The National Library of Greece presents the exhibition Alexandros Papadiamantis: His Shadow by Christos Bokoros, curated by Konstantinos Papachristou.

In line with its mission to celebrate Greek letters and arts, the National Library of Greece welcomes the new exhibition, “Alexandros Papadiamantis: His Shadow”, by Christos Bokoros, curated by Konstantinos Papachristou.

The exhibition is inspired by the historic photograph of Papadiamantis taken in 1906 at Dexameni Square in Athens by his friend, the writer Pavlos Nirvanas. This iconic image has become the defining visual record of the author for subsequent generations. Alexandros Papadiamantis (1851-1911) is one of the defining figures of modern Greek literature. Rooted in the landscapes and traditions of the Greek island of Skiathos, his writing explores the lives and inner worlds of ordinary people with remarkable depth and humanity. His work continues to resonate with readers and inspire artists across generations.

Drawing on this singular photograph, Christos Bokoros created a series of twenty-four portraits of Papadiamantis. All the works are identical in size and crafted using materials favoured by the painter, including oil paint, glue, old fabrics, reclaimed wood and other found objects. Created over the last two years, these works are being presented to the public for the first time.

Each portrait is accompanied by a short text written by the artist, offering a personal reflection on the work’s creation and meaning. The exhibition opens with the original 1906 photograph by Pavlos Nirvanas and concludes with Bokoros’ earlier work, Companionship with Mr Alexandros (2011), in which the painter and the writer meet for the first time in a symbolic encounter.

The exhibition also features a selection of Papadiamantis’ manuscripts and early editions from the Special Collections Department of the National Library of Greece, complemented by material from the recent donation by Konstantinos Papachristou, displayed in the exhibition’s central showcase.