ONE PLUS ONE

Malini Nathan +
Leonidas Panourgias //

"Souvenir d'Athènes"

Photo: Malini Nathan / Leonidas Panourgias

EXHIBITION //
25 - 27 April 2024

"Souvenir d'Athènes" reflects the dialogue between Malaysian painter Malini Nathan and Greek engraver Leonidas Panourgias.

During her first visit to Athens in 2011, Malini Nathan bought a souvenir depicting the birth of goddess Athena, a sculptural complex at the east pediment of the Parthenon. The original is exhibited at The British Museum in London, and is central to the Parthenon marbles dispute between Greece and UK.

The celebration of Athena's birthday had a significant impact on Malini, and gave her a strong sense of female empowerment. She has been impressed by the fact that of something as small as a souvenir can strengthen one's belief and mindset, and decided to explore this feeling with a new visit to Athens this spring.

In the exhibition "Souvenir d'Athènes", Malini captures with her paintings how Greek mythology, sacred sites, and world's great architecture affect us, and interprets with wit and tenderness the strange impact souvenirs have on our memory of a place and understanding of its eternal message.

Leonidas Panourgias explores with engravings on wood and linoleum the popular image of Greek gods, philosophers and ancient Athens landmarks. He rephrases images found in old art books when photography was too expensive for mass production of illustrations and post cards. His work ranges from tiny portraits to giant imaginary ancient landscapes, and makes us aware of the power of lines to stimulate imagination and shape our idea of Greek antiquity.

Π-Artworks is the tiniest art venue in down town Athens, and also serves as a museum of Greek engraving and commercial graphics on its own merit. Unchanged in decoration since its establishment by Leonidas Panourgias' father George in 1962, Π-Artworks is one of the last time capsules echoing the history of the laboring heart of Athens.

Malini Nathan: @malini.paintings
Leonidas Panourgias: @leonidaspanourgias

OPENING: Thursday 25 April 2024, 4 p.m.

EXHIBITION:
Thursday 25 April, 4 – 7 p.m.
Friday 26 April, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday 27 April, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Τhe artists will be present at the exhibition opening on Thursday 25 April.

PLACE: Π-Artworks, Lekka 30, 10562 Athens (Syntagma) >>> Find it

Download the e-invitation (PDF)