Participation in the exhibition “Michalis Economou: The alchemy of painting” – Athens

3 works of art

The Alpha Bank Art Collection is loaning 3 works of art by the Greek painter to the exhibition “Michalis Economou: The alchemy of painting”:

• Ocean, 1920-30, oil on cardboard, 50 x 64 cm
• House in Southern France, 1920, oil on cardboard, 42.5 x 65.5 cm
• Red Boat at Sea, oil on canvas, 27 x 35 cm

An exhibition with major appeal

The exhibition “Michalis Economou: The alchemy of painting” presents 116 works by Michalis Economou, which showcase his great talent. The exhibits come from museums, foundations and private collectors.

The exhibition was opened by the Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament, Mr Konstantinos Tassoulas, before H.E. the President of the Hellenic Republic Ms Katerina Sakellaropoulou.

It is the result of original research and painstaking study by the curator, Dr Aphrodite Kouria. The exhibition was initially hosted at the Averoff Museum in Metsovo from October 2023 to January 2024. After its major success, it has been transferred to Athens.

Find out more about the exhibition “Michalis Economou: The alchemy of painting” in Athens.

Exhibition catalogue

The exhibition is accompanied by a bilingual catalogue in Greek and English, which includes:

• Colour reproductions of the artist’s works and photographs
• Extensive CV of Michalis Economou
• Texts by Aphrodite Kouria, exhibition curator
• A text by Christina Karadima, conservator of the artist’s works, which showcases the Greek painter’s complex technique, based on a comparative study of 25 representative paintings by the artist
• A conversation between contemporary Greek painter George Rorris and Economou's oeuvre

Michalis Economou (1888-1933) was one of the most significant figures who revived 20th-century Greek painting, mainly in the genre of landscapes. Through this revival, he managed to coin his own personal artistic vocabulary.

The technique he used in his paintings is particularly interesting. He dared to introduce groundbreaking experimentations in Greek painting of the time, mainly with the materials he used and the balance between representation and abstraction.

However, despite his immense talent, he was one of the lesser known and least promoted Greek painters.