The exhibition “Nautilus: Navigating Greece” constitutes the main cultural event of the Hellenic Presidency of the European Union. It includes 93 ancient artifacts  from 30 Greek museums, some of which will be displayed outside Greece for the first time, as well as 22 works of contemporary Greek art from private collections and museums, including photographs, paintings, and video art, in a virtual conversation between antiquity and the modern world.

 

The Minister of Culture and Sports, Panos Panagiotopoulos, and the Secretary General of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports, Lina Mendoni, toured on 20 January 2014 the halls of the Museum hosting the exhibition, where they had the opportunity to discuss with artists and technicians details of their work and the exhibition.

 

‘It is a remarkable exhibition in the heart of Europe” the minister stated afterwards. “It narrates the eternal voyage of Hellenism to the sea, which is the connecting yarn among these works as well as in our history. We are witness to a creative dialogue between ancient fragments and our contemporary artists. Greece’s glorious past coexists with the high expectations arising from the creators of both present and the future”.

 

Finally, the Secretary General of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports, and Chair of the Scientific and Organizing Committee, Lina Mendoni, noted that “exhibitions of this kind, which present contemporary works alongside Greek antiquities, are both rare and difficult to arrange”. She additionally said “Nautilus is Greece. The long journey of Hellenism through history and its contemporary creative output reflects the optimistic vision for Greece we all deserve”.

 

The exhibition is curated by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports, and will be inaugurated on 23 January 2014.

 

The exhibition will remain open until 24 April 2014.