On-line: Carnival - Behind the Mask

We’re not pretending for a New York minute that it will be as much fun as actually donning a colourful mask yourself and going full tilt at the usual merriment and hedonism that is Athens in Apokries mode. But this vibrant group exhibition, kindly hosted online for our enjoyment during lockdown by the Skoufa Gallery, does help convey the special atmosphere of Carnival. 

And yes of course, this year, with the mask becoming such an integral force of our daily existence, there’s a whole new element to this accessory that we once associated mostly with fun and play. 

New artistic pieces riff with a series of older and storied works including one by master artist Yannis Moralis, specially made for a carnival party at the house of Marinos Kalligas in Kifissia in 1952; two Parisian drawings by Minos Argyrakis from 1972; and finally, a portable album by Spyros Vassilios accompanying the play "The Carnival in Athens" (1981).

 “This exhibition serves as a reminder of the spirit of the carnival , serving as a celebratory, artistic liberation from the current oppressive social condition,” runs the Skoufa blurb.

You can take the virtual video tour here: