Exhibition"Women of the Cyclades through time"

Museum Of Cycladic ArtAthens International Airport

October 7 - May 31

Following 4 successful exhibitions, the Museum of Cycladic Art collaborates once again with the Athens International Airport by organizing the exhibition "Women of the Cyclades

through". The exhibition, located in the "Art &Culture" area on the Arrivals level of

Athens International Airport, opened on October 7, 2024, and will run until May 31, 2025.

The exhibition explores the history of the Cyclades, depicted through the marble female

figurines crafted by local islanders during the 3rd millennium BC. These Cycladic figurines,

part of the world-renowned collection of the Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens, reflect a

society that revered women. The exhibits include smaller and larger antiquities representing

the female form as a mother, goddess, offering, or ritual object of uncertain purpose. The

white marble sculptures of the Early Cycladic period (3200–2000 BC) bring these figures to

life, portraying women with prominent features, slightly rounded bellies, or incised lines

indicating pregnancy or postpartum.

Since the early 20th century, many artists have been inspired by the art of the prehistoric

Cyclades. Prominent figures such as Constantin Brancusi, Amedeo Modigliani, Alexander

Archipenko, Henry Moore, Alberto Giacometti, and Barbara Hepworth explored the origins of

human expression in these primordial forms. They found the simplicity of early Cycladic

figurines captivating, significantly influencing their work. The Cycladic craftsmen's depiction of the female figure evolved into a universal archetype that resonates in modern art. The Modernist artists' works made the art of these islands a lasting source of admiration.

The central exhibit of the exhibition is a copy of the large Cycladic figurine of the Museum

of Cycladic Art, believed to represent a female deity embodying the essence of her era's art.

The exhibition also features a video that showcases the lives of Cycladic women from ancient times to the present, offering insights into a culture both distant and remarkably familiar. The video was specially produced for this exhibition.

"Women of the Cyclades through time" at the Athens International Airport serves as a

prelude to the major archaeological exhibition titled "Kykladitisses: Untold Stories of

Women in the Cyclades." This exhibition, organized by the Museum of Cycladic Art in

collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades, will

be held at the Museum from December 12, 2024, to May 4, 2025. It will feature around 180

Cycladic artworks dating from early prehistory to the 17th century, sourced from the

collections of the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades and the Museum of Cycladic Art.

Contributors to the exhibition "Women of the Cyclades through time":

MUSEUM OF CYCLADIC ART

Curation

Prof. Panagiotis P. Iosif Scientific Director of the Museum of Cycladic Art (assisted by Marietta

Kypriotaki and Evi Papadopoulou)

ATHENS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT S.A.

Curation-Coordination

Chara - Helene Mitsotakis, Αrts & Culture, Senior Advisor

"Women of the Cyclades through time"

7 October 2024 to 31 May 2025

Art & Culture Exhibition Area, Arrivals Level/ Entrance 1

Free access

The area is accessible to all passengers and visitors and operates 24/7