Kontias Lemnos
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At a meeting of the Board of the Cultural Association of Kontiatina of Lemnos in the fall of 1998, the proposal of friends for the organization of a Balkan Painting Symposium (planaire) in Kontias next summer was discussed.
The initial reactions of the members were clearly negative, but slowly a crazy dream began to be born. The thought that artists of international renown would come to our village, create works and graft the inhabitants and especially the young people with their art, filled us with enthusiasm and anxiety for the project.
We started telephone contacts with the artists.
Their response was immediate and positive. With the valuable help offered by the Glyfada Fine Arts Workshop of the Aggelakis family - they gave us the idea - we entered the organization process smoothly.
Finding money was the major problem. So we set off on a road race to secure sponsors and supporters and recruited friends and acquaintances. And while things were going well, another problem arose. The war broke out in Yugoslavia and communication with artists in most countries was impossible. We then had to ask our embassies to facilitate them as much as possible and to grant them visas in time so that the banquet would not be canceled.
Eventually, after continuous and persistent efforts, the obstacles were overcome and the First Balkan Painting Symposium became a reality in August 1999.
The artists arrived, enjoyed the warm hospitality, created the first cycle of works and taught the children painting and collage. Everything was crowned with success. After the Symposium, the constant topic of our discussions on the board was housing and exhibition of works. Our wish came true when, in a meeting in Lemnos with the then governor of the North Aegean, Mr. Karoutzo Athanasios, the issue of establishing an Art Gallery in Kontias was discussed.
His enthusiastic response and together with a fund of 50 million drachmas - € 150,000 today - which was the initial capital for the purchase and renovation of the building, gave us wings for the organization of the 2nd Balkan Painting Symposium. This time things turned out easier because the Ministry of the Aegean, the Prefecture and the Local Government responded to our request. Obviously our noble goal and our previous success counted. So the Second Symposium was held in August 2001 and everything went as planned. The collection of works was enriched and grew, because we had not videotaped all the works and events, we created a wonderful documentary which was shown on state television and distinguished at a festival in Bulgaria.
From what we have exhibited so far, it becomes clear what struggle was required to be able to inaugurate the Gallery of Contemporary Balkan Art of Kontias.
However, the project would not be completed if we did not have all these years the support of the Municipality of Nea Koutali and personally the mayor Mr. Dimitris Voulgarakis.
The many problems that arose along the way would not be addressed if our common vision and love for the place and culture did not prevail. Thus, with deep emotion and satisfaction we deliver to Lemnos, but also to Greece, a unique art ark.
We believe that it will work for the benefit of the residents and visitors of our island and as a stimulus for the youth in search of new horizons. We are optimistic that the Balkan Painting Symposia will become an institution, that the operation of the gallery will be supported and that the message of peace and solidarity of the peoples we transmit will be consolidated in the minds and hearts of all.
We warmly thank those who supported our work.
Charalambos Roulias
President of the Association of Kontiatina of Lemnos (2007)
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