Kostis Velonis, Life Without Democracy, 2009
South by Southeast, curated by Katerina Gregos, marks a significant new chapter in the evolution of EMΣT's collection. Bringing together 50 artists from more than 20 countries, the exhibition reflects a collection policy introduced in 2021 that repositions Greece within a broader cultural geography spanning the Balkans, Turkey, the Middle East, North Africa, and the Mediterranean.
The exhibition proposes a shift away from the traditional Western European narrative that has shaped modern Greek identity since the 19th century. Instead, it presents Greece as a vital crossroads between Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Near East—a region historically defined by mobility, cultural exchange, migration, and layered identities.
The title, South by Southeast, playfully echoes Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest, signaling a symbolic reorientation from an exclusively Western perspective toward a more plural and interconnected understanding of Greece's place in the world. This approach acknowledges the country's deep historical and cultural ties with its neighbouring regions while remaining firmly rooted in its contemporary European identity.
Focusing on the Mediterranean, the Balkans, North Africa, and the Near East, EMΣT's collection seeks to uncover shared histories, overlooked connections, and diverse artistic voices. Rather than attempting to be encyclopedic, the collection embraces a clear regional focus that reflects Greece's unique geopolitical and cultural position.
At a moment marked by migration, geopolitical conflict, and shifting global alliances, South by Southeast offers a timely reflection on identity, belonging, and cultural exchange. More than an exhibition of recent acquisitions, it presents a vision of the museum as a space for rethinking inherited narratives and imagining new forms of cultural dialogue in an increasingly interconnected world.
ARTISTS
Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Diana Al-Hadid, Monira Al Qadiri, Athanasios Argianas, Lynda Benglis, Pier Paolo Calzolari, Chryssa, Bia Davou, Navine G. Dossos, Eirene Efstathiou, Stelios Faitakis, Apostolos Georgiou, Ivan Grubanov, Artan Hajrullahu, Mona Hatoum, Giorgos Ioannou, Emily Jacir, Sven Johne, Konstantin Kakanias, Dionisis Kavallieratos, Bouchra Khalili, Panos Kokkinias, Jannis Kounellis, Ange Leccia, Nate Lowman, Rabih Mroué, Eleni Mylonas, Jennifer Nelson, Gabriel Orozco, George Osodi, Adrian Paci, Leda Papaconstantinou, Maria Papadimitriou, Malvina Panagiotidi, Rena Papaspyrou, Antonis Pittas, Walid Raad-The Atlas Group, Thomias Radin – Alexander Brack – Matthias Meisen, Michael Rakowitz, Serban Savu, Nedko Solakov, Sphinxes, Thomas Struth, Lina Theodorou, Costas Tsoclis, Vangjush Vellahu, Kostis Velonis, Vangelis Vlahos, Eirini Vourloumis, Akram Zaatari
