Cahiers d’Art: 100 Years Through the collections of the Benaki Museum

How did a Paris-based art journal shape the way the world looked at ancient and modern art? This autumn, the Benaki Museum of Greek Culture joins a prestigious global centenary tribute to mark 100 years since Christian Zervos launched Cahiers d’Art in 1926. Spread across several distinct cultural hubs throughout the city, the Benaki Museum forms one of Greece’s premier cultural institutions, bridging prehistoric antiquities, Byzantine treasures, and modern art. This time around it stands alongside heavyweights like MoMA in New York and the Centre Pompidou, the Benaki is putting its own eclectic archive in conversation with the legendary magazine's legacy.

In this unique crossover, rare items from Antonis Benakis’ original collection, some on public display for the very first time, are set directly against their historical print reproductions and critical commentary in Cahiers d’Art. It turns out the publisher’s radical vision and the collector's passion were cut from the exact same cloth. To bring the archives alive, artist Natalia Papadopoulou has created an immersive video installation that breathes dynamic movement into the yellowed pages. Pop by for a dose of mid-century cosmopolitan flair, then grab a coffee at the museum’s terrace overlooking the National Gardens.