Contemporary Marble Sculptors of Tinos Island & Workshops of Marble Sculpture at MCF

From Tuesday 22nd of January to Tuesday 12th of February 2013, Michael Cacoyannis Foundation in collaboration with the Cultural Centre of Panormos in Tinos Island “Yannoulis Chalepas”, organize an Exhibition with Marble Sculptures designed by 13 artists, all grew up in the beautiful and historical island of Tinos.

The artists apart from their artworks, they will bring their materials and tools. Every weekend, they are going to set up workshops in order to reveal the secrets of their art. These workshops are going to be accomodated at the specially configured underground level.

The Exhibition, which was firstly-organized in Pirgos, on the island of Tinos, in summer 2012, at the Museum of Marble Crafts by the Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation (PIOP) has already hosted almost 11.000 visitors. Now at the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation, the exhibition hopes to attract a more aesthetically specialised audience.

The marble-sculptors are craftsmen that deserve a special position at the pantheon of traditional Greek creation. They come from the rough landscape of the Northern-East part of Tinos Island, where the Creator was generous by giving rocks and stones. In this landscape, a powerful artistic tradition of marble sculpture was born and it continues its presence till nowadays. This tradition is also highlighted by the School of Arts “Panormos” in Pyrgos (1955).

The marble sculptors of Panormos are the continuers of their land’s tradition. They are adjusted by the demands of times, while supporting the conservation of the antiquities in Greece.

As Kostas Danousis has noted: “The changes in the market have afflicted the applied marble sculpture (ecclesiastical works, architectual characteristics of homes). However through that crisis, the decorative marble sculpture made its appearence by seeking its technical skills, as far as new ideas and forms, always through a dialogue with contemporary art.  

Hence, pieces of art by 13 marble-sculptors of Tinos Island are accommodated at Michael Cacoyannis Foundation, and they are waiting for audience’s admiration and criticism. The marble artefacts are trying to convince us that a three-century tradition is still alive by creating and hoping. Every single artist consists a special case and s/he uses a unique aesthetic approach. The new generation of marble-sculptors evolves the contemporary approaches, while it does not abandon its roots.“

The Workshops of Marble Sculpture are going to be run during the Exhibition (24/25/26/27.1 & 9/10.2 2013, 11:00 – 14:00) at the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation and they aspire to initiate all those who want to know the process of marble-sculpture – not only as technique, but even as a life experience.

At the workshops, participants will be practically trained.
Admission/ participation is free of charge
Registrations: tel. 210 34 18 579, Mon. – Fri. from 11:00 to 14:00

Workshops
Thursday 24, Friday 25, Saturday 26, Sunday 27 January & Saturday 9, Sunday 10 February 2013, from 11:00 to 14:00
Admission/ participation free of charge

The exhibition’s visitors will have the opportunity to observe a highly qualified technical experience and they will “touch” the phenomenon of a unique artistic expression.