Stelios Skopelitis. D' Apres Rodin

Press Release
Stelios Skopelitis
D’Après Rodin

Curator: Maria Marangou

Art Gallery Morfes, Govatzidaki 18 – old town Rethymno
Opening: Friday, 29 September 2017, 20:00 – 22:00

On September 29, Friday, at 20:00, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Crete launched its new exhibition at Art Gallery Morfes in Rethymnon, in the context of its 25th Foundation Anniversary, under the general title Ten Chapters. Artworks of the Permanent Collection.
The exhibition comprises a selection of Stelios Skopelitis’ D’apres Rodin works (1989), which were offered to the museum by the artists himself (2009).

As such, the audience is given the opportunity to further appreciate the major Greek photographer’s ouevre and its groundbreaking aesthetics in the context of Greek art at the time.
D’apres Rodin series comprises 65 black-and-white pictures of a single French model, Fabienne, which were shot by Stelios Skopelitis in 1989.
The series photographically reproduces Rodin’s drawings of female nudes in erotic poses, published in Dessins érotiques.
In the book Fabienne: D’après Rodin (Agra publications, 2003), Stelios Skopelitis describe the way in which this work was realized, in the following words:
"In 1987 I was in Paris ... Though a bookstore window … I saw Rodin’s book Dessins érotiques, first edition. I didn’t hesitate to buy it … Later on, as I was strolling through its pages, I became tempted to photographically reproduce these magnificent, erotic water-color paintings, thinking how Rodin would have used the camera himself. I tried my luck with Greek female models, but always failed. Impregnated with their Christian pseudo-morality, guilt-ridden and full of petty bourgeois anxieties, they were unable to let themselves free and loosen up their bodies, so I stopped.
[...] In 1989, I met Fabienne, a lady from France, who was teaching French to Greek students. It didn’t take much effort; in less than six hours, the work was done. I want to believe that we succeeded in what we set out to do. This book would have been published sooner, but three publishers lacked the courage to bring the project to its completion ... I dedicate this book in its entirety to her".

The exhibition is held on the occasion of the Museum’s 25th Foundation Anniversary and is part of the anniversary exhibition Ten Chapters. Artworks from the Permanent Collection.
For Ten Chapters, we deployed around 200 of our 650 permanent collection works, which have been donated by individuals, collectors and, most importantly, by artists themselves.
The exhibition extends outside the Museum facilities: Twin Building and Artillery Building at Fortezza, Kara Mousa Pasha Mosque and Venetian Church of Hagia Sophia, Carob Mill in Panormo village and Art Gallery Morfes in the old town of Rethymno.
Under the curation of Maria Marangou, the wider exhibition’s selected artworks comprise ten thematic units: The Appropriation of History; Mythologies and Reality, The Sanctity of Nature; Theologies;The Artefacts of People; The Portrait Ritual; Spaces and Landscapes; Violence; Prompted by Helen; 24 Hours in the City.
Stelios Skopelitis works are part of the The Appropriation of History section.

The exhibition at Art Gallery Morfes will run until 30 November 2017.
Free admission

Opening hours:
Monday, Wendesday, Friday 09:00-14:00
Tuesday & Thursday               09:00-14:00, 18:00-21:00
Sunday                                     Closed


CONTACT:
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART OF CRETE
Development Enterprise of the Municipality of Rethymno
32 Mesologgiou str., 74100 Rethymnon
Tel: +30 28310 52530, Fax: +30 28310 52689
E-mail: info@cca.gr • http\\:www.cca

Art Gallery Morfes
Govatzidaki 18
74131 Rethymno
28310 50271
iliasmorfes@gmail.com