Greek Cartoon Museum at 'Kapnergostasio' historic building set up in Athens

A museum dedicated to Greek cartoons will be set up at the emblematic building of the former state Tobacco Factory (Kapnergostasio) in Athens, Parliament President Constantine Tassoulas revealed during the inauguration of an exhibition of political cartoons at the Syntagma on Tuesday evening, ANA reports.

Tassoulas inaugurated the show "The Cartoonists' Metapolitefsi" - after the term describing the 50-year transition from dictatorship to democracy (1974-2024) - at the Syntagma metro station exhibition hall. It includes selections from 422 cartoons by 67 artists from July 1974 to the present. 

According to a statement by Parliament, Tassoulas pointed out that "cartoonists have the ability to understand much more and imprint it with their pen. In a sharp manner, not a derogatory way. And in a country where superficial seriousness prevails." The Parliament president expressed the hope that the exhibition and similar initiatives will help cure Greeks of this, "which is not related to seriousness, in order to understand that this view of things and personalities is a lot more effective, much more consultative, and a lot more critical than any other record and any other article." 

Addressing himself at politicians, he stressed that the art of cartooning "is not a threat, is not a danger, it is welcome. Because through this penetrating look, the cartoonist often even helps us understand ourselves, and we need that."

The statement also mentions that the veteran cartoonist Vassilis Mitropoulos, who has received multiple awards in Greece and abroad and signs his work as 'Bas', presented Tassoulas with a cartoon titled "The country's... guides since 1944" depicting Greece's leaders from Constantine Tsaldaris to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Exhibition hours

The show is held by the Greek Cartoonists Club, under the auspices of Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, and supported by the Greek Parliament, the Culture Ministry, the Athens Municipality's Culture, Sports and Youth Organization (OPANDA), the Urban Rail Transport (STASY), and the Educational Institute of the Athens Daily Newspapers' Journalists' Union (ESIEA).

It is curated by Yiannis Antonopoulos and Spyros Derveniotis, and provides a panoramic view of the specific art's development from print to electronic media.

It is open to the public from 09:00 to 21:00 at the main exhibition hall at Syntagma station and will run through Saturday, October 19. There is no entrance fee.

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Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons License: CC-BY-SA Copyright: George Voudouris