Athos Monastic life on the Holy Mountain
dal 17/8/2006 al 20/1/2007
Segnalato da
17/8/2006
Athos Monastic life on the Holy Mountain
Art Museum Tennis Palace, Helsinki
Exhibition of Byzantine Art
Exhibition of Byzantine Art
Finland has the unique opportunity to present treasures from the legendary Mount
Athos now being exhibited for the first time outside Greece.
This major exhibition of Byzantine art at Art Museum Tennis Palace presents over 600
works from a period spanning more than a thousand years including centuries-old
precious icons, rare manuscripts, unique sacral objects, magnificent textiles, wood
engravings and other works of art such as jewellery, crosses, maps, photographs and
paintings. A third of the works are on loan from nine Athonite monasteries, and
these are complemented with important loans from 15 major European museums.
The extraordinary exhibition conception by Museum Director Berndt Arell and
Scenographer Ralf Förström will take the visitor on a spiritual journey
through a monastery-like space where visitors can experience Orthodox spirituality,
learning about the 1000 years of history and present of Mount Athos, its daily life
and festivities, and the role of the monastic community as a guardian of Byzantine
culture.
To complement the historical art works in the exhibition, contemporary paintings and
photography represent the vivid visual culture still alive today on the Holy
Mountain.
Works on loan from:
Greece, Mount Athos monasteries: Iviron, Dionisiou, Pantokrator, Simonopetra, St
Paul´s, Stavronikita, Xenophontos, Grigoriou and Esphigmenou. Greece: Ministry
of Culture, Benaki Museum and Museum of Byzantine Culture, Thessaloniki. Russia:
State Tretyakov Gallery, State Historical Museum, Andrey Rublev Museum, Sergiev
Posad Museum, Russian State Archives, Hermitage Museum and State Russian Museum.
Cyprus: Archbishop Makarios III Foundation. Serbia: National Museum, Museum of
Applied Art. Germany: Ikonen-Museum Recklinghausen, Archaeological State
Collection/Museum for Prehistoric and Early History, Munich.
Donated funds: Stavros S. Niarchos Foundation, J.F Costopoulos Foundation, A.G.
Leventis Foundation and the Ministry of Education, Finland.
Exhibition supporters:
Greece: the Holy Community of Mount Athos, the Ministry of Culture, Kedak, the
Athonite Centre and the Embassy of Finland in Greece. Finland: the Ministry of
Education, the Embassy of Greece in Finland, the Orthodox Church of Finland,
Pyhän Athosvuoren Ystävät ry (Friends of the Holy Mount Athos), and
the Department of Comparative Religion of the University of Helsinki.
A varied programme of events will offer memorable experiences and information to
visitors of all ages. It will include icon-painting courses, demonstrations,
workshops, concerts and lectures. A comprehensive catalogue on life on Mount Athos
and its art treasures will be published in conjunction with the exhibition.
The exhibition has been organised by the Helsinki City Art Museum and co-ordinated
by Curator Mikko Oranen.
Art Museum Tennis Palace
Salomonkatu 15 - Helsinki
Open: Tue-Sun 11-20.30