At any time we detach ourselves from the present to connect with something that elapsed, without setting in motion a specific mechanism. The past takes us by surprise, grabs us by the throat, as it sometimes relieves us or comes to our aid with a fleeting image … We remember the same way we think, we escape from the present moment with the same ease as when we change subject or mood … time appears as mysterious as memory … Future is not yet to come, the past isn't anymore and as for the present it exists in an instant but is on the way to the non being. (Kostis Papagiorgis, “On Memory”, Kastaniotis Editions, Athens 2008).
Time is a fundamental concept that we strive to comprehend, partly due to its relativity and subjectivity. An ever-present mystery that has inspired various artistic representations and philosophical approaches.
What is Time? How is it perceived by the human mind, how is its meaning captured, and how is it represented?
How does Time lead us to the ability to exist in the present while recalling and recomposing the past? In other words, how is Memory created and how is it represented visually?
How is Time depicted as an event that continuously unfolds and brings change? The flow of time within the day, from dawn until nightfall, as depicted in the works "Aegean Dawn" by Charis Voyatzis and "Night" by Lili Arlioti; the succession of states in nature that rests and regenerates with the cycle of the seasons, as in "Springtime" by Georgios Iakovidis and "Winter" by Tassos; time as a biological imprint in representations of various ages (portraits of children, young people, and the elderly) leading up to the inevitable moment of death (e.g., "The Beds of Death" by Francisco Goya).
These questions are difficult to approach, yet they have been interpreted through a remarkable variety in the visual arts over the ages. Abstract questions inspire art, creating space for freedom in interpretation and creation. They expand boundaries and allow artists to express themselves and create works based on their personal vision, imagination, and experiences. The appreciation of time as a personal experience.
Amongst the selected items, we see abstract aspects, symbolisms and connotations but also more realistic depictions, from archaeological objects, paintings, sculptures and photographs to installations and music scores.
The exhibition contains items from the following institutions:
