Exhibition dedicated to Maria Callas
Visions of Maria
17-21 September 2026
Parnassos Literary Society Mansion
Parallel online exhibition supported by ARTgrID
Opening: Thursday, 17 September 2026, at 19:30
With the participation of distinguished Greek and international visual artists
The contemporary art exhibition Visions of Maria, organised by La Divina Group, is dedicated to the iconic figure of Maria Callas. The exhibition will be presented at the historic Parnassos Literary Society Mansion in Athens, from 17 to 21 September 2026, while the official opening will take place on Thursday, 17 September, at 19:30.
The artistic direction and overall curation of the project are by Archaeologist and Art Historian Iris Kritikou, while the exhibition is co-curated by Art Historian and Archaeologist Annita Patsouraki.
Dedicated to the life, personality and artistic journey of the greatest diva of all time, Maria Callas, the exhibition brings together more than 100 artists, selected from works submitted following the organisers’ open call, and seeks to create a contemporary visual dialogue around both the literal and metaphorical image of this unique opera performer. It seeks to trace her memory, the inspiration she continues to generate, and the way her life and image are perceived today.
Through a multifaceted range of artistic approaches, Visions of Maria proposes a free, conceptual, emotional and, for the most part, abstract interpretation of Callas, extending beyond biographical or descriptive representations.
It is a free artistic immersion through personal interpretations of the figure who was loved and admired like no other, and of everything she symbolises. Voice and passion, unbearable beauty and dramatic perfection, elegance and inner intensity, fame and solitude, stage and backstage, music and silence converge in the participating works, allowing viewers to wander among them and contribute their own reflections.
“The emergence of new artistic voices and interpretations that will bridge opera with contemporary visual art, while highlighting the distinctive cultural legacy of Maria Callas, is both an aspiration and a goal of the project,” notes La Divina Group.
As Archaeologist and Art Historian Iris Kritikou notes regarding the dynamic of the entire project: “More than 100 prominent visual artists, coming from different fields of expression and using different materials and media (painting, sculpture, printmaking, textile art, mosaic, jewellery, ceramics, digital media, etc.), participate in the exhibition, approaching its theme with empathy, dynamism, absolute respect and fertile freedom, pursuing personal, synaesthetic and idiosyncratic interpretations of the figure and the enduring presence of Callas. Exploring known and lesser-known aspects of her life, following the notes of her music, mentally walking the stages of the world and of Greece, where her slender shadow still seems to linger. Searching for her indelible trace, following the magical trajectory of the woman who became the brightest star. The selected works focus less on her faithful likeness and far more on her enduring imprint. It is also the organisers’ aim and hope that, following the exhibition’s presentation in Athens, other major cities around the world where her memory is honoured with equal devotion will follow. The exhibition’s next destination is already being planned for next spring.”
The visual arts component forms the central core of the project, while a programme of events focusing on opera is being developed alongside it, complementing the main visual narrative.
Visions of Maria will form a multidimensional artistic hub in the historic centre of Athens, at the Parnassos Literary Society, where the heart of music beats and where visual creation, music and contemporary cultural narrative will coexist within a unified environment.
The works featured in the exhibition will also be documented in a large-format collector’s edition, which will subsequently be distributed to museums, cultural institutions and selected bookshops.
On Friday, 18 September, at 18:00, Art Historian and Archaeologist Annita Patsouraki, co-curator of the exhibition, will conduct a guided tour.
On Saturday, 19 September, at 18:00, as part of the parallel MARIA CALLAS TALKS programme, which launches with this event, journalist and author Elena Matheopoulou will give a lecture on the contemporary reception of Maria Callas.
A guided tour will follow, led by Archaeologist and Art Historian Iris Kritikou, who is responsible for the artistic direction and overall curation of the project, as well as the co-curation of the exhibition.
On Sunday, 20 September, a music and dance tribute to Maria Callas will take place in the main events hall of the Parnassos Literary Society, with free admission to the public.
The Opera Gala will feature: Mina Polychronou (soprano), Christos Delizonas (tenor), Neville Jason Fahy (pianist).
Dance performance: Societe Di Danza, Atene.
Starting time: 20:00.
The opening will be accompanied musically by soprano Despoina Skarlatou Paraskevopoulou, with Aimilios Bartzis (violin) and Alexis Sioupoulis (cello).
The event is held under the auspices of the City of Athens, the Maria Callas Greek Society, the UNESCO Club of Arts, Literature and Sciences of Greece, and the Athens Turin Organization.
The artists participating in the exhibition are:
Vladimir Azeev, Theodora Fitzsimmons, Olga Golovanova, Sylwia Janowska, Foti Kllogjeri, Theo Nikolaidis, Emilio Papaevangeliou, Smara Agiakatsika, Chrysa Argyrakaki, Ioannis Artinopoulos, Anna Achilleos, Saronis Vatikioti Gatsou, Afroditi Veli, Kyriaki Voulgareli, Maria Genitsariou, Vaso Georgiadou, Elli Gravani, Zacharias Daniilakis, Stavros Diakoumis, Eleftheria Emmanouil, Christos Thivaios, Manos Ioannidis, Elena Ioannidou, Vango Kavroulaki, Ioannis Kaiserlis, Christos Kakoullis, Despoina Kalliga, Rania Kapeliari, Konstantina Karagianni, Andriana Karampatsou, Vangelis Karanasios, Efrosyni Katsoura, Korina Knithaki, Tatiana Koniak, Katerina Kontogiorgi, Margarita Korkoli, Despoina Kouvatsou, Makis Koulianos, Vana Koutsia – Papakonstantinou, Leta Koutsochera, Konstantina Kratimenou, Evangelia Kyritsaka, Froso Konstantinidi – Kapa, Valia Lanterki Bisda, Olga Maneta, Maria Mantila, Maria Maroulidou, Efi Matsouka-Wagner, Minas Mavrikakis, Marilena Michopoulou, Ioulia Mousiou, Ourania Bakakea, Giotis Balodimos, Lina Barba, Ioannis Bartsokas, Manos Batzolis, Tassa Bitsani – Petrou, Lydia Nakopoulou, Ioannis Nomikos, Isabella Dassi, Kleopatra Nteliou, Niki Pagiasi, Antigoni Pagona, Vasiliki Palla, Maria Papa, Dionysia Papadopoulou, Maria Papatrecha, Despoina Paraskevopoulou Skarlatou, Christina Paraskevopoulou, Katerina Parpa, Anastasia Rodinou, Dimitris – Serafeim Rousopoulos, Ioannis Rafail Salis, Antonia Simatou, Eleni Siousti, Rea Spanou, Petra Spyrou, Katerina Stathatou, Maria Stamati, Maria Stini, Maria Tassopoulou, Smaro Tzenanidou, Aikaterini Tzitzira, Vasiliki Triga, Klairi Tsalouchidi Chatzimina, Anna Tsapara, Nikiforos Tsekouras, Lina Tsilaga, Eleni Tsilili, Eleni Tsotsorou, Sofia Fountoulaki, Stathis Fotis, Athina Chatzi, Eri Chatzistylianou.
The artists participating in the online exhibition are:
Froso Andreou, Theodora Anyfanti, Michail Vakaloulis, Eirini Giatraki, Pinelopi Delasouda, Monika Dimitriadou, Nina Diakovasili, Tzortzina Eleftheraki, Maria Kalatzi, Vasos Karagiannis, Eleftheria Karasmanoglou, Elisavet Kotsoni, Elisavet Mouzakiti, Maria Darla, Mary Papadopoulou, Leontios Petmezas, Xanthi Tavoularea, Vasilis Tataridis, Giannis Trisbiotis, Amalia Troullinou, Styliani Tsikoni.
Info
Visions of Maria
Location: Parnassos Literary Society Mansion, 8 Karytsi Square, Athens
Opening: 17 September 2026, 19:30
Exhibition dates: 17-21 September 2026
Exhibition opening hours: 11:00-19:00
Final day of the exhibition (21/9): 11:00-18:00
The overall artistic direction of the La Divina Group exhibition is by Iris Kritikou, Archaeologist and Art Historian.
The exhibition is co-curated by Annita Patsouraki, Art Historian – Archaeologist.
Music and dance curation is by Neville Jason Fahy.
Public Relations (PR) is directed by Giorgos Davlas.
Art Historian Elpida Gemenetzi is Project Consultant.
The team also includes Sofia Kyriazidou as Office & Operations Administrator, Hustler – Vicky Kalogera, Webkosmos as Technology Partner, Antonis Sotiropoulos as Audiovisual Productions Associate, and Giannis Marinis coordinating sound and image.
Photography: Papadakis Press, Giorgos Papadakis, Dimitrios Pelekis.
Journalist and author Elena Matheopoulou is responsible for the MARIA CALLAS TALKS series, in collaboration with Iris Kritikou and Annita Patsouraki.
Organisation and Production: La Divina Group.
