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. 

Opening ceremony

The Chair of the Alpha Bank Board, Mr Dimitris Tsitsiragos, attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition at the Banknote Museum of Ionian Bank. In his speech, he highlighted the long-standing connection of the bank with Corfu as well as the integral relationship between culture, tourism and economic growth.

“For Alpha Bank, Corfu is not just another place where we do business; it is a location of significant strategic importance, with which we have a long-standing relationship. This exhibition precisely captures this connection: it serves as a reminder that culture, tourism and economic development do not follow separate paths, but are parts of the same shared journey; one which we have the responsibility to continue, with consistency and vision.”

The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Stefanos Gkikas, the GNTO President, Angeliki Varela, the President of the Alpha Bank Cultural Foundation, Vasileios Rapanos, the Head of the Art Collection, Dr Dimitra Tsangari, as well as representatives of the local government and local institutions.

The Minister of Tourism, Olga Kefalogianni, sent a written address, noting that “the GNTO posters of that period represent a special chapter in Greek graphic design and in the country’s contemporary cultural history in general. Landscape, history, culture and human activity blend seamlessly with the verbal message, composing a visual identity imbued with a strong romanticism, which was decisive in establishing our country as a unique travel destination.”

Read more in the Press Release.

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
• Architectural design: Christina Gesiou
• Digital app: Tool Digital Agency
• Artwork transportation and installation: MOVE ART SA
• 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.