Art travels to islands
Toward the end of June, most Athens galleries close and the art scene shifts to the islands. The gallery scene on the islands is, of course, almost non-existent but there are certain summer art events that have special significance. The exhibition that is organized each year at the Basil and Elise Goulandris Museum of Contemporary Art on Andros is one such reputable event. This year, the exhibition is on Juan Miro, in the first exhibition of the work of the surrealist artist in Greece. Also on Andros is an exhibition at another of the island’s cultural institutions, the Petros and Marika Kydonieos Foundation. The foundation’s annual exhibition focuses on Greek art, with a group show on the work of Alekos Fasianos, Vassilis Sperantzas and Nikos Stefanou scheduled for this year. The annual Ermoupoleia festival on Syros has turned that island into another cultural summer spot and a retrospective exhibition on Manolis Haros is planned for the month of August. The opening of the Rhodes Municipal Gallery will be yet another cultural highlight for this summer. While to the south, the town of Rethymnon in Crete is also renowned for its cultural activities. The Rethymnon Center for Contemporary Art has gained a reputation for innovative exhibitions with a contemporary angle. An ephemeral installation by the Afi group and a retrospective exhibition on artist Maria Loizidou are already on view at the Fortezza (the old fortress), one of the town’s most picturesque sites. Showtime
