INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ART CRITICS GREEK SECTION

AICA HELLAS is the Greek section of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA-Association Internationale des Critiques d’Art), which is based in Paris and operates under the auspices of UNESCO. Classified as a non-profit organisation, in 1998 AICA HELLAS was included in the Minister of Culture’s list of agencies which made up the National Council for the Visual Arts, and in 2001 it was included in the Ministry’s list of agencies in the Visual Arts Network. The current title, AICA HELLAS, came to replace the original title of “Union of Greek Art Critics” in 2003, when the latest amendment of its Articles of Association was unanimously approved by the General Assembly of 26.5.01 and sanctioned by the Athens Court of the First Instance on 19.2.03. The Society of Greek Section of AICA was founded in 1949 by some of the most distinguished figures in the fields of art criticism and literature in Greece. Among its founding members were Odysseas Elytis, Christos Karouzos, Marinos Kalligas, Manolis Hatzidakis, Tony Spiteris, Dimitris Evanghelides. The Association’s membership has included Evangelos Papanoutsos, Christos Karouzos, Panayotis Michelis, Giorgos Mourelos, Eleni Vakalo, Manolis Andronikos, Dimitris Fatouros, Pantelis Prevelakis, Ι. Μ. Panayotopoulos, Efi Ferentinos, Beatrice Spiliades, Nelly Misirli, Marina Lambraki-Plaka and its presidents over these fifty years have been among the most active figures in the field of art theory and criticism — Alexandros Xydis, Giorgos Simos-Petris, Chrysanthos Christou, Mary Michailidou, Maria Kotzamani, Efi Strousa, Maria Marangou.

 

Today the Association of Greek Art Critics continues to bring together the country’s major forces in the realm of criticism and art history in Greece and abroad, people who work in museums, galleries and universities, in the electronic Media, in newspapers and magazines, in publishing houses and in state, municipal and private organisations. In 2012 there were 99 regular members and 3 honorary members. 

The aims of the Association of Greek Art Critics AICA HELLAS are in tune with those of the international AICA, so as for the promotion and development of criticism in the areas of art and art history and the protection of its members’ moral and professional rights and interests to reflect contemporary demands for the support of all projects and activities aimed at promoting mutual understanding among different cultures. The scientific interests and activities of AICA HELLAS members span the entire spectrum of art forms in history and contemporary culture, as well as the interdisciplinary approach to artistic creation. Their professional activities —the study, teaching, research and critical interpretation of art as well as the organizing of exhibitions, symposia and conventions in Greece and abroad, the publication of books, catalogues and art magazines and the production of radio and television features— constitute the sole authoritative contribution to the institutional protection and the promotion of contemporary artistic creation in the broader social arena.