Art Exhibition "Mare Monstrum" by Greek Artist Maria Giannakaki

The exhibition opening will take place on Wednesday 9 March 2016, at 19.30 hrs. at Skoufa Art Gallery (Skoufa 4, Kolonaki, Athens, Tel: 21 0364 3025 / Website: http://www.skoufagallery.gr/gr/). The exhibition will last until 4 April 2016.

The art project aims at depicting, though paintings of various formats, the impact of the refugee flow towards Europe. The paintings are especially inspired by the plight of families and children crossing and often losing their lives in the Aegean Sea. As recently reported by UNHCR, UNICEF and IOM in a joint press release (http://www.unhcr.org/56c6e7676.html), children are the most affected by the current crisis and an average of two children have drowned every day since September 2015. UNHCR continues to call for the expansion of legal pathways to prevent people in need of international protection to resort to ruthless smugglers and risk their lives in perilous irregular journeys at sea. 

Info on the artist: Maria Giannakaki was born in 1958. She studied painting (1977-1982) and mosaic techniques (1980-1982) at the School of Fine Arts in Athens. In 1983 she continued with her post-graduate studies in China where she studied techniques of traditional Chinese painting, ink drawing and calligraphy. She has presented her work in solo and group exhibitions in Greece, China, France, Belgium, Germany, India, Italy, Luxemburg, Portugal, Sweden and the USA. She lives and works in Athens, Greece. Works of Maria Giannakaki can be found in permanent collections of Greek state and private Museums as well as in prominent private collections.