Art Athina 2025: Where Mediterranean and European Art Converge

The Athens contemporary art fair brings together 72 galleries to explore art’s evolving role in uncertain times.

INTERNATIONAL FAIRS & EXIHIBITIONS

Charlotte Madeleine CASTELLI

9/21/20251 min read

The thirty-second edition of Art Athina, the contemporary art fair concluding tomorrow, September 22, 2025, at the Zappeion Megaron in Athens, has established itself as a significant crossroads for dialogue between the European and Mediterranean art scenes. With the participation of 72 galleries from Greece and abroad, the event has provided a comprehensive overview of the most current artistic trends, reflecting a moment of renewal and experimentation for the Hellenic cultural landscape.

The guiding theme of this edition, “NOW WHAT,” invited reflection on the challenges and opportunities facing art in times of change and uncertainty. The fair distinguished itself through a multidisciplinary program that went beyond traditional booths to include sections dedicated to design, experimental projects, performance art, and talks, creating a dynamic space for dialogue and exchange between artists, curators, and audiences.

In this context, the presence of the Italian galleries Galleria Giampaolo Abbondio and Shazar Gallery highlighted the importance of an ongoing conversation between the artistic scenes of the two countries. Galleria Giampaolo Abbondio presented a solo project dedicated to the Athenian photographer Yannis Bournias, curated by Panos Giannikopoulos, former curator of the Greek pavilion at the 2024 Venice Biennale. The booth attracted the attention of collectors and industry professionals, including Dakis Joannou and Vincenzo de Bellis. Shazar Gallery from Naples participated with a booth curated by Massimiliano Maglione, presenting works by three artists: Iranian Saghar Daeiri, Greek Dimitris Kontodimos, and Italian Paola Risoli. The exhibited works offered insights into diverse cultural identities and global challenges through the language of contemporary art.

Art Athina 2025 has confirmed its role as a laboratory of ideas, a space where art becomes a vehicle for reflection and transformation, mirroring the dynamics and shifts of contemporary society. The participation of the Italian galleries has contributed to a shared and enriched vision of the challenges and potential of contemporary art, reinforcing the connection between the Greek and Italian art scenes.