The Museum
The Atelier Spyros Vassiliou aspires to recompose the artistic progression of one of the most acclaimed, reputed and prolific exponents of contemporary Greek art. To this end, the museum disposes of a representative range of Spyros Vassiliou’s works, but is principally concerned with systematizing his exceptionally copious archives. These comprise manuscripts in the painter’s hand; his correspondence, contracts, documents relative to purchases of his works; the preparation and hanging of exhibitions (with their respective catalogues); a comprehensively updated Press archive, as well as maquettes and preliminary sketches for his work.
An image of Spyros Vassiliou has become standardized which, albeit not erroneous, almost exclusively bears on the description of characteristics of his forms and techniques and the terminology adopted. This can convey merely superficially his personal style of expression.
An initial overview of the entire material at disposal undoubtedly justifies the impact of the manifold proficiencies of his creativity. At the same time, however, it achieves a reconstruction of the professional identity of an artist-craftsman who in every case evolves within a clearly defined framework. This was true irrespective whether in reference to specific commissions or to some greater freedom of artistic productivity. While he might conform to a particular clientele’s aesthetic predilections, the artist himself made a decisive contribution.
The essence of Vassiliou’s artistic proposition may basically be summed up in the ideal of the cultivation of a national art, capable of conjunction with experimental contemporary artistic trends. Nevertheless, the precepts of the age-old Hellenic heritage are never in dispute, as may be traced in the ideological ambience prevalent between the World Wars, when Byzantine and popular art were incorporated on equal terms in the corresponding form of the pictorial annals of the day.
The Atelier attempts to enrich the image of Spyros Vassiliou the painter with the complement of devotional painter, engraver, stage designer, graphic artist, decorator, author-critic, teacher in a series of thematic exhibitions, publications and educational programmes for children and adults.
Another objective is that the Atelier’s function, by means of a long-term research programme, should result in the publication of a comprehensive catalogue of all his works, currently dispersed in private and public collections both in Greece and abroad.
The museum concurrently opens its doors to young artists, organizing meetings, exhibitions and competitions, aiming at continuing in the tradition of a venue which was always open to the young, offering a haven for their concerns and support in their efforts to map their individual artistic course.
The Atelier Spyros Vassiliou endeavours to be a home for the visitor, the artist and the researcher as it ever was, during the artist’s lifetime.
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