Opening: Tuesday, 10 November 2026 / 20:00
A heart, an egg, and an apple “discourse” with other subjects drawn from the realms of religion, politics, pop culture, tarot, and astrology. The common thread connecting all these elements is their identity as Symbols. In the exhibition under the same name—a new production presented from 10 November 2026 to 23 May 2027, at the MOMUS-Museum Alex Mylona in Athens—83 visual artists offer their own interpretations of the theme of symbols through paintings, sculptures, installations, prints, and video works. Furthermore, the accompanying catalogue features texts by art historians that explore the enduring presence of symbols throughout human life.
The moment the cave dweller placed his hand on the rock and painted his handprint, alongside depictions of wild animals and hunting scenes, he created the first symbols: clear yet transcendent, signifying not merely the tangible world but his imaginative, metaphysical interpretation of it. The language of symbols is intrinsically linked to humankind’s endeavour to create a non-verbal form of communication. From the very dawn of time, symbols functioned primarily as a magical language. They drew inspiration from the natural world: plants, animals, the stars in the sky, and also humankind.
The exhibition “Symbols” aims to highlight the enduring power of symbols in the minds of modern people. For the exhibition, the visual symbols of everyday life are not the focus; nor are linguistic and mathematical symbols, or the road signs in the city. Instead, the focus is on universal symbols that cut across cultures and societies. Symbols that recount the creation of the world time and time again. Symbols of life, nature, magic, ideology and faith; and others of consumerism, pop culture and cultural monuments. Timeless symbols, ancient and contemporary symbols, symbols that ultimately refer to human existence itself.
The exhibition reminds us that that the observation of art is, to a large extent, a process of recognition and translation. It requires time to visit and attention to detail, of each artwork, each symbol, and unearth its own internal story. We are invited to enter this path not as mere observers of symbols, but as translators, since symbols come to life again only at the moment our own gaze challenges their meaning.
Participating Artists: Chloe Akrithaki, Alexis Akrithakis, Giorgos Alexandridis, Tasos Anastasiadis, Mairy Antonopoulou, Annita Argyroiliopoulou, Lina Bebi, Mania Benissi, Emmanouil Bitsakis, Nikolas Bliatkas, Margarita Bofiliou, Christos Bokoros, Fani Boudouroglou, Alkis Boutlis, Giorgos Chatzispyrou (Looper), Dionisis Christofilogiannis, Kostas Christopoulos, Charalambos Dermatis, Tzeni Doupi, Rania Emmanouilidou, Dimitris Foutris, Dimitris Fragakis, Marina Genadieva, Takis Germenis, Nikos Giavropoulos, Odysseas Glykas, Nikos Kachrimanis, Iordanis Kalimerakis, Antonis Kapnisis, Aris Katsilakis, Antigoni Kavvatha, Daphne Klagkou, Peggy Kliafa, Despina Konstantinou, Kosmas Kosmopoulos, Natalia Koursoumi, Afroditi Liti, Alexandros Maganiotis, Kallina Maiopoulou, Thanos Makris, Natalia Maniaka, Manousos Manousakis, Dimitra Marouda, Panos Mattheou, Kyriaki Mavrogeorgi, Dimitris Merantzas, Agapi Mirsodeli, Christina Mitrentse, Eva Mourtzi, Alex Mylona, Nourako (Fanouris Moraitis), Evita Pagona, Maria Panagiotou, Antonis Papadopoulos, Leonidas Papadopoulos, Gioula Papadopoulou, Aliki Pappa, Konstantinos Patsios, Natassa Poulantza, Vasilis Poulios, Periklis Pravitas, Panos Profitis, Lia Psoma, Argiris Rallias, Ifigeneia Sdoukou, Nikos Sepetzoglou, Dimitra Siaterli, Alexei Siozov, Ioannis Sotiriou, Christina Thalassa, Dimitris Tragkas, Nikos Tranos, Giorgos Tserionis, Kostas Tsolis, Andreas Vais, Vasilis Vasilakakis, Babis Venetopoulos, Ioulia Ventikou, Andriana Verveti, Andreas Voussouras, Dimitris Yeros, Katerina Zacharopoulou, Vasilis Zografos.
Curated by: Yannis Bolis, Art Historian, Head of the Department of Contemporary Sculpture, MOMUS-Museum Alex Mylona
