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Melina Mercouri Exhibition
"I was born Greek"
In today's times, with a neo fascist party in Greek parliament, such a statement 'I was born Greek' can easily be misunderstood, or worse be misused for nationalist purposes. At the time of Melina that was certainly different. One liked the fact that she emphasized to be born Greek. That was in a cultural sense something akin to being universal. Her spirit helped to galvanize support abroad to topple the military dictatorship which prevailed 1967-74, and which propelled her a film actress becoming a Minister of Culture. She set an example on how she made people become enthusiastic when relating to Greece.
Unfortunately she died in 1994; since then Greece has undergone many changes. Alone what has happened to the Ministry of Culture, that is itself a sign of political estrangement from culture meant to facilitate dialogues and not to be misused to assert a fictitious identity.
The life as actress
The return of the Parthenon Marbles
Her campaign for the return of the Parthenon Marbles stands out and has contributed to her legacy. It is an issue in need to be resolved. As the poster indicates, she links this open question with what she had as well in mind when initiating the idea of one city being designated by the European Union to be the European Capital of Culture for one year.
Melina Mercouri - the Acropolis and the Parthenon Marbles
Fragments torn out like ribs from a fishing boat
Photos depicting the Parthenon Marbles in the British Museum
When Melina died, on the day her funeral was held in Athens, Greeks and lovers of Greece who lived in London went to the British Museum and placed red roses at the feet of the fragments of sculptures kept by the British Museum. Even though the keepers deny the use of the name 'Elgin Marbles', it is so common that the appropriation of cultural heritage is meant to be silenced by a claim of new ownership. But such cultural heritage cannot be owned, especially not by a museum claiming to preserve and to promote world heritage.
Curator of the exhibition was Spyros Mercouris
Spyros Mercouris in the middle
Anna Arvanitaki, Pyrrhus Mercouris, Mrs. Alexia Mercouri
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