“The exhibition was amazing, and we were touched by the whole story behind the paintings,” one of the warm notes in the guest book, written in a rather young hand. Young visitors leaving the exhibition “Smyrna at the beginning of the 20th century. Through the eyes of the Byzantine scholar Georgios Lampakis,” commenting on what they saw in the hall, the couple focuses on the work of street artist Sotiris Fokeas, which concludes the story in the Byzantine-Christian Museum, others review the 8-minute video “Europe at the threshold of the 20th century”.

Georgios Lampakis studied at the Risario school, and under the patronage of Konstantinos Kanaris he studied the theological school in Athens, then Christian archeology at the universities of Munich, Leipzig, Erlagen and Berlin and, above all, played an important role in saving and recording ancient and Byzantine monuments, traveled around regions of the Ottoman Empire, visited Smyrna five times, published the book “Seven Stars of Revelation”, which presents the seven churches of Asia Minor (Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea).

The exhibition is based on his work and life, having as a valuable tool the archive of the Lampaki family, from which the public is informed about the Greek communities of Asia Minor at the beginning of the 20th century, the way the Byzantine scholar worked. , his mediating role between the Greek state and the Hellenism of Asia Minor. Among other things, material about the urban character of Smyrna is presented by handwritten letters, souvenir postcards, as well as information about the pioneering research of Lampakis, highlighting Byzantine monuments, etc. The epilogue is given by the work of Sotiris Phokeas, known as Soteur, who represents Smyrna through pop art, calling us to dream of Smyrna in the early 20th century.

It is important how this report was prepared. The museological and museographic preliminary study and research was carried out by postgraduate students of the interdisciplinary seminar of the postgraduate program “Monument Management: Archeology, City and Architecture” of EXPA in cooperation with the Byzantine Museum. A special feeling of collaboration between the interdisciplinary workshop of Dr. Dionysios Murelatos (scientific design, general editor of the exhibition) with the Lambaki Family Archive and BCM, as architect Marina Gaytanzi says to “K” on behalf of the graduate students of the program. “The archive was digital and accessible. The approach was made an interesting learning method in which 52 students worked, in six groups on six sections of the report. This was the core that supported the approach to the archives of G. Lampaka in terms of the meaning and architectural configuration of the space, coordinated by Dr. Murelatos.”

The scientifically documented exhibition, which is attractive to the visitor, also wants to attract younger visitors through educational programs, concerts, shows at the National Theater in the spring, etc. Among its strengths is the dreamlike atmosphere created by the floating manuscripts and maps from the Lampaka archive.