Yesterday, 26 October 2025, the feast-day of the patron saint of Thessaloniki St. Demetrios, the exhibition entitled ‘The Land of My Heart. Fotis Kontoglou on Mount Athos’ was officially opened with great success.
The exhibition was officially opened by the President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Constantine Tasoulas, who referred in his address to Kontoglou’s contact with Mount Athos: ‘In 1923 Fotis Kontoglou visited Athos for the first time, after which he returned to that “hallowed place” as often as he could. He went fishing with the monks, chanted with them, formed a close friendship with the monk Isidoros Kafsokalyvitis, and came to know the unaffected piety and authentic nature of faith, whilst also being introduced to a style of painting whose uniqueness was due to “the immaterialisation of matter for the sake of God”. His admiration for the Byzantine art he encountered in the monasteries and his meaningful contact with Byzantine iconography, which even he initially underrated, transformed him into an ardent supporter of a purely theological art, one that for him represented both a mission and a form of sacred service. Thus, not only did he change his style – engaging in a constant dialogue with Byzantine painting and making use of its expressive capabilities without, however, ever losing his own personal style or resorting to imitation – but he also managed to turn the attention of young Greek artists to the still untapped wealth of the Greek Middle Ages.’
President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Constantine Αn. TasoulasThe hieromonk Chariton Docheiaritis, representing the Holy Community of Mount Athos, read out the Holy Community’s welcome address, which, amongst other things, included the following: ‘It gives the Holy Community of Mount Athos profound pleasure to give this welcome address on the occasion of the opening of the exhibition “The Land of My Heart. Fotis Kontoglou on Mount Athos”, which highlights one of the innermost and most creative aspects of the relationship between modern Hellenism and the Athonite tradition. Fotis Kontoglou, reborn in the spiritual depths of the Athonite experience, discovered in the Holy Mountain the real land of his heart, a place where art serves the Truth and inspiration is transformed into prayer.’
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The Mayor of Thessaloniki and President of the Board of Directors of the Mount Athos Center, Mr. Stelios Angeloudis, welcomed the President of the Republic to the exhibition and spoke about Kontoglou’s experiences on Mount Athos and the relationship he developed with the monks. In closing his address, he referred to the aims of the exhibition: ‘This exhibition by the Mount Athos Center aims to highlight the special relationship between this great creative artist and the Athonite State, which lasted throughout his life and was a constant source of spiritual and artistic inspiration.’ https://www.agioritikiestia.gr/en/opening-of-the-exhibition-the-land-of-my-heart-fotis-kontoglou-on-mount-athos#sigProId123f8b5b63
The Deputy Mayor of Culture, Tourism Development and Intermunicipal Cooperation, Vice President of the Mount Athos Center, and official in charge of organising the 60th Anniversary Dimitria Festival, Mr. Vasileios Gakis, focused on matters relating to the organisation of the exhibition, spoke about the two years spent preparing for it, and thanked the bodies who had lent works to the Mount Athos Center for the purposes of the exhibition.
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The opening ceremony was also attended by His Eminence the Metropolitan of Thessaloniki Philotheos, the Deputy Minister for Macedonia and Thrace Mr. Constantine Gioulekas, the Deputy Minister for Development Mr.Stavros Kalafatis, the Deputy Minister for Social Cohesion and Family Affairs Ms. Elena Rapti, the MPs Katerina Notopoulou, Rania Thraskia and Petros Papas, the Deputy Governor of Tourism for the Central Macedonia Region Mrs. Vicky Hatzivasileiou, the President of the Thessaloniki City Council Mr. Spyros Vougias, the Deputy Mayor for Economic Planning and Municipal Property of the Municipality of Thessaloniki Mr. George Arvanitis, as well as representatives of other local bodies, many members of the public, and the great-grandson of Fotis Kontoglou, Mr. Ioannnis Martinos, who represented the Kontoglou family.
The opening ceremony was followed by a guided tour of the exhibition, conducted by the Director of the Mount Athos Center and exhibition curator, Mr. Anastasios Ntouros.
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IN COLLABORATION WITH:
Holy Community of Mount Athos
Holy Monastery of Gregoriou
Holy Skete of the Holy Trinity - Kafsokalyvia
National Gallery - Alexandros Soutsos Museum
Byzantine and Christian Museum
Library of the Hellenic Parliament
ERT Archive SA
Teloglion Foundation of Arts, AUTh
Library and Information Centre of AUTh
Central Municipal Library of Thessaloniki
Lyceum Club of Greek Women
The families of Panagiotis and Fotis Martinos
INFORMATION
Duration of exhibition: 23 October 2025 – 21 March 2026
Visiting hours for the public:
Monday & Wednesday: 09.00–16.00
Tuesday, Thursday & Friday: 09.00–20.00
Saturday: 09.00–15:00
Last admission 30 mins. before closing time
Sunday: closed
Visits by organised and school groups may be arranged by contacting tel. no. 2310 263 308.
Admission free
MOUNT ATHOS CENTER
109 Egnatia St., Thessaloniki 546 35
Τ. +30 2310 263 308 & 2310 250 648
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