Gates of Transition. Biennale Collective Temporary Exhibition of Contemporary Studio Jewelry

Artist list

Melis Agabigum, Angelos Aggelidis, Karin Roy Andersson, Maria Apostolopoulou, Hebe Argentieri, Costas Argyriou, Alexandra Athanasiades, George Bakogiannakis, Katerina Balomenou, Susana Barbosa, Heather Blake, Lila Boutari-lalaouni, Isabelle Busnel, Marie Caneva, Theodora Chatzitheodorou, Elvira Cibotti, Ela Cindorouk, Angela Ciobanu, Mara Colecchia, Stephania Curreli, Teresa Dantas, Georgia Dimitriadou, Aggelika Diplari, Clem Edwards, Evgenia Feroussi, Steven Ford, David Forlano, Yael Friedman, Fabiana Gadano, Corrina Goutos, Elpida Grigoriadou, Dora Haralambaki, Marielena Haralambaki, Paxton Juhlin, Christina Karababa, Tina Karageorgi, Ioanna Karagiorgou, Nikos Karakostas, Hara Karamichali, Antonia Karra, Maria Karystinou, Eleftheria Kekou, Sonya Kelly, Joshua Kosker, Maria Koutmani, Alexandra Krikos, Stella Kyriakou, Maria Lalaouni, Marina Leonti, Ioli Livada, Anastasia Manesi, Cassandre Martinez, Maria Mastori, Esmeralda Momferatou, Mary-zoe Moustakoudes, Khanya Mthethwa, Margarita Myrogianni, Nikolina Ninou, Cristina Nuno, Telma Oliveira, Judy Onofrio, Giorgos Palamaris, Despoina Pantazopoulou, Alkistis Papagianni, Liana Pattihis, Mabel Pena, Ana Pina, Sharon Portelance, Lily Preve, Katerina Psoma, Debra Rapoport, Alain Roggeman, Rosalba Rombola, Lauriane Sallin, Maria Sarafi, Deganit Schocken, Sara Shahak, Niki Stylianou, Tassa, Marianthi Telirtsidou, Efthalia Thalassi, Terhi Tolvanen, Vivi Touloumidis, Ioannis Tsigaridas, Maria Tsimpiskaki, Yiota Tzioga, Kostas Varotsos, Yiota Vogli, Elli Xippa, Sofia Zarari, Petra Zimmermann, Aristotle Zinis

The exhibition presents recent creations of 100+ Greek and international artists, offering a unique opportunity to discover the diversity and innovation in the field of contemporary artistic jewelry. From Argentina to the USA, the UK, and Spain, from Italy to Turkey, South Africa, Australia, and Greece the diversity of the participants highlights subject matter, techniques and materials that combine creativity, innovation, and sustainability, while simultaneously reflect each artist’s personal expression. Brooches and small sculptural objects showcase the uniqueness and ingenuity of the creators, reflecting contemporary trends in jewelry and decorative arts. The Gates of Transition reflect the current characteristics of creators in the field of contemporary art in respect to social changes and by their artistic maturity.


Around the World with 100 Artists.
Arranged in loosely chronological and geographical order, each work explores the art of studio jewelry during the past year or so. The topic allowed individuals to be devoted to a single work of art, created in a particular place or a moment in time, a specific medium or a shared creative idea. “Gates” become metaphorically the mechanism to explore transition between the past and present. Contemporary artistic jewelry relies on instinct, and on the quality of its handcraft fabrication. Regardless of the aesthetic result, the artistic traits from this exhibition are changed and are used as a research material for new generations and enrich our cultural heritage. At the museum, we examine this type of jewelry for more than three decades, studying and suggesting different ways to explore educational possibilities both for local and international artists and audiences. The Biennale unites artists every two years, displaying a creative network to engage with the public and vice versa. Artists tend to forge a visual language inspired from diverse sources; including pop culture, political revolutions, religious beliefs, or just explore how materials can be manipulated by constant experimentation. The installation evokes diversity while artists’ statements bring in new ideas to explore.


Gates of Transition, A Common Space
The concept of “transition” in art highlights a process of transformation and evolution, where an object or material starts with a specific functional or aesthetic role and develops to an abstract or philosophical dimension.

The starting point for conceptualizing the theme of the exhibition is the transition from jewelry to artwork, or vice versa. A transition in the artistic field, scale, material, and functionality of the artwork can lend it a new dimension, transforming it into a broader field of dialogue, encouraging the search for new meanings and interpretations. The jewelry collections of Salvador Dali, the ceramic works of Pablo Picasso, and the multifaceted work of Ilias Lalaounis serve as iconic examples of artistic transitions in contemporary art that remain an inexhaustible source of inspiration and academic research for newer generations.

The perception of transaction metaphorically projects through the work of the artists from the past to the present. The works articulate social issues, loss or gains, dreams, aspirations that refer to the totality of society; encompassed by their thoughts and experiences.


Participatiing Greek Artists
Aggelidis Angelos, Athanasiades Alexandra, Apostolopoulou Maria, Argyriou Costas, bakogiannakis George, Balomenou Katerina, Boutari-lalaouni Lila, Chatzitheodorou Theodora, Dimitriadou Georgia, Diplari Aggelika, Feroussi Evgenia, Grigoriadou Elpida, Karababa Christina, Karageorgi Tina, Karagiorgou Ioanna, Karakostas Nikos, Karamichali Hara, Karra Antonia, Karystinou Maria, Kekou Eleftheria, Koutmani Maria, Krikos Alexandra, Kyriakou Stella, Lalaouni Maria, Livada Ioli, Leonti Marina, Manesi Anastasia, Mastori Maria, Momferatou Esmeralda, Moustakoudes Mary-zoe, Myrogianni Margarita, Ninou Nikolina, Palamaris Giorgos, Pantazopoulou Despoina, Papagianni Alkistis, Pattihis Liana, Preve Lily, Sarafi Maria, Stylianou Niki, Tassa, Telirtsidou Marianthi, Thalassi Efthalia, Tzioga Yiota, Touloumidis Vivi, Tsigaridas Ioannis, Tsimpiskaki Maria,  Psoma Katerina, Haralambaki Dora, Haralambaki Marielena, varotsos Kostas, Vogli Yiota, Xippa Elli, Zarari Sofia, Zinis Aristotle

Participating International Artists
Agabigum Melis (Usa), Argentieri Hebe (Argentina), Barbosa Susana (Portugal), Blake Heather (Uk), Busnel Isabelle (France), Caneva Marie (France), Cibotti Elvira (Argentina), Cindorouk Ela (Turkey), Ciobanu Angela (Romania), Colecchia Mara (Italy), Curreli Stephania (Italy), Dantas Teresa (Mozambique), Edwards Clem (Australia), Ford Steven (Usa), Forlano David (Usa), Friedman Yael (Israel), Gadano Fabiana (Argentina), Goutos Corrina (Usa), Juhlin Paxton (Usa), Kelly Sonya (Australia), Kosker Joshua (Usa), Martinez Cassandre (France), Mthethwa Khanya (South Africa), Nuno Cristina (Spain), Oliveira Telma (Portugal), Onofrio Judy (Usa), Pena Mabel (Argentina), Pina Ana (Portugal), Portelance Sharon (Usa), Rapoport Debra (Usa), Roggeman Alain (Burundi), Rombola Rosalba (Italy), Roy Anderson Karin (Sweden), Sallin Lauriane (Switzerland), Schocken Deganit (Israel), Shahak Sara (Israel), Tolvanen Terhi (Finland), Zimmermann Petra (Austria)

HOMMAGE – The Exhibition Pays Tribute to the work of HE EXHIBITION PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE WORK OF
Maroulina  (1908 – 1997)
Bruno Martinazzi (1923 - 2018)
Takis (1925 – 2019)
Theodoros (1931 – 2018)
Sophia Vari (1940 – 2023)
Τoni Goessler - Snyder (1942 - 1982)
Corinna Coutouzi (1949 - 2023)
Stavroula Kaziale (1962 - 2024)

The artists featured in this section are distinguished for their ability to combine traditional techniques with contemporary approaches, creating works that defy boundaries and promote creativity. Highlighting their work not only honors their personal journey but also contributes to promoting the contemporary art scene, strengthening the connection between the public and art, encouraging social change, and fostering cultural renewal.