VOLOS ACADEMY FOR THEOLOGICAL STUDIES
Department of the Research, Management and Conservation of Byzantine and post-Byzantine Monuments and Relics
Folklore Art Museum of Lyceum of Volos Greek Women
Volos Cultural Hestia of Minor Asia Emigrants “IONES”
According to Mr. Christos Margaritis, editor of an anniversary volume titled Photis Kontoglou From «the Word» to «Expression», published by Art-Gallery Hatzikiriakos-Gikas of the Benaki Museum, on the occasion of the 120 years since his birth and the 50 years since the death of the Famous Greek (Aivali) Iconographer, “Photis Kontoglou’s name is a sort of ‘magnet.”
Indeed, this was confirmed once again by the vast number of people gathered at the hospitable lecture hall of the Museum in the City of Volos last Sunday (April 17, 2015), to attend the presentation of this volume, both by its Editors, Mr. Christos Margaritis and Mr. Alexandros Makris, Exhibition and Cultural Programs Executives, and by Dr. Olga-Mentzafou-Polyzou, Honorary Director of the National Art Gallery and Alexandros Soutzos Museum.
The initiative for this event in memory and honour of Photis Kontoglou was taken by the Volos Academy for Theological Studies/ Department of the Research, Management and Conservation of Byzantine and post-Byzantine Monuments and Relics, the Folklore Art Museum of Lyceum of Volos Greek Women and the Cultural Hestia of N. Ionia “IONES.”
The event opened by the actress Mrs. Katerina Antonakaki, who read extracts from “Astrolavos”, with her exceptional and majestic voice, about an “unusual book” written in the peculiar style of Kontoglou, who, with a charming speech of a true-born Eastern story-teller, immediately drew the audience in its strange and beautiful world. After that, the event was greeted by the Director of the Department of the Research, Management and Conservation of Byzantine and post-Byzantine Monuments and Relics Mrs. Maria Nanou, the Director of the Lyceum of Greek Women, Mrs. Maria Spanou, and the President of the Cultural Hestia “IONES” Mrs. Anna Petsiava, pointing out that Kontoglou’s decisive contribution to the revival of the byzantine and modern Greek painting, his anxiety and passion for the Greek tradition, along with his origin from Ionia, became the link uniting the three educational and cultural organizations in this event.
Dr. Olga Metsavou-Polyzou, the next speaker, developed the multifaceted artistic personality of Photis Kontoglou and presented the most significant milestones of his art work focusing among others on the transferring and conservation of the wall-paintings of Kontoglou residence, which are currently exhibited among the collections of the National Art Gallery.
Finally, the Editors Christos Margaritis and Alexandros Makris attracted the audience’s attention due to their brief but concise report about the content of the anniversary volume, its 20 original studies, and its extensive illustration, including among others pictures of unpublished manuscript texts and paintings, rare editions, such as the first publication of Pedro Cazas in 1918 by the Galateia Kazantzaki library and the painted leather cover of Erotokritos, published in 1915, by the library of Ioannis Metaxas. They were also referred to the exhaustive works of Photis Kontoglou included in the volume, as well as to the original chronology of his literary and art works in relation with the artistic background of his time.
During the event two short films, titled “Astrolavos” produced by Ioanna Spiliopoulou, on the occasion of the 80 years since the book publication in 1935, as well as the film “Fos Illaron”, directed by Thanasis Netas, where Panos Valsamakis spoke about Kontoglou and Aïvali, were presented, while a troparion for Kontoglou in a byzantine and hymnographical sound was chanted.
The event was attended by His Eminence Metropolitan Ignatius of Demetrias, the Deputy Minister for Infrastucture, Transport and Networks Mrs. Marina Chrysoveloni, the former mayor of the City of Volos Mr. Kyriakos Mitrou and many others.
