The second annual contemporary art exhibition and auction in benefit for Athens Pride 2010 is to be presented by Athens gallery, The Breeder.
San Francisco, Sydney and Berlin are well known for their gay pride. Athens is now celebrating its second year of gay pride in June. Gay and lesbian love permeated in Ancient Hellenic art, culture and philosophical discourse and as lifestyle.
The conservative force of the Greek Orthodox Church for hundreds of years shunned gay life. Again, the exultation of homosexual love and lifestyle will be celebrated.
Athens Pride was founded in 2006 after the success of its first Pride festival in 2005.
This year marks the 6th festival and takes place in Klafthmonos Square, with a parade through the historic centre of Athens.
In addition to its main festival, Athens Pride holds events throughout the year to promote the positive visibility and acceptance of LGBT persons, to combat prejudice and silence, and to advocate for fundamental rights.
Athens Pride is an all-volunteer organisation that relies solely on pro bono services, sponsorship and donations.
22 artists have donated works for auction in support of Artists for Athens Pride II. Greek artists living and working outside as well as some of the most prominent artists in Greece will be putting their name to the event.
Artists such as Nicos Charalambidis, Zoe Charlton, Petros Christostomou, Christina Dimitriadis, Dora Economou, Steve Gianakos, Konstantin Kakanias, Katerina Kana, Em Kei, Jeremy Kost, Kalup Linzy, Theo Michael, Christodoulos Panayiotou, Angelos Papadimitriou, Maria & Dora Papadimitriou, Mantalina Psoma, Scott Treleaven, Sharon Thomas, and Poka-Yio. Poka-Yio was a special guest of the last Sydney Biennale.
All the contributors have been presented in events such as the Athens Biennial, the Venice Biennale and the Sydney Biennale, Bienal de Sao Paulo, and have works in important collections worldwide.
A range of mediums and styles will be available for auction ranging from contemporary form: painting, sculpture, photography, drawing, video-animation, collage, silkscreen and digital printing.
The curator, Andrea Gilbert is a New York-born art critic and curator who has been living and working in Athens since 1989.
She has curated major international group exhibitions SKIN at the Deste Foundation; and Magic at vamiali’s gallery as well as numerous solo shows.
Artists for Athens Pride 2010 hopes to entice art lovers to acquire artwork while supporting the philanthropic project of Athens Pride.
For more information go to www.athenspride.eu