NEW YORK – Life-Giving Art: 9 Women Artists of the Diaspora is a virtual exhibition of works by nine women artists that reflects their life experiences as members of the Hellenic diaspora and a broader vision of motherhood that embraces the many roles that women play in supporting the hopes and pursuits of others, nurturing and strengthening cultural connections.

The exhibition was developed in response to the unique challenges presented by COVID-19-imposed restrictions on public gatherings. It seeks to inspire viewers with a sense of hope and an appreciation for meaningful human connections at a time of unprecedented individual isolation.

The artists included in the exhibition are: Mixed media artist Eozen Agopian; visual artist, architect, and interior designer Helen Daferera; mixed-media information artist Nicole Economides; sculptor and installation artist Eleni Giannopoulou; sculptor and ceramicist Morfy Gkikas; painter Despina Konstantinides; mixed media artist Despo Magoni; photographer Aphrodite Navab; and sculptor and painter Sophia Vari.

The exhibition is curated by Tiffany M. Apostolou, an art historian who specializes in cross-temporal art historical research. With a background in architecture, Apostolou explores connections between Byzantine and Contemporary artistic practices.

Access to the virtual exhibition is available online via the Hellenic American Project (HAP) website: https://hapsoc.org/life-giving-art-exhibition.

The exhibition catalogue is also available online: https://issuu.com/peri-technes-pubs/docs/exhibition_catalogue_fina.

Currently, the exhibition has no end date.

For more information visit the HAP homepage: https://hapsoc.org.

The Hellenic American Project (HAP), based in the Queens College/CUNY Department of Sociology Department documents the Hellenic American presence in the United States from the first wave of mass immigration in 1900 to the present. It operates as a research facility, archive, Greek American library, museum, and event space.

HAP seeks to create a seamless narrative that encompasses the Hellenic American experience through an innovative multifaceted approach, making combined primary and secondary sources available to the public for educational and research purposes. Among its initiatives are recording generational oral histories, analyzing population data, curating and digitizing digital cultural artifacts and publications, and organizing academic symposia and cultural events. Directed by Queens College sociology professor Nicholas Alexiou, HAP is the only program of its kind in New York City.

On May 19, Hellenic Professional Women presented a discussion via Zoom on the works of the nine women artists from the Greek diaspora participating in the Virtual Exhibition under the auspices of the HAP, directed by Prof. Alexiou and curated by Apostolou.