Retrospective exhibition “Evangelia Biza – Unfolding”

The exhibition presents a part of the multifaceted work by Evangelia Biza, showcasing this renowned artist, who stood out in the field of applied arts and mainly design bookbinding.

Through her pieces, the audience will discover her creativity and passion for books, but also her enthusiasm and love for experimentation and innovation. This is why her bookbinding pieces are considered authentic works with a unique flair.
The exhibition aims to introduce the audience to design bookbinding, an art that instils value into each book, transforming it into a work of art.

Bookbinding as an art

With books as the pivotal point of reference, the audience will discover the unique personality of this creator, who worked on 3 fields:

• Design bookbinding – The aim is to come up with the right cover that will unveil what the book is all about.
• Commissions – It requires a more targeted approach in designing the cover.
• Artist’s books – The book becomes a field for unrestricted artistic creativity.

The various topics unfold through the materials. They highlight the resourcefulness and innovative perspective of Evangelia Biza, which amalgamates classic and newer trends.

Contributors

Artistic design: Chara Marantidou.

Organising committee: Eleni Gousti-Stampogli, Nikolas Sarris, Evi Stefani, Christina Tsaroucha, Andreas Fatouros and Kontantinos Choulis.

The exhibition was also successfully held at the National Library of Greece.

Her life in a nutshell

Evangelia Biza (1963-2023) was born in Athens. She studied at the School of Bookbinding Art of the Hellenic Organization of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises and Handicraft (EOMMEX). She then continued with postgraduate studies in bookbinding and book conservation at the Centro del bel libro in Ascona, Switzerland, on scholarship from EOMMEX and the Onassis Foundation.

She worked as a bookbdinder and conservator at the Historical Archives of Corfu and contributed to the establishment of the Conservation and Bookbinding Lab.

In 2000 she returned to Athens and founded a design bookbinding lab in Exarcheia.

Her work

Evangelia Bizas’ pieces demonstrate her deep knowledge of the bookbinding art, which she acquired through her extensive experience in the conservation of old books and manuscripts. What’s more, her ingenuity, imagination and boldness led her to adopt her own personal style early on, without, however, being repetitive along the way.

Although her creations fall into the field of bookbinding, they are also closely linked to artistic movements. So they have a place in the broader realm of artistic creation.

Some of her pieces have been awarded at international exhibitions.

Breathing new life into design bookbinding

As a founding member of Les Amis de la Reliure d’Art (ARA) Greece, Biza breathed new life into design bookbinding and contributed to shaping modern bookbinding.

Her work is marked by experimentation, exploration and twists, while she linked tradition to new technologies. As a result, multifaceted and often contradicting points of reference spring from her creations.

Collaborations and teaching

Evangelia Biza worked with distinguished artists, photographers and design artists.

She contributed significantly to the conservation of archival and book materials, working with major organisations, such as the Hellenic Parliament, Benaki Museum and the General State Archives of Greece.

Her professional activities also included teaching, and organising lectures, workshops and presentations in Greece and abroad.

Morning guided tours are available for schools, upon arrangement with the Banknote Museum of Ionian Bank. Mr Konstantinos Christopoulos is the contact person for the guided tours (+302661041552).