NEON is making its second donation of a contemporary artwork to an archaeological site. The work is Metavivasi by Maria Loïzidou, which will be permanently installed at the restored archaeological site of Kerameikos.
The work has been donated by NEON following an invitation from the Ministry of Culture, with the shared aim of furthering the dialogue and exchange between contemporary artistic creation and iconic monuments and archaeological sites of international significance.
Metavivasi was originally presented as part of the exhibition Metavivasi | A Transfer, held at the archaeological site and Museum of Kerameikos in September and October 2015. The exhibition was a new commission by NEON as part of its Project in the City programme, in collaboration with the Ephorate of Antiquities of Athens.
The work is a sculptural installation made from stainless-steel wire, intricately hand-woven. Drawing on an artistic and intellectual engagement with the history and monuments of ancient Athens’ most important cemetery, Maria Loïzidou’s installation enters into a creative dialogue with the memory of the site and the traces of ancient Greek art. It brings to the fore aspects of women’s artistic labour and craftsmanship associated with weaving, collective work, the relationship with time, and the visual expression of the female psyche through needlework.
Loïzidou weaves an apparently unwieldy and rigid material—the stainless-steel wire—transforming it into works of remarkable delicacy and intricacy, transcending the outdated distinction between art and craft.
In 2025, NEON had already donated Antony Gormley’s RULE II to the grounds of the Archaeological Museum of Delos. These donations follow a series of exhibitions presented by NEON at archaeological sites, with the intention that the works remain as enduring points of reference for the dialogue between classical and contemporary culture.
About
NEON is a non-profit cultural and development organisation founded in 2013 by collector and entrepreneur Dimitris Daskalopoulos. It seeks to promote culture as a key driver of progress and development, working in partnership with cultural institutions to advance the dissemination of contemporary art.
Since the beginning of its activities, NEON has collaborated with the Ministry of Culture to highlight archaeological and historic sites through contemporary art. To date, it has presented 13 international contemporary art exhibitions at archaeological and historic sites, including Delos, the Ancient and Roman Agoras, the archaeological site of Kerameikos, the Public Tobacco Factory, the Hill of the Nymphs and the National Observatory of Athens.
NEON aims to bring contemporary culture closer to the contemporary citizen, highlighting the power of artistic creation to awaken, move and inspire. It pursues these goals through exhibitions, educational programmes, events and discussions, sponsorship and scholarship programmes, as well as a network of international partnerships and cultural exchanges.
