Greek Australian artist Anna Pappas was in Athens taking part in the International Contemporary Art Fair of Athens – Art-Athina 2013, representing her gallery.
Director of Anna Pappas Gallery in Prahran, Victoria and the recently elected President of the Australian Commercial Galleries Association (ACGA) has made the trip to support the art industry in Greece.
As Greek daily newspaper To Vima reported, for the artist under whose chairmanship operate 56 Australian galleries, representing around 1.200 artists, it was a “beautiful drama”to deal with bureaucracy and insurance issues, and to transport 15 artworks from Melbourne to Athens.
When asked what made her do it anyway, Greek Australian responded with no second thoughts – “It’s simple – it was my love for Greece “.
“I was asked many times – ‘What are you going to do in Greece now? It’s not a time for selling there.’ And I told them I’m not going to sell and earn money. I am proud that I am going back to my homeland, to support Art-Athina 2013 and to open a new chapter of Australian art in Greece,” Pappas told To Vima.
The ultimate goal of her participation in the Art-Athina for the Greek Australian artist was “to create conditions for a closer and long-term cooperation between Greek and Australian artists.”
“Greece and Australia have much in common. Both countries refused to accept the yoke of foreign domination, while their people tend to go out of the boundaries by doing things in their own way. Australia is a large island, with not many people; and Greece is a small “island” with big population,” Pappas told To Vima.
In her interview for Greek newspaper, the President of ACGA pointed out that there are many good artists of Greek origin in Australia, who are active in contemporary art.
“Although they are Greeks of second and third generation, many of them have strong links with their homeland.”
As for herself, Pappas said that her heart is divided between the country where she was born and raised, and the one where she has spent the most of her life.
“Fortunately I have two flags,” Pappas said.
Over 800 artists from four continents will take part in Art-Athina 2013. From 45 participating galleries, 34 are Greek, two from Cyprus and 9 from other countries.
The art fair Art-Athina was held in 1993 for the first time.