Τhe third Art Symposium, the theme of which was «Art in Politics» was held in the summer of 1993 at Minos Beach art hotel. The idea for the approach came directly from Boris Yeltsin’s rise to power and the imminent breakup of the Soviet Union. The event also coincided with international celebrations marking the 2,500 years since the birth of democracy.
The main aim of the Symposium was to present artists who had experienced long periods during which their freedom of expression and output was curtailed by totalitarian regimes. 22 artists in total were invited and came from Russia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Bulgaria, Austria, Peru, the United States, China and Greece.
Seven distinguished speakers from different countries also participated in the symposium, including the renowned Greek expert on Byzantine studies, Helene Ahrweiler.
The Symposium demonstrated the enduring relationship between art and politics through the ages, but also the inviolable need of artists, whose greatest political choice was the pursuit of their art, for freedom and pluralism.
Conceived and organised by: Gina Mamidakis
Exhibition Curation and Conference Coordination: Dmitri L. Koromilas
Publication and Artistic Direction: Dmitri L. Koromilas
Photography: Costantin Tzelios, Vangelis Roccas (with additional photography by Friederich Fink and Chris Kelley)
Texts by: Alexandra Boutari, Dmitri L. Koromilas, Lorand Hegyi, Elzbieta Koscielak, Olga Mala, Katalin Neray, Nikolaos Zoroyiannides
Location: Minos Beach Hotel, Agios Nikolaos, Crete
Duration: May – November 1993 & 1994
Participating Artists: Magdalena Abakanowicz (Poland), Klara Borbas (Hungary), Costis Triantaphyllou (Greece), Boris Despodov (Bulgaria), Dimitris Dokatzis (Greece), Ingrid Fragantoni (Austria/Greece), Dmitri Gutoff (Russia), Tamas Hencze (Hungary), Ivan Kafka (Czech Republic), Malgorzata Koscielak (Poland/USA), Alexander Kosolapov (Russia/USA), Adela Matasova (Czech Republic), Ludwika Ogorzelec (Poland/France), Boris Orlov (Russia), Jaroslav Rona (Czech Republic), Angelos Skourtis (Greece), Nedko Solakov (Bulgaria), Nikos Sotiriadis (Greece), Marios Spiliopoulos (Greece), Attilla Tahtahta (Hungary/Peru), Tamas Trombitas (Hungary), Tsi Tson (China/Hong Kong)
Participating Speakers: Nikolaos Zoroyiannides (Director General, The Greek Ministry of Culture), Helen Ahrweiler (France), Alexandra Boutari (Greece), Lorand Hegyi (Hungary/Austria), Elzbieta Koscielak (Poland), Olga Mala (Czech Republic), Katalin Neray (Hungary), Philip Zidarov (Bulgaria), Dmitri L. Coromilas
