There are people who have the talent to create aesthetics around them. To create an environment in which special moments of our lives would “live”. Chrysanthos Panas has this gift, perhaps because he has learned to see beauty in soft nails. It is no coincidence that the entrepreneur behind the birth or revival of iconic spaces in the center and on the Athenian Riviera is an art collector. A few days ago, the Michalis Kakoyannis Foundation opened an exhibition entitled “Greek Kaleidoscope”, which for the first time presents to the general public the great works of Greek artists such as Fasianos, Moralis, Akritakis, as well as younger ones, such as Apostolos Georgiou.

His relationship with art started from childhood thanks to his grandmother, Marianti Pana, who was an artist. However, the whole family of his father had a penchant for creativity. In fact, his cousin Ivi Pana was an outstanding pianist and teacher of Maria Callas. The businessman himself at a young age met Vasilis Fotopoulos, an Oscar-winning artist, stage designer and director. His curiosity drove him to constantly visit art spaces such as Zoumboulakis Gallery, Nees Morfes, Gallery 7. His constant trips abroad brought him to the doorsteps of major museums, where retrospectives of artists, photographers and sculptors took place. In 1990, he bought his first work, and later, together with his brother Spyros, they collaborated with famous galleries, holding exhibitions on their premises. All these irritants have formed a special taste that can be seen both at home and in Aten or on the island. Even his heavily edited versions show how he perceives the harmony of images.

It is important to note that he did not want only himself to enjoy the works he collected, so he created the Relatedart website where everyone can access them, and in fact this online step is used for credits for future exhibitions by other media. The exhibition at the Kakogyanni Foundation, which includes one hundred of 220 works, was opened on Monday, December 19, by the Minister of Tourism, Vassilis Kikilia. A little later, the first tour was conducted by the collector himself, and then the president of the foundation, Xenia Kaldara, and a member of the artistic advisory board of the foundation, Doras Vyzovytu, welcomed him. Both emphasized the importance of fine arts in the cultural heritage of the country, as well as the contribution of Chrysanto Panas in strengthening Greek artists for decades to come. The architectural design of the exhibition was made by the experienced Maria Panagidou.

But how does the collector himself see the exhibition? “Personally, the 80s is also the decade of my adolescence. So when friends my age were passionately looking for the next collectible model car to add to their collection, or a poster of their favorite actor or band to hang in their room, I, despite my obsession with music, dreamed of the first piece of art I would acquire. And in 1989, in my late teens, I did it! And even when self-financed. With my pocket money, I bought a work by Christos Theophilis, a rather rebellious artist of the time, from the Adyto Gallery. This exhibition is a journey, a journey through Greek art mainly from the 80s to the present day, through my own eyes. I wanted to share this journey and my special relationship with each of the works.” The exhibition will run until 01/16/23.