The group exhibition ΓΑΙΑ/GAIA explores the concept of the Earth as a mythological, natural and cultural entity. It develops two parallel narratives that intersect at a common point of reflection: humanity’s relationship with the natural world and the consequences of the ever-increasing disruption of that relationship. This is the second temporary exhibition presented by the Gaïtis–Simossi Museum for 2026, and is curated by Yannis Bolis, and is being held with the support of the General Secretariat of the Aegean and Island Policy and the Municipality of Ios. 

The opening of the exhibition will take place on 1 August 2026, at 19:30, and will be open to the public until 19 October 2026.

The starting point of the exhibition is Gaia (Earth), the primordial deity of Greek cosmogony. In Hesiod’s Theogony, Gaia emerges alongside Chaos and Eros as one of the first creative forces of the universe. She gives birth to Uranus, the Mountains and the Sea, while her descendants personify the elements, forces and rhythms of the world. As the archetypal form of the Great Mother, she transcends the boundaries of Greek mythology; she appears in the pantheon of different cultures, expressing the unbroken unity of life, nature and creation. Gaia evokes a time when people had a deeper connection to their environment. She is a goddess shrouded in the mists of time, who governs the elements and forces of nature.  

The exhibition moves at the intersection of two narratives that unfold simultaneously and shape the way we perceive the planet and its future. The first narrative is familiar and clear, though we cannot predict its consequences. It refers to a world in turmoil, in which the relationship between humans and nature has been irrevocably disrupted. This relationship bears all the scars of human interference and indifference, the reckless exploitation of natural resources, the loss of biodiversity, and the world-changing consequences of climate change. This is the first narrative, and it has been reaching its climax in recent decades. 

The second narrative is that of the Earth as an unpredictable, relentless and uncontrollable system with its own laws, behaviors and reactions against the “attacks” made by humans. This is a story that is still in the making, and whose outcomes and consequences remain unclear. The concept of the Earth lies at the heart of the works in this exhibition – works that symbolically refer to primordial and transcendental forces, to age-old myths and contemporary realities, and that capture the traumatic experience of the “unnatural” and “paradoxical” separation between humanity and nature. They focus on concepts such as birth, life and death, violence and destruction, and speak to the urgent need for a new consciousness and self-awareness, the need for an alternate path.

The choice of a Cycladic island – and specifically Ios – as the venue for this exhibition lends an additional layer of meaning to it. The Cyclades form a landscape where the presence of the Earth is instantly felt through the geomorphology, rock formations, intense light, and constant interplay between land and sea. From the prehistoric civilizations of the Aegean to the present day, the islands have fostered a unique relationship between humans and the natural environment, a relationship linked to memory, survival, creation and transformation. In the Cyclades, Gaia is not merely a mythological figure but, rather, a lived reality inscribed in the landscape itself and in the cultural identity of the land.

Artists: Giorgos Alexandridis, Dimitris Alithinos, Annita Argyroiliopoulou, Mania Benissi, Fani Boudouroglou, Giorgos Chatzispyrou (Looper), Rania Emmanouilidou, Dimitris Foutris, Aris Katsilakis, Antigoni Kavvatha, Alexandros Maganiotis, Thanos Makris, Panos Mattheou, Dimitris Merantzas, Nourako (Fanouris Moraitis), Konstantinos Patsios, Natassa Poulantza, Lia Psoma, Ifigeneia Sdoukou, Danae Stratou, Nikos Tranos, Giorgos Tserionis, Vana Xenou, Vasilis Vasilakakis, Babis Venetopoulos, Katerina Zacharopoulou.

Opening Day
1 August 2026, 19:30

 

Information

Curator: Yannis Bolis
Space: Gaïtis – Simossi Museum
Duration: 1 August – 19 October 2026

 

Opening hours

1–31 August
10:00 – 13:30 & 18:00 – 21:30

1 September – 19 October

10:00 – 13:30 & 17:30 – 21:00
Daily except Tuesdays

Closed 15 Αυγούστου

 

Ticket: entry is included in the standard admission ticket to the Museum

Entry to the temporary exhibition alone: 2€

Gaïtis – Simossi Museum
84001, Chora – Ios

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