PETROS AND MARIKA KYDONIEFS FOUNDATION ANDROS

"Jannis Psychopedis is regarded as one of the basic exponents of "Critical Realism". Before "Critical Realism", however, there was the tendency called "New Realism", and both ideological and visual movements can trace their origins back to Marcel Duchamp, the pioneer, revolutionary and heretic vis--vis the conventions. "New Realism", with Pierre Restany as its advocate, provided a powerful European reply to American Pop Art in the early Sixties.(...)" ATHENA SCHINA

We welcome you as we do every year, to the P. and M. Kydoniefs Foundation, which has opened its exhibition gallery once again —this year to host characteristic artworks by Jannis Psychopedis.

In continuing for the fourth year our established series of visual arts presentations under the title "PLOES", we believe we are contributing to the process of accentuating the work of contemporary artists whose achievements in the realm of ideas and art have shaped the variety of our concepts about expression today. Our aim is to use our exhibition venue to promote the living cells of contemporary creative work in the visual arts by means of high-quality selections.

We try on all occasions to provide the public with representative information about artists who, in our view, are important and have had an impact on contemporary art in all the multitude and variety of work they continue to create.

Andros is a place which, each year, demonstrates that it possesses all the qualifications to be seen now as a cultural beacon, as appropriate to an island. This is demonstrated in the indefatigable efforts of all of us to achieve precisely that, and especially, to my mind, in the spirit of service, co-operation and mutual understanding, respect and estimation for which I believe we stand out.

However, we never forget that without the benefactors and their selfless vision for their island we ourselves should have been unable to achieve the things towards which our efforts are directed every day. We build on their foundations and their heritage, keeping up the endeavours they began.

That is the kind of people that Petros and Marika Kydoniefs were. They conveyed to us their own sensitivity towards culture, their enthusiasm and their optimism, giving all they possessed to enhance the quality of the island from which they sprang.

We feel that we bear a heavy and life-long obligation towards this heritage, which demands so much of us.

The response made by the public to our attempts not to betray the confidence placed in us by those two important people is a source to us of moral support and the courage to go on.

We would like to extend our cordial thanks to Jannis Psychopedis and to all the other people who have contributed to this exhibition as well as the Adam editions for their qualified results, referring to all our printed matter.

Above all, however, we are grateful to you, the visitors, whose solidarity accompanies our steps and helps us become stronger year by year.

          N. Sigalas
President of the Foundation