The Archaeological Museum of Chania welcomes the National Gallery – Alexandros Soutsos Museum for the pop-up exhibition "Art Ties: 8 Contemporary Sculptures – ∞ Infinite Timeless Bonds." Organized by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and the Ephorate of Antiquities of Chania, this unique exhibition creates a dialogue between antiquity and contemporary art.

An Innovative Concept: ArTies

This exhibition is part of the "Art Ties" (ArTies) initiative, a new program by the Ephorate of Antiquities of Chania. The idea is to integrate objects from national and international museums, institutions, and cultural organizations into the museum’s Permanent Exhibition, creating a dynamic dialogue between the ancient and the modern.

The goal? To highlight the timeless nature of artistic inspiration and offer a fresh perspective on cultural heritage through unexpected connections between ancient artifacts and contemporary sculptures.

The First Guest: The National Gallery

The National Gallery – Alexandros Soutsos Museum is the first institution invited to participate in this initiative. It presents eight major sculptures by renowned Greek contemporary artists (Giannoulis Halepas, Bella Raftopoulou, Christos Kapralos, Froso Efthymiadis-Menegaki), which are not part of the National Gallery’s permanent collections.

These sculptures act as storytelling threads woven into the Permanent Exhibition of the Archaeological Museum of Chania, forming seven thematic dialogues that reveal the infinite bonds of our cultural tradition:

• Winged Victories
• Rebellious Hybrid Creatures
• Vain and Aged Aphrodites
• Figures that Dance, Mourn in Silence, or Express Intense Emotion
• Proud and Wounded Warriors
• Funerary Markers as Symbols of Love’s Transience and Death’s Inevitability

This fascinating coexistence invites visitors to personalize their experience, engaging in an intimate, silent conversation between ancient and contemporary works—threads of human experience woven together in unexpected and compelling ways.

Opening & Exhibition Details

The exhibition will be inaugurated by Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni.
A bilingual catalogue (Greek & English) and a poster-leaflet accompany the exhibition.

Organized by: The Ministry of Culture & Ephorate of Antiquities of Chania, in collaboration with the National Gallery – Alexandros Soutsos Museum, with the support of the Region of Crete and the Municipal Port Fund of Chania.

📍 Location: Archaeological Museum of Chania | Permanent Exhibition Halls
📅 Opening: Saturday, March 8, 2025, at 12:00 PM
⏳ Duration: March 8 – October 13, 2025
🎟️ Free Admission