Georgios Olympios
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Georgios Olympios (Greek: Γεώργιος Ολύμπιος) is a Greek art collector, cultural sponsor, and business consultant.
Art collection
Olympios is an active art collector. In 2008, a selection from his collection was presented in the exhibition "With Red or White" (Με κόκκινο ή με λευκό) at the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art in Thessaloniki, featuring wine bottles transformed into artworks by Greek and international artists.[1][2]
The collection began around 1997 over lunch with artist Fotis Chatziioannidis. Olympios' method involves asking an artist to create a wine bottle artwork every time he acquires a piece from them.[3]
He transformed his 200-year-old family house at the foothills of Mount Olympus into a "design house" where every element – ceilings, floors, windows, doors, furniture, and tableware – was commissioned from different artists. He does not typically buy from galleries; instead, he invites artists to stay at the house and create works specifically for the space.[4]
He is also recognized as a collector of works by Greek-American artist Stephen Antonakos. The Archives of American Art at the Smithsonian Institution holds records documenting Olympios' collection of Antonakos' work.[5]
Business and cultural diplomacy
Olympios mediated the participation of Indian billionaire Prakash Hinduja, chairman of the Hinduja Group, at the 84th Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF). Hinduja publicly acknowledged Olympios' role as "mediator and contributor".[6]
Other activities
Olympios is a member of the Scientific Committee of the Fondazione Giuseppe Sciacca, a Vatican-based foundation that awards prizes for science, culture, and humanitarian work.[7]
International symposiums
In October 2024, Olympios participated as a member of the Advisory Board for the "Shilp Uday International Stone Sculpture Symposium" organized by the Udaipur International Centre for the Visual Arts (UICVA) in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. The symposium's official program lists him as "H.E. Georgios Olympios, Knight Commander of the Royal Order of Francis I".[8]
Publications
A 160-page book documents Olympios' collection of artist-painted wine bottles.[4] He also co-authored an essay titled "Colloquio sull'arte di creare relazioni" (Conversation on the art of creating relationships) in the collective volume Uomini Illustri: Omaggio a Personalità della Cultura Moderna e Contemporanea (Aracne Editrice, 2021), which explores the intersection of art, diplomacy, and networking.[9]
Advisory role
He serves as an advisor for international relations at the Art Thessaloniki International Contemporary Art Fair.[10]
References
- ↑ ""Εμφυαλωμένα" εικαστικά μηνύματα". Makedonia. 8 March 2009. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
- ↑ "Group Exhibitions 2008". Christina Saradopoulou: Catalogue. 2014. p. 157. Search this book on
- ↑ "Message in a Bottle: An Invitation to Dinner from a Collector".
The collection began some twelve years ago over lunch between the collector and Fotis Chatziioannidis.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Batibeki, Kezban Arca (August 2009). "Selanik'ten neler kaldı?" [What's Left of Thessaloniki]. Hürriyet (in Türkçe).
- ↑ "Stephen Antonakos papers, 1950-2013, Subseries 4.1: Collectors". Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
- ↑ "Prakash Hinduja: India, the fastest-growing large economy". Exposed.
Mr. Hinduja... will be present at the 84th TIF through the kind mediation and contribution of art collector Georgios Olympios
- ↑ Piazzo, Stefania (22 April 2020). "Salvini e Giorgetti, per cosa era nata la Lega, per entrare nella Fondazione Sciacca?". L'Indipendenza Nuova.
Tra i componenti... S.E. Ing. Dott. Georgios Olympios
- ↑ Shilp Uday International Sculpture Symposium. Udaipur International Centre for the Visual Arts. October 2024. p. 14. Search this book on
- ↑ Georgios Olympios, Annalisa Tarquini-Poli (2021). "Colloquio sull'arte di creare relazioni". Uomini Illustri: Omaggio a Personalità della Cultura Moderna e Contemporanea. Aracne Editrice. pp. 289–296. ISBN 979-12-5994-114-5. Search this book on
- ↑ "Advisory Board". Art Thessaloniki. HELEXPO. 29 March 2016. Retrieved 2025-04-14.
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