Takis 1∞

22.06 - 02.11.2025

The Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the distinguished artist Takis (Panayiotis Vassilakis, 1925–2019), is organising a major retrospective exhibition at its museums in Athens and Andros from June 22 to November 2, 2025.

The exhibition coincides with the reopening of the newly renovated Old Wing of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Andros. For the first time in the Foundation’s history, all spaces dedicated to temporary exhibitions across its three museums will be exclusively devoted to Takis, who left his mark on 20th-century international art.

The tribute is made possible with the full support of the Takis Foundation, which the artist himself established in 1986, and will be enriched with loans from significant public and private collections. The aim of this retrospective is to offer the public an opportunity to explore the entirety of Takis’ work, as all stages of his artistic journey will be highlighted through iconic sculptures and installations, personal objects, and important archival material.

Athens

The exhibition in Athens will focus on Takis’ passion for magnetism. From 1959, when he recognised the decisive role of magnetism in art, he never ceased to incorporate it into works of different approaches, such as Télésculptures, Télépeintures, Télélumières, Défis à la gravité, Sphères électro-magnétiques, Musicales, Murs magnétiques, Magnétrons and Isidos Plants. The landmark performance The Impossible – A Man in Space, which took place in 1960 at the Iris Clert Gallery in Paris, will also be presented. The Athens exhibition will be complemented by video projections of ephemeral works, such as the Hydromagnetic Sculpture (1969) and The Games (1972).

Andros

The exhibition in Andros will be divided into two parts. In the Old Wing of the Museum of Contemporary Art, which is reopening after its recent renovation, an extensive presentation of the Signals series will be featured. These iconic works, which contributed to Takis' international recognition, are crafted from various materials such as bronze, marble, and stainless steel, coexisting in the exhibition halls.

In the New Wing of the Museum, a chronological approach will allow visitors to follow Takis' artistic evolution from his early years in 1946 to 2019. His first sculptures in plaster, bronze and iron will be displayed, followed by works from his Flowers, Flower Idols and Idols series, as well as his Dials and Electronic Reliefs. A significant section of the exhibition will highlight his time at MIT, showcasing the Sea Oscillation Hydrodynamics piece from 1969. Finally, a dedicated room will explore his erotic-themed works and his deeply personal connection with music.

The exhibition is curated by Marie Koutsomallis-Moreau, Head of Collections at the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation and Toby Kamps, Head of the Modernist Collection at the Hamburger Kunsthalle and a specialist in Takis' work.

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