London exhibition 'The aftermath of the December riots in Greece' cancelled one day after it opened

From “The Aftermath of the December Greek Riots” by John Vassilipoulis and Paul Mitchell

Photographers George Kasolas and Spiros Christofi spoke to the World Socialist Web Site about the cancellation of their exhibition “The aftermath of the December riots in Greece” just one day after it opened at the Hellenic Centre in London earlier this year.

George explained that he had worked at the centre previously and asked permission to show the pair's pictures. He even agreed to pre-submit them to the centre for approval. The photos were well received at the opening night and reception, but the next morning they were taken down. No explanation was given by the Centre's management as to why the photographs were removed.

George said they were surprised that the event was cancelled and angry that they have unable to find out who took the decision or why. He said they had received legal advice that suggested the centre had reneged on its contract with the artists. The only conclusion the artists were able to draw was that the reason for withdrawing the exhibition was political.

Since then the two have resisted attempts by the Hellenic Centre to silence them, but despite approaches to the British media only the Art Newspaper publicised their case.

Both are deeply sympathetic to the youth who took part in the December events in Athens and see the link between the riots and the bleak prospects for Greek young people. As Spiros explained the police shooting of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos on December 6, 2008, was the “the drop that made the glass overflow” and became the catalyst for resentment over poverty wages and rising joblessness (one quarter are currently unemployed) to explode.

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Spiros explained, “The images that we have shown are a realistic visual representation of Athens at the time when the city was under disruption and at a point in time where the economic crisis has reached the people.”

George added, “The photographs themselves weren't taking an explicit political position. They don't contain any depictions of the riots themselves, but scenes of Athens after the riots.”

“Perhaps it was the picture of the entrance to the National Bank of Greece sprayed with red paint that they objected to.”

Spiros described how the Hellenic Centre has strong links to the Greek embassy and Orthodox Church and is patronised by rich Greek and Cypriot businessmen and bankers in London, who use it as a vehicle for making tax deductible donations and as a platform for promoting “a safe and acceptable face” of Greek culture. “They just want to see landscapes, blue seas and skies and whitewashed buildings.”

He also talked of the double standards the Centre employs, since it has a permanent exhibition on its premises devoted to Conservative Prime Minister Karamanlis—thus providing his government with a political platform.

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