Exhibition “Dimitris Galanis. The Illustrated Books”

An important exhibition and an important collaboration

The exhibition “Dimitris Galanis. The Illustrated Books” is quite special. It is the outcome of a collaboration that lasted from 2008 to 2013. During this time, professionals, amateurs, internal and external associates gathered, recorded and documented Dimitris Galanis’ work on illustrations.

And so, the material demonstrates the pivotal role that Dimitris Galanis played in printmaking and illustrations in particular. The exhibition “Dimitris Galanis. The Illustrated Books” is one the most important events co-hosted by the Alpha Bank Art Collection.

A varied presentation of Galanis’ work

The exhibition presents a selection of the most important publications illustrated by Dimitris Galanis. The rich and varied exhibits come from the collection of Alpha Bank and the National Bank of Greece Cultural Foundation, and some important and unpublished archives of the Montmartre Museum.

These publications are not presented as single exhibits, but in combination with sketches, printing plates and, sometimes, related documents and correspondence. This further showcases the entire range of Galanis’ work that was necessary to conclude the publications.

Material from other collections

The exhibition is enriched by paintings, drawings and prints from private collections, museums and foundations, such as: the National Gallery-Alexandros Soutsos Museum; the Benaki Museum; the Teloglion Fine Arts Foundation, AUTh; the Corfu Reading Society; the National Library of Greece; and the International Foundation of Yannis Koutsoheras and Lena Strefi-Koutsohera.

Galanis’ recognition abroad

The exhibition also includes an aquatint of Dimitris Galanis by Henri Matisse. The piece dates back to 1914 and demonstrates the wide recognition enjoyed by Galanis in Paris, where he lived.

A presentation in Thessaloniki

Part of the exhibition “Dimitris Galanis. The Illustrated Books” was presented at the National Bank of Greece Cultural Foundation bookstore in Thessaloniki, from 26.05.2015 to 26.09.2015.

An Alpha Bank publication

The publication Dimitris Galanis. The Illustrated Books accompanies the exhibition. The forward of the publication was written by Dionysis Kapsalis, Director of the National Bank of Greece Cultural Foundation. In the 3 introductory texts that follow:

• Irene Orati, curator of the Alpha Bank Art Collection, gives a detailed presentation of Galanis’ illustrations for the first time.
• Angelos Drakogiorgos, PhD candidate at the University of Burgundy, gives an account of the printmaker’s first years in Paris.
• Giorgos Matthiopoulos, professor of Graphic Arts at the Athens University of Applied Sciences, writes about the art of books in Europe of that time.

Buy the publication Dimitris Galanis. The Illustrated Books on the Alpha Bank e-shop (only available in Greek).