Summary
- The “Symbols” exhibition opens on November 10, 2026 at the MOMUS–Alex Mylona Museum in Athens.
- It brings together 83 artists working in painting, sculpture, printmaking, installations and video.
- Their works explore symbols drawn from nature, belief, politics and popular culture.
- The exhibition runs until May 23, 2027.
Event Details
A heart, an apple and a host of familiar images become starting points for 83 artists exploring the power of symbols in the new MOMUS exhibition “Symbols” in Athens.
The exhibition opens on November 10, 2026 at the MOMUS–Alex Mylona Museum in Thiseio, and runs until May 23, 2027. Painting, sculpture, installations, prints and video come together around a central question: how many different meanings can the same image carry?
From hearts and apples to belief and pop culture
The symbols draw on nature, religion, politics, astrology, tarot and popular culture. A heart, an egg and an apple are just three starting points. Rather than addressing everyday signage, the exhibition considers images that carry stories, ideologies and personal memories across cultures and generations.
That approach is particularly relevant to people who work with images. A visual form may be instantly recognizable, yet its meaning depends on context, materials and the person looking at it. The encounter between a symbol and its viewer becomes part of the artwork itself.
Six artworks that reveal the exhibition’s range
The images supplied with the announcement show how varied the artistic responses can be: a red heart behind broken glass, a cherry in an atmospheric landscape, a butterfly made of mosaic surfaces, human figures and intricate sculptural constructions. These are six examples from the supplied material, not the full exhibition.
83 artists in conversation across different media
Participating artists include Chloe and Alexis Akrithakis, Dimitris Geros, Afroditi Liti, Emmanouil Bitsakis, Alkis Boutlis, Nikos Tranos, Christos Bokoros and Alex Mylona. The exhibition is curated by Giannis Bolis, an art historian and head of the museum’s Contemporary Sculpture Department.
The encounter between different artistic media shows how open-ended visual language can be. A similar investigation of form, light and experimentation appears in MOMUS’s “László Moholy-Nagy. Light Play” exhibition, which explored alternative ways of reading photographic and artistic images.
An accompanying catalogue features texts by art historians examining the place of symbols in human life and visual culture.
Dates, venue and visiting information
Opening: Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at 20:00. Exhibition dates: November 10, 2026–May 23, 2027. Venue: MOMUS–Alex Mylona Museum, 5 Agion Asomaton Square, Thiseio, Athens.
According to the press release, opening hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10:00–18:00, Thursday 12:00–20:00, with the museum closed on Mondays. For enquiries: +30 210 3215717. Check the museum’s official page for any timetable updates.
What we think
There is something compelling about looking at a heart, a butterfly or a cherry and realizing that you are not simply recognizing an object. You are bringing your own associations to it. This exhibition makes that process its central subject, instead of offering visitors a fixed definition for every symbol.
For photographers and filmmakers, that is worth paying attention to: a familiar shape changes when it moves within a frame, appears in a different material or sits next to something unexpected. It is a useful exercise in visual storytelling even if our own work does not involve painting or sculpture.
The six works already shown in the announcement have very different visual rhythms and sensibilities. Seeing them in the exhibition space without rushing to “decode” each one could be especially rewarding. Sometimes the strongest encounter with an artwork begins with a detail you did not expect.
Frequently asked questions
How many artists are taking part?
The exhibition brings together 83 artists working across painting, sculpture, printmaking, installations and video.
When does the exhibition open?
The opening takes place on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at 20:00 at the MOMUS–Alex Mylona Museum in Thiseio.
When does the exhibition end?
The scheduled final day is Sunday, May 23, 2027.
