The Greek Festival of Sydney is gearing up to go on a spiritual journey of Nikos Kazantzakis with two upcoming events, both of which set the famed Greek writer against other prominent figures to offer unique perspectives and insights.
The Festival will delve into Kazantzakis through two initiatives, the first being a solo art exhibition by Associate Professor Dr Ouresis Todorovich titled ‘ANIONTEΣ’ at Addi Road Stirrup Gallery in Marrickville from 22-27 April.
The exhibition, organised by the International Society of Friends of Nikos Kazantzakis Sydney Branch and sponsored by the Unity in Philia as part of the Festival, frames Kazantzakis with numerous major figures from the past.
“Through the artworks of the exhibition one witnesses the dialogue, so to speak, of Kazantzakis with a number of great figures in human history: Jesus, Buddha, Odysseus, Nietzsche, Bergson etc,” the exhibition’s curator, Dr Vassilis Adrahtas, told Neos Kosmos.
Dr Adrahtas explained that the title for the collection relates to a term found in the works of the Byzantine mystical theologian known as “Dionysius the pseudo-Areopagite”, which essentially means ‘the ascending ones’.
“It conveys the spiritual outlook of Nikos Kazantzakis in his attempt to realise and reach what he regarded as the transcendent secret of human life,” he said.
The exhibition will host an official opening event at 6.30pm on 22 April to highlight all the artwork that makes up the collection.
The curator expressed he is immensely impressed with how the collection attempts to visualise both a Byzantine Kazantzakis and the interrelation of Kazantzakis’ oeuvre with Byzantine thought via the realm of art.
He emphasised that people visiting the exhibition should expect to see “nothing less than an innovative and original approach to the vision of the great Greek writer and thinker”.
Kazantzakis will once more be the centre of focus with another event on 7 May, 6.30pm, at Marrickville Library, that being an event titled ‘Greece and India: A dialogue between Nikos Kazantzakis and Sri Aurobindo’.
The event will feature a panel discussion as well as an artbook launch called ‘Consciousness’ Journey to the Transcendent: Turning the Finite to Infinity’.
The artbook, authored by Dr Adrahtas, is the result of the work of six artists from the Art of Life Collective who explore the shared vision of Sri Aurobindo and Nikos Kazantzakis through their teacher’s spiritual quest.
Dr Adrahtas noted the event deals with the relationship of Kazantzakis and India, through his thoughts and reflections on figures such as Vivekananda, Tagore and Gandhi.
“It is this very specific Indian connection that the artbook addresses with regards to the figure of the great modern Indian mystic philosopher, Sri Aurobindo,” he said.
The book itself was the work of six young women from Greece in putting together a book in which the works of Kazantzakis “talk” to the works of Aurobindo, and vice versa.
Dr Adrahtas stressed the novelty of combining literature, art and philosophy in the same book, all with an additional comparative perspective.
The launch will be accompanied by a discussion and Q&A on Kazantzakis’ affinities with Aurobindo and Indian thought, coordinated by Themi Kallos and featuring Dr Adrahtas and Dr Alfred Vincent.
“I believe this is going to be a prime cultural, intellectual and spiritual experience for those who will come along and be part of it.”
