Exhibition “WOMEN. Greek Female Artists in the Alpha Bank Collection”

46 pieces by 41 female artists

The exhibition “WOMEN. Greek Female Artists in the Alpha Bank Collection” features 46 representative works, created by 41 Greek female artists out of a total of the 145 represented in the Alpha Bank Collection. Through these works, the fascinating course of Greek female artists unfolds, from the late 19th century, when they boldly began claiming their place in the artistic world, to the dawn of the 21st century.

The aim of the exhibition is to showcase women’s contribution to every aspect of artistic creation, despite the obstacles and discrimination they faced over time.

The first artistic steps in the 19th century

For centuries, women's involvement in art was mostly on an amateur level. Things began to change in the last quarter of the 19th century, when the first women were admitted to the previously male-dominated Athens School of Fine Arts.

Having received professional artistic training, female artists soon claimed a place in the public arena. In the following decades, they didn’t hesitate to experiment with new media and techniques, while securing significant positions in leading artistic institutions and education.

Modern challenges

The new millennium brought about new challenges for female artists, who were called upon to take on multiple and often conflicting roles. However, they never stopped experimenting. Women painters crossed over from representation to abstraction, printmakers started using new media alongside traditional techniques, while other artists turned to sculpture and installations, contributing greatly to their shaping and evolution.

Today, with the rapid advancement of technology, female artists constantly seek new forms of expression, leading to the rejuvenation and enrichment of artistic language, as well as the creation of original works with various techniques and themes.

5 sections

The exhibition is structured in 5 sections. The aim is not to simply provide a linear overview of individual cases in an artificial chronological sequence. Instead, through this structure, the intention is to set female artists’ accomplishments in the broader context of the educational, social and political achievements of each era.

The sections are hosted in 4 exhibition rooms on the 2nd floor of the Banknote Museum of Ionian Bank.

• 1st room: Women in the world of art – The first steps (late 19th – early 20th century)
  This section showcases works by women who took the first bold steps as professional creators in painting, printmaking and photography from the late 19th to the early 20th century: Eleni Prosalenti, Thalia Flora-Karavia, Athina Tarsouli, Aglaia Papa, Eurydice Costopoulos, Charikleia Alexandridou-Stefanopoulou, Koula Bekiari, Isabella Charbouri, Ira Economidou, Rea Leontaritou, Nelly's.

• 2nd room: Painting – From representation to abstraction
  The public discovers works by female artists who, during the 2nd half of the 20th century and the early 21st, established their presence in painting, evolved and dared to experiment beyond the narrow boundaries of representation, turning towards abstraction: Zenika Petroutsi, Daphne Costopoulos, Annie Costopoulos, Maria Roussea, Chryssa Romanou, Niki Kanagini, Opy Zouni, Vana Ksenou, Marigo Kassi, Irini Gonou.
  
  
• 3rd room: Printmaking – Traditional techniques and experimentation with new media, Sculpture
  The section focuses on printmaking works that highlight the female perspective and contribution to the various forms of printed art. It includes works by: Vaso Katraki, Elli Mourelou-Orfanou, Zizi Makri, Loukia Maggiorou, Louisa Montesantou, Iris Drakouli, Mariora Exarchopoulou, Rena Tzolaki, Tonia Nikolaidi, Vicky Tsalamata, Aria Komianou, and Dina Kotsiou. In the same room, 2 works by internationally renowned Greek-American sculptress Chryssa are also presented.
  
  
• 4th room: Contemporary art – Revamping the visual arts landscape
  This room features works that express modern explorations and trends, as shaped in the new digital reality. It includes works by: Natalia-Aikaterini Kerkyra, Daphne Costopoulos, Gina Delassouda, Aristea Charoniti, Penny Gkeka, Natassa Poulantza, and Alexandra Kyritsi.

The history of the Alpha Bank Art Collection

In a separate room, the history of the Alpha Bank Art Collection is presented for the first time through a timeline and a short video.

App designed specifically for the exhibition

Through the digital app designed specifically for the purposes of the exhibition, the audience may learn more about each of the 41 female artists, as well as view all their works that belong to the Collection.

Curators and contributors

• Coordination: Dr Dimitra Tsangari
• Scientific supervision – Texts: Dr Despina Tsourgianni, Georgia Mazi (MA)
  Architectural design: Chara Marantidou, mulo creative lab
• Publication design: Thymios Presvytis, Peak Design
• Digital app with the 41 women of the exhibition: Tool digital agency

The exhibition is accompanied by the publication WOMEN. Greek Female Artists in the Alpha Bank Collection – Exhibition Catalogue: Corfu 2024. The publication has a wealth of photographic material and is available in Greek and English. It was edited by Despina Tsourgianni, Georgia Mazi.

At the same time, a larger publication titled WOMEN. Greek Female Artists in the Alpha Bank Collection, which includes all 145 Greek female artists represented in the Alpha Bank Art Collection, is also available on the occasion of the exhibition. It was also edited by Despina Tsourgianni, Georgia Mazi.