[Nikos Kokkalias]
The Museum of Modern Greek Culture is marking a century of Greek shadow theater with a new exhibition tracing the evolution of its emblematic figure, Karagiozis.
Presented with the Panhellenic Association of Shadow Puppetry, the show follows the art form from its 19th‑century emergence to its 21st‑century reinventions. Curators Elena Melidi and Niki Dafni describe shadow theater as “a supreme popular spectacle that uniquely combines elements of our material and intangible heritage,” a tradition that has shaped the museum’s collections since the 1970s.
Karagiozis – hungry, hunchbacked, barefoot, forever stretching his long arm toward luck – remains a symbol of the ordinary Greek: resourceful, sarcastic, weary yet optimistic. His bitter humor has long mirrored social realities, from poverty to power.
The exhibition highlights the craft behind the performances, from early cardboard figures to later leather, gelatin and plastic creations that transformed the illuminated screen. Set in the museum’s Plaka courtyard, the show evokes the festive atmosphere of open‑air stages, while underscoring that young artists continue to expand the form, keeping this once‑itinerant folk art vibrantly alive.
The exhibition runs until June 8, Thursday through Sunday, 9.30 a.m. – 4.30 p.m.