The EMST is organizing a major retrospective exhibition of the significant Greek painter Stathis Logothetis (1925-1997) titled “Earth to Earth.” Logothetis was a unique case of an artist who developed his artistic practice in dialogue with the European avant-garde of his time, but essentially without counterparts in Greece, where he settled after 1973. The power of his work arises from the often violent identification of the elements of painting—the canvas, color, frame—with the human body, skin, and blood. As part of his experiments, he performed artistic actions that animated his paintings using his own body or in collaboration with the audience. In the continuation of his artistic research, he incorporated natural wear and chance into his work, exposing it to the elements of nature.
The exhibition, which will run from April 2 to September 20, 2026, will be the first retrospective presentation of the artist since his last exhibition in 1994 in Thessaloniki. It will include approximately 70 works from every period of his artistic career, gathering pieces from significant private and public collections in Greece and abroad. It will also feature primary and unpublished sources from the artist’s personal archive and will utilize original research concerning his surviving works. The aim of the exhibition is to provide a deeper understanding of Logothetis’s artistic ambitions, to highlight his unique position in the avant-garde of his time, and to rekindle interest in his artistic practice, enriched by a new perspective on ecology and the politics of the body. Additionally, the exhibition will showcase the multiple connections between his work and the events of his tumultuous cosmopolitan life, as well as his lifelong creative relationship and collaboration with his brother, the renowned Greek-Austrian composer Anestis Logothetis (1921–1994).
Exhibition Design: Giannis Arvanitis
Opening: Thursday, April 2 at 19:00
Curatorship: Stamatios Schizakis
Biography
Stathis Logothetis was born in the Tower of Eastern Rumelia (Burgas, Bulgaria) in 1925 and moved with his family to Thessaloniki in 1934. Initially involved in music, he abandoned his medical studies (1943). He obtained a diploma in violin from the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki (1951-1952) and continued at the Music Academy of Vienna (1952-1953). From 1954, he chose to dedicate himself to painting. Until the end of the 1970s, he worked intermittently in various European countries (West and East Germany, Italy, Yugoslavia), supported by scholarships from the Goethe Institute, Dante Alighieri Institute, D.A.A.D., etc. After 1973, his permanent residence was in Athens.
He presented his work in solo, group, and international exhibitions in Greece and abroad. Notably, he participated in events such as: Avantgarde Griechenland (Berlin, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, 1967-1969), 12th Sao Paulo Biennale (1975), 9th Cagnes-sur-mer Painting Festival (1977), where he received a special distinction, Avanguardia e Sperimentazione (Modena and Venice, 1978), Europalia (Brussels, 1982), and more.
His artistic activity was prematurely halted in 1987 when he contracted an incurable illness that led to paralysis. Before his death (Athens 1997), his work was presented in two retrospective exhibitions, at the Galerie Satire in Heidelberg (1990) and at Warehouse 1 of the Thessaloniki Port Authority (1994).
Exhibition Contributors
Artistic Direction: Katerina Gregou
Administrative-Financial Management: Athina Ioannou
Curatorship: Stamatios Schizakis
Exhibition Design and Artistic Production: Giannis Arvanitis
Conservation: Fotini Alexopoulou, Fotini Kousiaki, Vicky Papaleka, Olga Seraskeri, Sofia Sklavounaki
Artwork Insurance: Karavias Underwriting Agency
Lighting Design: Sakis Birbilis
Audiovisual Installation: M-spirit
Transportation and Hanging of Works: consTRUCKtivist EE Fine Art Packing & Transport
Deputy Director of Technical Services: Iro Nikolaea
Technical Support: Grigoris Sampani, Evangelos Philipas, Aimilios Petrikis, Evangelos Kioulos
Lighting Technical Support: Grigoris Koureli
Construction: A.M. Architecture & Management
Signage Design: Iliana Siarga
Prints: Next S.A.
Translations: Kyriakos Karseras
Text Editing: Maria Skamanga
Communication Advisor: Maria Tsolaki
Communication Contact: Marigo Siakka
Sergios Zalmas (social media)
Support for Administrative – Financial Management: Sofia Papageorgiou, Vicky Triantafyllou
Internships: Maria Avramidi, Ash Kouinis, Konstantinos Lagos, Evangelos Mourikas,
Myrto Chesmetzi Karipidou, Ingmar Riswick
Special Thanks:
The EMST would like to extend special thanks to Julia Logothetis for her invaluable contribution to the preparation of this exhibition
as well as to Dr. Despoina Tsourgianni, scientific supervisor of the Art Collection of Alpha Bank,
and to Leonidas Beltios, Pantelis Arapinis, Myrto Arapini, and George Niarchos for lending works from their collections.
