Els Hanappe – els@hanappe.com – tel. +30 6978 068869
Els Hanappe is an art historian [University of Gent, Belgium], involved with exhibition and collection management. She has been active in the international contemporary art world since 1995. Activities up to date include:
Do you remember the pink oleander?
The making of an international artists’ community on the island of Hydra during mid-20th Century: an online archive with the view of future historical group exhibition.
http://www.hydramemoirs.com/
l’Exposition imaginaire
L’exposition imaginaire is an online record of research and curatorials with a focus, although not exclusively, on the influences and representations of Greek mythology and classical history in European art.
SIAKOS.HANAPPE House of Art
January 2010 – July 2012: international contemporary art gallery founded by Els Hanappe and Lazarus Siakos, based in Glyfada in the southern suburbs of the city of Athens, close to the sea and the marinas. SIAKOS.HANAPPE House of Art continued an international program but also increasingly focused on young Greek artists to give them the opportunity to showcase their work during a period of deepening economic crisis in Greece. Since 2012, the gallery has gone online, working with a limited number of mid-career artists through text presentations and inventories.
HILTON Athens
Program of exhibitions especially conceived for the lobby and Aethrion of the Hilton Athens (2010-2012).
22 October – 28 November 2009: TinT Gallery, Thessaloniki: ‘Gamma Delta Epsilon’, group show curated by Els Hanappe with the participation of 14 women artists: Eleni Athanasopoulou, Dafni Eleonora Barbageorgopoulou, Dora Economou, Zoi Gaitanidou, Maria Ikonomopoulou, Despina Isaia, Zoe Keramea, Maria Konti, Maria Loizidou, Nina Papaconstantinou, Antigoni Pasidi, Maria Polizoidou, Eleni Riga, Eleni Theofylaktou
ITYS
1 February 2006 – 30 October 2014: conversion of Els Hanappe Underground into u_nderground office for contemporary art, creative office: from June 2006: setup of a private initiative called ITYS, based on a private collection, the ITYS Collection. Works were drawn from the collection and displayed to engage in a dialogue about the wider issues at the heart of contemporary art.
Els Hanappe Underground
November 2000 to January 2006: international program of exhibitions at Els Hanappe Underground (on an average of 5 to 6 exhibitions/projects per year, and participation in international art fairs).
Contemporary Art Archive in Athens
December 1998: creation and foundation of C3A or Contemporary Art Archive in Athens, a private, non-profit initiative to support young Greek artists by spreading information and establishing contacts abroad through the buildup of a physical archive, housed in the Chemistry of the Soap Factory, and the creation of a website (www.c3a.gr – no longer active) with monthly presentations. C3A solicited contributions for Manifesta 3 by its artists through a letter addressed to them, ‘Confession of a Belgian in Athens, Greece’, and initiated the subsequent participation of Nayia Frangouli (in collaboration with Yane Calovski – see Manifesta 3 catalogue entry). Upon the opening of the gallery Els Hanappe Underground, the contents of the archive were donated to the Deste Foundation for Contemporary Art, Athens.
The Soap Factory
Autumn 96 – Autumn 97: Restoration of The Soap Factory, Maroussi, Athens (Zervos Estate), and organization of a number of exhibitions on the premises.
IceBox
Autumn 95 – Spring 96: Assistant at IceBox (owned by Venetia Kapernekas), a contemporary art gallery in Athens that organized 5 exhibitions a year, bringing young and emerging international artists to Greece as well as introducing young Greek artists abroad. Activities included: participation in the Stockholm Smart Show – March 96, introducing the newsletter Freezing Point published seasonally by IceBox (a.o. interview with Peter Zimmermann), and the setting up of a department of multiples and editions. Exhibitions during my tenure included a group show entitled ‘Between the Acts’, curated by Devon Dikeou (editor of Zingmagazine, New York), a presentation of ‘Other Men’s Flowers’, portfolio compiled by Joshua Compston / Factual Nonsense with a contribution by 15 British artists, and a solo show by Peter Zimmermann.
credits for the heading images: details of: a portrait by Nikos Kokkas for Hilton Athens Magazine, ‘Ark’ by Adam Chodzko, ‘Ornamental Types’ by Eleni Kamma, ‘Panopticum Show’ by Antigoni Pasidi, ‘Sunshine’ by Alexandra Mir, ‘The Sphinx’ or ‘The Caresses’ by Ferdinand Khnopff, and ‘On tropical Nature’ by Mark Dion.