A Visit to the Alekos Fassianos Museum

Culture lovers, a trip to Athens wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the newly opened Alekos Fassianos Museum & Estate- bringing to light the work and legacy of this famous Greek artist. 

A neighbourhood full of treasures….

The area of Metaxourgio is described by many as one of the most vibrant and colourful neighbourhoods in Athens. While many walk around the streets and admire the beautiful modern designed buildings of the area, few know that in the past this place was a lively cultural centre, with fine neoclassical and 1950s residences. Nearby is the Fino’s studio, which was one of the biggest filmmaking companies in Greece back in the 60s, a catalyst in the region’s cultural flourishing. Then, in the corner a building makes you look up, so different from its neighbours- it’s beautiful and measured…

This tall, minimal architectural estate of urban aesthetics is the museum dedicated to the memorable Greek painter Alekos Fassianos- the beginning of his life and artistic activity.

Insights Greece - A Visit to the Alekos Fassianos Museum

The starting point…

At the foundations of what is today the Alekos Fassianos Museum, from the 1930s until the 1970s, was the paternal home of the artist. A small neoclassical property with an inner courtyard and a tiled roof. Growing up there, Fassianos’ memories of the vibrant neighbourhood – filled with theatres and cinemas – came to stamp his later artistic subject matter. Through his wanderings, Fassianos explored the city and came into direct contact with micro-trades of this Athenian neighbourhood- the itinerant craftsman and street sellers, professions represented in his works throughout his life. 

The idea of creating a museum is born…

In the 1970s, the neoclassical building was demolished to become, at the request of his mother Eleni, an apartment building for her children. Fassianos, with his widely known artistic activity, was living in Paris at the time and was dissatisfied with his mother’s decision to destroy his childhood memories. And in fact, the above episode was the springboard for Fassianos to collaborate with his friend and architect Kyriakos Krokos at the end of 1980, to remodel this building. During the renovation, they created on the ground floor a small exhibition space that would host his future works. The common aesthetic and philosophical principles, with which the painter and his architect friend created are evident in every corner of every floor.

Insights Greece - A Visit to the Alekos Fassianos Museum
Insights Greece - A Visit to the Alekos Fassianos Museum

The museum is under construction…

The architectural style that both Fassianos and Krokos wanted to develop was clean and minimal. The entire space is carefully enriched and shaped using a variety of materials and finishes (concrete, stone, mosaic, brick, plaster) with a colour palette of earthy greys, reds and ochres.

The architect wanted the structure of the building to be highlighted and the materials to be visible, while the main concern of the artist was to create a space that would create a harmonious dialogue with his works. Their artistic sensibility is evident in the structure of the space – with the different finishes and techniques including stonemasonry, the marble border that frames the mosaic floor, and the details such as the ornate spiral staircase, the mosaic floor, the painted figures on the walls using a fresco technique, the brass door handles – as well as the metal dragon hanging from the basement ceiling to hide cables in a creative way.

Insights Greece - A Visit to the Alekos Fassianos Museum

The exhibition…

The curation aims to introduce the scope of the work of Fassianos from 1956 until the last years of the artist’s life. In the exhibition, we find early works with an abstract mood of the 60s as well as his early years in Paris. Works influenced by Byzantine art, collages, mixed techniques, and invisible but also widely recognisable paintings with the most characteristic writing of the talented artist. 

The character of the neighbourhood unfolds through works that are represented through images and experiences that the artist acquired in the area where he grew up, and while wandering the streets of Athens. 

Following the path of the human soul, in the depths and underground space of the museum are works based on myths and heroes- that spoke from an early age to the heart and mind of the artist. Οn the ground floor are his works related to urban life. While the first floor is fully dedicated to the spirit and includes items from his relationship with intellectuals.

The purpose of the museum…

Beyond the paintings, the exhibition aims to highlight the multifaceted personality of the artist – presenting handmade objects, furniture and lighting – as well as texts he wrote, books he illustrated, and a rich archive of his involvement in set design and design costumes for comedies by Aristophanes and plays by Eugène Ionesco and Jean-Paul Sartre. The exhibition unfolds in a handmade tapestry where every detail is curated by Fassianos – from the knobs on the doors and the handles on the cabinets to the nails on the mirrors and the frescoes and mosaic floors. 

The Alekos Fassianos Museum is an important cultural space in Athens, in terms of both contemporary visual art and architecture. It is also one of the few museums in the world where the synergy between artist and architect supports the dialogue between the works and the space that houses them. 

Insights Greece - A Visit to the Alekos Fassianos Museum
Insights Greece - A Visit to the Alekos Fassianos Museum

The official opening of the museum…

Saturday the 21st of October 2023 will be the official day when the doors of this stunning museum open- and it will include all-day activities to introduce Fassianos to the public and share the artist’s story and his multifaceted work. It will be open all day with free entry to all. 

Official Opening Date: 21 October 2023 | Museum Entry: Free

Educational programs 

Τime:11-12 pm 12:30-13:45 pm

Entry: 5€

Βοοk: more.com (viva)

Guides

Τime: 11:30-12:15 pm & 16:30-17:15 pm

Entry: Free 

Book: more.com (viva)

Guided tours 

Time: 11:30-13:00 & 13:00-15:00

Entry: 10€

Βοok: more.com (viva)

Time: 18:00-20:30 pm 

Insights Greece - A Visit to the Alekos Fassianos Museum

Μuseum Alekos Fassianos

Οpening hours: Wednesday-Friday 11 am-4 pm

Entry: 10€

Address: Neofytou Metaxa 15, Athens 104 39

Website: alekosfassianos.gr

Special thanks to Mrs. Katerina Mela, Communications & Development Coordinator at the Alekos Fassianos Museum for the visit and guided tour.

All Images Courtesy of Alekos Fassianos Estate | Paris Tavitian ©

Acropolis Museum’s Winter Program Begins

Athens’ Acropolis Museum has introduced its winter program at a reduced admission fee of 5 euros for children and adults. Further to that, each first Sunday of the month, entrance to the museum is free. The museum’s winter program will run during the November 1 – March 31 period.

Acropolis Museum Winter Program

Saturday in the Museum with 20+1 Masterpieces

Visit the Acropolis Museum and along with the archaeologists, discover the hidden stories of 20+1 masterpieces that feature myths and fables, folklores and traditions, historical milestones and human stories transformed into art and weave a vivid experience during an outstanding walk in the Museum’s Galleries.

Date & Time: Saturdays, at 10.30 am in English

From the 6th of November 2021 till March 26th, 2022

Insights Greece - Acropolis Museum’s Winter Program Begins
Athens’ Acropolis Museum

Strange Creatures on the Acropolis Museum

Visit the Museum with your children to discover creatures of the earth, the sea and the air, creations of the imagination of ancient people that invite visitors to a game of exploration, observation, and knowledge. Children will be given materials to take home and create their own strange creatures.

Date & Time: Every Sunday 10:30 am and 12:30 pm

From the 7th of November, 2021 to 27th of March, 2022

Afternoons in the Acropolis Museum

The Museum’s archaeologists invite you on a captivating walk through its halls, to introduce you to the fascinating stories hidden in the treasures of the museum’s galleries. The walk develops each time based on your interests; and promises an unforgettable experience, with the usage of numerous visual means -such as photographs, sketches, and representations- as well as stops on the digital applications that enrich the collection.

Date & Time: Every Friday at 6 pm

Until the 25th of March, 2022

To register you need to refer to the Information Desk on the day of the tour. There is a limited of 30 visitors and first-in first-served.

Tickets can be purchased here.

Images Courtesy of Acropolis Museum 

New Museum Showcasing Greek Culture Set to Open in Plaka  

A museum showcasing modern Greek culture over time is set to open in May 2021 in Athens’ historic Plaka district.

According to Greece’s Culture Minister Lina Mendoni, the Museum of Modern Greek Culture will feature exhibits that highlight the country’s culture through different periods, with the Minister stressing the importance of the location of the museum, which attracts millions of local and international visitors each year.

The layout of the complex is set around a central courtyard, in a style identical to that of the 19th and early-20th centuries, enabling visitors to experience the atmosphere of urban living in Greece during that period.

Insights Greece - New Museum Showcasing Greek Culture Set to Open in Plaka  

The property, which has been recently restored, is situated between Adrianou, Areos, Kladou, and Vrisakiou streets and has architectural remains from classical Greek and Roman antiquity. 

The 18 preserved buildings will include the 1759 Tzisdarakis Mosque, which was the first premises of the Museum since its establishment in 1918 until 1973, and The Bath House of the Winds– the only public bath of Athens surviving today. 

“The 18 buildings constitute a neighbourhood of Athens, as it was formed in the late 19th to early 20th century. It has very strong features of that period, which are revived through the exhibitions and collections of the Museum of Modern Greek Culture,” says Mendoni.

The nine buildings within the complex house the museum’s permanent installations which include over 25, 000 functional and decorative objects. Dating from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries and originating from all geographical areas of Greece, the objects include items used in the home or at work as part of everyday life and traditional customs.

Other permanent exhibits will include folk art, the history of Plaka, and traditional Greek shadow puppet theatre.

The first show to open in May will be dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution as part of the bicentennial Greece 1821-2021 events. 

*Source and Images: Museum of Modern Greek Culture