POLYTECHNIC CALLING
November 15-17, 2024
Events Commemorating the Polytechnic Uprising
in the framework  the project “Visible Past”

Artifactory, in collaboration with the Music School of Preveza,  Preveza Film Club, and the cultural organisation “Kallichoron,” presents a series of events commemorating the Polytechnic Uprising under the “Visible Past” project titled: “HERE POLYTECHNEIO.”  The Municipality of Preveza and the Department of Culture support the initiative, providing the Municipal Art Gallery “Giannis Moralis” and technical assistance.

Program of Events 

November 15-22

• Photo Exhibition: “Here Polytechneio” at the Music School of Preveza

November 15, 20:00

• Opening of the photo exhibition “Polytechneio 1973 – Through the Distance of Time”
  Venue: Municipal Art Gallery “Giannis Moralis”
  The exhibition will run until November 17, with the following hours:
  • Friday: 19:00-22:00
  • Saturday: 11:00-14:00
  • Sunday: 11:00-14:00 & 19:00-22:00

November 17, 19:00

• Documentary Screening: “50 Years Polytechneio”
  Directed by Stavros Stagos, a production of the Municipality of Chalandri, in collaboration with the Preveza Film Club.

Photo Exhibition by Vasilis Karageorgos

The photo exhibition by photojournalist Vasilis Karageorgos (1930-2023) will be showcased at two venues: the Music School of Preveza and the Municipal Art Gallery. On November 17, the documentary “50 Years Polytechneio” will explore the events of the uprising.

About Vasilis Karageorgos:
Born in Pyrgos, Fthiotida, Karageorgos initially pursued photography as a hobby before dedicating himself to political photojournalism. During the dictatorship, he risked capturing the student protests of 1973 and the historic tank invasion at the Polytechnic. Collaborating with major outlets like UPI, he also served as an official photographer for Andreas Papandreou and Konstantinos Karamanlis. Founder of the “Free Photo Press” agency, he remained active in the field and served as President of the Union of Press Photographers of Greece. His valuable archive is managed by “AMA / PictureGREECE” and the cultural organization “Kallichoron.”

A Memory Exhibition

Curator Athanasios Alatas, representing the cultural organization “Kallichoron,” emphasizes that the events of the Polytechnic Uprising remain an open wound in Greek society’s collective memory. Through this narrative photographic exhibition, the spirit and passion of a generation that dared to claim its future come alive.

The curated material includes published and unpublished historically significant photographs, digitized from original negatives. This invaluable heritage serves not only to preserve but to highlight and pass on to future generations, fulfilling the primary goal of this initiative.

“50 Years Polytechneio” Documentary

Directed by Stavros Stagos and produced by the Municipality of Chalandri, the documentary delves into the Polytechnic Uprising through the stories of participants, shedding light on the often-overlooked “anonymous” protagonists. It explores aspects such as the balance between spontaneity and organization, unity in the face of danger, and mutual support. Including rare archival material, it examines underexplored facets such as the Junta’s violence, the precise number of casualties, and the evolution of a student protest into a popular uprising.

The “Visible Past” Project

“Visible Past” is a public history initiative grounded in the premise that disseminating historical events from the 20th century today can render the past visible, helping to understand mistakes, parallels with the present, and the significance of values like tolerance and mutual respect.

The project is coordinated and scientifically guided by the Villa Greppi Consortium in Italy. The network includes the University of Coimbra in Portugal, the cooperative company Contextos (Portugal), Sapere Aude (Austria), and the Greek nonprofit Artifactory. The scientific committee of Artifactory includes economist Elpida Margariti and historian Dimitris Totsos.

Collaborators:

• Municipality of Preveza
• Music School of Preveza
• Preveza Film Club
• Memory Photo Archives © “AMA/KALLICHORON” / Vasilis Karageorgos

Exhibition Curation: Cultural Organization “Kallichoron” and Artifactory
Texts & Editing: Athanasios D. Alatas

Under the Auspices of:

Union of Editors of Periodical & Online Press

Information:
Artifactory
Project Manager: Photini Papachatzi
photini@artifactory.eu