PRESS RELEASE
The Corfu Heritage Foundation, under the auspices and with the support of the Region of Ionian Islands and with the collaboration of the Municipality of Corfu, the Ionian University and the Cultural Foundation of Tinos, presents the art exhibition “Hymn to Liberty” curated by Art Historian Dr Megakles Rogakos.
Desiring to promote the role of the national poet Dionysios Solomos (1798-1857) in the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution of 1821, which concerns the liberation of the nation from the Ottoman yoke and the creation of an independent nation state, the Region of Ionian Islands brought under its auspices events bearing the general title “Hymn to Liberty”. Part of these events, which include lectures and concerts, are two art exhibitions curated by Dr Rogakos – “Hymn to Liberty”, a historical exhibition at the Municipal Gallery of Corfu (4 – 31 August 2021) and “Ex-Staseis: Attempts at the Representation of Liberty”, an exhibition of contemporary art at the Cultural Foundation of Tinos (10 July – 10 September 2021).
The historical exhibition “Hymn to Liberty” includes the following sections of portraits: 1) important personalities of the Neohellenic Enlightenment: Rigas Velestinlis, Antonios Martelaos, Andreas Kalvos and Adamantios Korais; 2) of the leaders of the national anthem: Dionysios Solomos and Nikolaos Halikiopoulos-Mantzaros; 3) all the central heroes of the Struggle of Independence: the “Greeks” series by Adam Friedel and the sculptural busts and statues by George Megoulas; 4) Ioannis Kapodistrias by Sir Thomas Lawrence; and 5) central figures of the Philhellenism: Lord Byron and Jean-Gabriel Eynard. In addition, it presents depictions of important moments of the Struggle – the Siege of Nafplio (1821), the Fall of Tripolitsa (1821), the Exodus of Missolonghi (1826); and the Battle of Navarino (1827). Remarkable is the presentation of the monumental “Charta of Greece” by Rigas Velestinlis by François Müller in its full development with twelve parts at 200 x 210 cm, with the kind permission of the Gennadius Library. Finally, it is also worth mentioning the inclusion of the View of the Strada Reale in Corfu (1836) by Samuel Prut, which gives a rare picture of the period, with the kind permission of the Varkarakis Philhellenic Collection, Athens.
The album that accompanies the exhibition is a wide tribute to the national anniversary of 1821. It includes studies on the Greek Revolution by experts (Spyros Nicolaou, Nikolaos Kourkoumelis and Helena Matheopoulos), a presentation of the ancestors, heroes and supporters of the Rebirth (Megakles Rogakos, Georgios Kentroti and Xeni Baloti) and special research, supported by the Region of Ionian Islands, on the role of the Heptanese in the National Liberation Struggle (Giannis Pieris for Corfu, Katerina Demeti for Zakynthos, Theodora Zafeiratou for Kefalonia; Maria Roussou & Maria Tassopoulou for Lefkada, Machi Paizi-Apostolopoulou for Ithaca, Eleni Harou-Koronaiou for Kythira; and Spyros Bogdanos for Paxoi). The second part, which concerns the exhibition of contemporary art entitled “Ex-Staseis”, includes a treatise and a brief commentary on each exhibit by the curator of the exhibition. It is developed in 200 pages and is offered at the symbolic price of 20 € and is available in two languages – Greek and English.
The co-organisers of the events with the general title “Hymn to Liberty” – the Ionian Islands Region, the Municipality of Corfu, the Ionian University, the Corfu Heritage Foundation and the Cultural Foundation of Tinos – express their gratitude to the Piraeus Bank, the Aegeas Non Profit Company and Marina, Lady Marks.
Opening: The opening of the exhibition will take place at the Municipal Gallery of Corfu on Wednesday, 4 August 2021, at 20:00.
Exhibition Hours: The exhibition will be open to the public from 4 to 31 August 2021 – Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00-16:00 (except Mondays and holidays).
Communication: Municipal Gallery of Corfu, Palace of St Michael & St George, Corfu, GR 49100, +30 26610 48690, www.artcorfu.gr, pinakcrf1@gmail.com.
Visual Material: High-resolution images of the poster and the works in the exhibition can be found at the following hyperlink: www.corfuheritagefoundation.org/hymn-to-liberty/.
Festival of Corfu 2021 for the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution
Curated by Megakles Rogakos, MA MA Phd
(paperback 200 pages; 30 x 21 cm; 20€)
GR Edition ISBN: 978-618-83770-1-1
EN Edition ISBN: 978-618-83770-2-8
CONTENTS
Greetings
4 – Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou, Governor of the Region of Ionian Islands
4 – Spiro Flamburiari, President of the Corfu Heritage Foundation
5 – Andreas Floros, Rector of the Ionian University
6 – Evangelos Paraskevas-Gizis, President of the Culture Foundation of Tinos
7 – George Hantzinicolaou & Christos Megalou, Piraeus Bank
I. Studies
8 – Spyros I. Nicolaou, “The European Dimension of the Greek Revolution”
12 – Nikolaos K. Kourkoumelis, “The Filiki Eteria in Corfu, the Persons and the Connections”
15 – Helena Matheopoulos, “The Greek Revolution of 1821 as Inspiration in Music”
II. “The Ideal of Liberty with Poetry and Music” by Megakles Rogakos
20 – The Hymn to Liberty of Dionysios Solomos
24 – Nikolaos Halikiopoulos-Mantzaros, Founder of the Ionic School of Music
26 – Andreas Kalvos
28 – Georgios Kentrotis, “Solomos and Mantzaros: Patriots and Co-Creators of the National Anthem”
III. “Ancestors: Neohellenic Enlightenment” by Megakles Rogakos
30 – Rigas Velestinlis, Ethno-Martyr of the Greek Revolution
31 – Adamantios Korais, Representative of the Neohellenic Enlightenment
32 – Grigorios V, Hieromartyr of the Greek Revolution
33 – “Philhellenic Plates”
34 – “The Charta of Greece” by Rigas Velestinlis
36 – Adamantios Korais: A Spiritual Leader
40 – The Earl of Guilford, Founder of the Ionian Academy
IV. “Heroes of the Greek Revolution of 1821” by Megakles Rogakos
42 – “The Significance and Necessity of the Heroes of 1821”
44 – The Panhellenic Heroön of 1821 at Pedion Areos: Alexandros Ypsilantis, Notis Botsaris, Dimitrios Ypsilantis, Kitsos Tzavellas, Petrobey Mavromichalis, Konstantinos Kanaris, Domna Visvizi, Markos Botsaris, Georgios Karaïskakis, Andreas Miaoulis, Nikitaras, Emmanouil Papas, Nikolaos Kriezotis, Dimitrakis Plapoutas, Dimitrios Papanikolis, Manto Mavrogenous, Athanasios Diakos, Theodoros Kolokotronis, Odysseus Androutsos, Palaion Patron Germanos, Laskarina Bouboulina and Grigorios Dikaios Papaflessas
67 – The Greeks by Adam Friedel: Alexandros Mavrokordatos, Dimitrios Ypsilantis, Theodoros Kolokotronis, Laskarina Bouboulina, Nikitaras, Petros Mavromichalis, Panoutzos Notaras, Ioannis Kolettis, Lord George Gordon Byron, Odysseas Androutsos, Manto Mavrogenous, Konstantinos Kanaris, Germanos, Hourshid Paşa, Andreas Miaoulis, Ali Bey Kapudan Paşa, Joseph Balestra, Fotios Karapanos, Papaflessas, Ioannis Skandalidis, Notis Botsaris, Ioannis Mavromichalis, Ali Paşs and Ioannis Logothetis
69 – The Medals of the Heroes at the Royal Palace: Georgios Kountouriotis, Petrobey Mavromichalis, Theodoros Kolokotronis, Rigas Velestinlis, Alexandros Ypsilantis, Paleon Patron Germanos, Andreas Zaimis, Georgios Karaiskakis, Anastasios Tsamados, Andreas Miaoulis, Dimitrios Ypsilantis, Nikolaso Apostolis, Panagiotis Botasis and Frank Hastings
70 – Artworks from the Count Flamburiari Collection, Corfu
72 – Heroes & Patritots by the Sculptor George Megoulas
75 – Invitation of the Committee of the Ionian Corps to the Ionians and other Patriots
V. Ionian Patriotism
78 – Corfu: Giannis S. Pieris, “The National Consciousness in the Ionian Area”
86 – Zakynthos: Katerina Demeti, “The Contribution of Zakynthos to the Greek Revolution”
98 – Kefalonia: Theodora Zafeiratou, “Kefalonia in the Revolution of 1821”
106 – Lefkada: Maria Roussou & Maria Tassopoulou, “The Contribution of Lefkada to the Greek Revolution of 1821”
112 – Ithaca: Machi Paizi-Apostolopoulou, “Ithaca in the Preparation of the National Struggle”
118 – Kythira: Eleni Harou-Koronaiou, “Kythira in the Struggle of the National Rebirth”
124 – Paxoi: Spyros Ch. Bogdanos, “The Paxian Fighters of 1821”
VI. “Great Moments of the Greek Revolution of 1821” by Megakles Rogakos
130 – The Battle of Sculeni: Sacrifice in the Greek War of Independence
131 – The Battle of Dervenakia and the Strategic Genius of Kolokotronis
132 – The Exodus of Missolonghi
133 – The Naval Battle of Navarino: A European Victory
134 – The Obelisk for 1716: A Monument for the Prevalence of the West in Corfu
VII. “Great Personalities of the Greek Revolution of 1821” by Megakles Rogakos
138 – Lord Byron: Leading Philhellene English Poet
140 – The Hellas of 1821 of Shelley
141 – Xeni D. Baloti, “200th Anniversary of the Death of Napoléon Bonaparte: His Relations with Greece”
142 – Count Ioannis Kapodistrias
143 – General Ioannis Makrygiannis
Epilogue
145 – Spyros I. Nicolaou, “The Legacy of the Greek Revolution of 1821”
Ex-Staseis: Attempts at the Representation of Liberty
146 – Introduction by Megakles Rogakos
160 – Contemporary Artists: Manolis Anastasakos, Annita Argyroiliopoulou, Nikos Basias, Thomas Bertolis, Ismini Bonatsou, Lamprini Boviatsou, Thodoros Brouskomatis, Manolis Charos, Costis, Kyriakos Chatzimichailidis, Alexandros Dimitriadis, Milly Flamburiari, Dimosthenis Gallis, Christos Garoufalis, Nikos Giavropoulos, Stella Kapezanou, Vassilis Karakatsanis, Harris Kondosphyris, Aggelika Korovessi, Vassiliki Koskiniotou, Nikos Kryonidis, Kostas Lavdas, Agalis Manessi, Panayiotis Masonidis, George Megoulas, Dimitris Miliotis, Ioannis Monogyios, Konstantinos Patsios, Margarita Petrova, Lena Platonos, Marina Provatidou, Rania Rangou, Dimitris Sevastakis, Vassilis Solidakis, Tita Stavrou, Petros Stravoravdis, Praxitelis Tzanoulinos, Katia Varvaki, Chryssa Vathianaki and Andreas Zymvragos
