|Friday 1 August – Sunday 7 September|
The 68th Philippi Festival presents the painting exhibition ETUDES / XM by the Kavala-born visual artist Kostas Gkourtzis, from Friday 1 August to Sunday 7 September 2025. The exhibition, centred on Chronis Missios, will be hosted in eight dining establishments across both the city of Kavala and villages within its municipality, forming a distinctive festival map.
ETUDES / XM presents studies in ink and watercolour on paper. These are various attempts to depict the figure of Chronis Missios, inspired by sketches originally created for the visual identity of this year’s Philippi Festival.
As with the artist’s work more broadly, here too the image seeks to capture that which words increasingly struggle to convey. Each portrait reflects a different moment of the author, shedding light on a different facet of his multifaceted personality. After all, the image of certain people often seems to carry meaning in and of itself. So it seems to be in the case of Chronis Missios. These studies are an attempt to illustrate that very observation.
Kostas Gkourtzis – Biography
He was born and raised in Kavala. In recent years, he has lived and worked in Thessaloniki. He studied painting at the School of Visual and Applied Arts at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and at the MFA in Visual Arts at the Athens School of Fine Arts.
He is currently a PhD candidate at the Athens School of Fine Arts.
His artistic output includes works in various media, video installations, and paintings. Notes in the form of sketches, paintings, moving images, sound and text compose a narrative of an essayistic nature.
He regularly exhibits his work in group shows and festivals in Greece and abroad. He has taught painting at the School of Visual and Applied Arts at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
ETUDES / XM
Kostas Gkourtzis
01.08-07.09.2025
APARTO BISTRO CAFÉ BAR
Ethnikis Antistaseos 10, Kavala
BLACK DOG ALL DAY BAR
28is Oktovriou &, KRINIDES
EPÀRCHÎA DESIGN BOÎTE BY MANTILITY
Nikotsara Square, Kavala
THE HUB COFFEE STORIES
Pavlou Mela 6, Kavala
MARSYAS CAFÉ BAR
Filippou 2, KRINIDES
OCHRE COFFEE N’ DRINKS
Mehmet Ali 24, Kavala
ONEIRON GEYSEIS RESTAURANT
Palaia Ethniki Odos, PYRGOCHORI
TSALAPETEINOS URBAN FARM
Karaoli & Dimitriou Square 36, Kavala
Free Admission.
For more information, you may contact the Kavala Municipal and Regional Theatre at 2510 220876 (10:00–14:00).
