros Vassiliou
• Periklis Vyzantios
• Louisa Montesantou
• Nelly’s

Through her photographic lens, Nelly’s played a significant role in highlighting Greece as a place of myth and light.

This creative journey also includes: Freddy Carabott, Michalis Katzourakis, Nikos Kostopoulos, Giorgos Vakirtzis, Panagiotis Gravalos and Georgios Kosmadopoulos, all of whom contributed greatly to shaping the aesthetic identity of Greek tourism.

Curators and contributors

• Coordination: Dr Dimitra Tsangari
• Scientific supervision: Dr Dimitra Tsangari, Dr Despina Tsourgianni, Georgia Mazi, Alpha Bank Art Collection, and Ifigenia Vogiatzi, National Historical Museum
• Organisational support: Konstantinos Christopoulos - Banknote Museum of Ionian Bank, Eleni Kakouri - Alpha Bank Numismatic Collection; Natasa Kastriti - National Historical Museum; Regina Katsimardou -  Historical Documents Archive, Historical and Ethnological Society of Greece
• Art direction: Dimitris E. Koliadimas, Semiotik Design Agency
• Digital app: Tool Digital Agency
• Conservation of works: Christina Tsaroucha (Alpha Bank posters), Nikoleta Tasiouli, Eleni Katsadouri (National Historical Museum posters)
• Digital prints: Nikos Paschalidis

The exhibition is accompanied by the Alpha Bank publication Greece, an iconic land. Art in the Greek National Tourism Organisation posters (1929-1976). The publication is available in both Greek and English and offers a wealth of material, including images of all the exhibition posters and captions with information about their creation. It was edited by Dr Dimitra Tsangari.

Buy the publication Greece, an iconic land. Art in the Greek National Tourism Organisation posters (1929-1976) on the Alpha Bank e‑shop (only available in Greek).