New Symbols

ARC -Art Revisited Collective extends an Open Call to visual artists all over the world to submit their artworks so as they participate in the New Symbols exhibition. The exhibition will be held at Luminous Eye Arts & Photography Gallery, Acropolis Area, Athens, Greece, and it will also be accessible online.

This is the 3rd edition of a series focusing on creating powerful symbols in the visual arts that respond to the challenging issues of today.  The exhibition, curated by Art Curators Paris Kapralos and Jason Kairofilas, is based on a concept developed in dialogue with the collective and is organizationally supported by ARTgrID. The official languages ​​of the exhibition are Greek and English, and a commemorative catalog will be published.

The exhibition welcomes original artworks of any style and artistic expression, representational or abstract, expressive, symbolic, abstract, or any other choice that can engage with the theme. Accepted mediums include painting, printmaking, photography, digital art, collage, mosaics, sculpture, and video art.

Conceptual Framework. In the late 19th century, Symbolism emerged in Europe as a counterpoint to the banality of the Realism of the time. Symbolism draws inspiration from the fantastical, guiding existential quests, and delving into philosophical matters. It aims to engage the viewer with a poetic and mystical disposition. Beyond formalistic depictions, Symbolism laid the groundwork for the inception of contemporary art movements. Henceforth, visual arts convey allegories and incorporate conceptual content: nothing is merely what the viewer sees. In challenging historical circumstances, art creates potent symbols to promote the dialectical relationship between humanity and historical context, posing insightful questions in unconventional ways, transcending the boundaries of social conventions to address meaningful concerns. The entirety of artistic production speaks symbolically, without necessarily aligning with the eponymous movement. In unprecedented times, art is called upon to foster contemplation, generate new allegories, presenting the New Symbols of Today to the world.