Fotis Kontoglou. From “LOGOS” to “EKPHRASIS": With drawings and decorative designs by the author’s hand, Benaki Museum, December 9, 2015–February 20, 2016

The exhibition is devoted to distinguished artist Fotis Kontoglou (1895–1965), to mark 120 years since his birth and 50 years since his death and to feature representative works from the artist’s career in writing and illustration.

The exhibition aims to highlight Kontoglou’s activity as a writer and to present his illustration work for books authored or translated by himself as well as by other authors. The featured manuscripts, models and sketches –some of which remain unpublished to date— will acquaint visitors with yet another aspect of this multi-talented artist’s work.

Logos was a monthly journal published in Istanbul (Péra-Constantinople), in the first volume of which (1922) was discovered a translation of Edgar Allan Poe by Kontoglou.

Ekphrasis was the culminating chapter in Kontoglou’s writing and publishing career, a monumental work for which he received an award by the Academy of Athens.