Nine postcards sent from Athens to Rome between 1964 and 1983 evoked in Italian art curator Manuela De Leonardis the desire to assess cultural references, cross-cultural communication and the identity of the Greek capital.

Thus, was born the ‘Greetings From Athens’ project, which will involve the curator and two artists Giusy Lauriola and Merima Fetahovic flying to Athens from Rome and connecting with Athens-based artist Stella Sevastopoulos.

Following two months of preparatory study and work in April and May, the three artists will share a space at the Domus Art Gallery to paint what the theme has inspired in each of them during a residency from June 2-12.

The main objective of the project is to go beyond the surface, represented by the postcard image of Athens, while also examining aspects of the Greek capital that haven’t yet been explored.

Each artist will be painting what Athens, the city from where the postcards were sent, awakens in her own creative vision. Greek Stella Sevastopoulos will centre on the flowers of antiquity, connecting nature and culture in the process; Italian Giusy Lauriola’s work will centre on the privileged position of the Hetaira in ancient Greek society, the myth of Erigone, and the role of women; and Serbian Merima Fetahovic will focus on the diverse faces of the Goddess Athena, which will be presented via a ceramic installation.