Frangokastello hosts second “Geogenesis” art exhibition dedicated to nature
The second edition of the “Geogenesis – The Experience of Nature” visual art exhibition opened at the fortress of Frangokastello in Sfakia, Chania, organizers said. The exhibition, dedicated to nature, will run until September 20, 2026, and is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00 except Tuesdays.
The exhibition is curated by visual artist Stavros Panagiotakis, who welcomed Deputy Regional Governor of Chania Nikolaos Kalogeris, Mayor of Sfakia Ioannis Zervos and Deputy Mayor for Culture and Education Vardis Gyparakis to the opening on Thursday, August 20. The officials were given a tour of the works on display.
It is the second art exhibition organized at the Frangokastello fortress by the Region of Crete’s Chania Regional Unit, the Municipality of Sfakia and the Ephorate of Antiquities of Chania, with Panagiotakis, who is originally from Sfakia’s Kallikratis and Patsianos villages, again serving as curator.
Participating artists and works
According to organizers, 31 recognized contemporary visual artists are taking part, alongside teachers, students and graduates of fine arts schools. The show includes paintings, sculptures, drawings, photographs, video works and installations. Panagiotakis said the exhibition is structured through series of paintings, sculptures, mixed-media and combined works so that visitors experience it more as a journey through concepts, materials and events rather than a linear viewing of images.
The participating artists listed by organizers are: Zafeiria Athanasopoulou, Fani Arapi, Gethsimani, Giorgos Drosos, Rania Emmanouilidou, Evangelia Zisopoulou, Kiki Ioannidou, Thanasis Karamitas, Kostas Katsarelis, Kostas Katsamperis, Niki Kapsali, Sofia Kiousi, Nikos Koukis, Giorgos Konstantinou, Kate Lang, Leonidas Manolikakis, Maria Michail, Lamprini Bogiatsou, Dora Nakou, Dimos Nanousis, Outsider, Apostolos Pakas, Giorgos Panagiotakis, Dimitra and Sofia Papasliotou, Antonia Papatzanaki, Dimitra Pavlaki, Eirini Sereti, Stelios Skoulos, Kalliopi Sfika, and former dean of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki School of Fine Arts, Lambros Psirrakis.
Officials’ remarks
Mayor Zervos said the municipality remains committed to strengthening the cultural identity of Sfakia. “Our goal is the decentralization of cultural activities and the transformation of our region’s landmark monuments into hubs of intellectual and artistic expression, accessible to both our fellow residents and visitors to the area,” he said, according to the report. He credited the exhibition’s success to cooperation between the Municipality of Sfakia, the Region of Crete’s Chania Regional Unit and the Ephorate of Antiquities of Chania, and thanked Panagiotakis for his contribution.
Deputy Regional Governor Kalogeris said the Frangokastello fortress, a site associated with historical memory and legend, is being turned into a living cultural venue. He said the “Geogenesis” exhibition connects contemporary art with the wild, authentic nature of Sfakia, and said the Chania Regional Unit would continue supporting initiatives that honor local history through culture and art. The fortress event adds to a wider calendar of Region of Crete cultural programming planned across Chania this season, alongside other events in Crete running through the summer.
About the curator
Stavros Panagiotakis holds a doctorate and graduated from the Berlin University of the Arts (UdK), where he also completed a master’s degree. He earned his PhD from the School of Architecture at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and teaches at the university’s 5th Workshop of the School of Fine Arts. Other summer art programming on the island includes the Chania Film Festival’s summer exhibitions, which continue through August 30.
