Museological Projects

“Museums are not about artifacts – they are about connections.” – George Hein (American museum educator)

Guided by a profound passion for museology and cultural communication, I worked for many years in Central Europe in several internationally renowned museum institutions. This long-term experience allowed me to gain a comprehensive understanding of how museums function as living institutions – spaces where research, education, and audience engagement converge to create meaningful, visitor-centered experiences. Through exhibition planning, collection management, and intercultural interpretation, I explored how museums reflect the societies that sustain them and how they can serve as instruments of cultural diplomacy. Institutions such as the Archaeological Collections of the University of Graz, the State Collections and Glyptothek Munich, and the Museum of Plaster Casts of Ancient Art Munich offered me the opportunity to engage dynamically with both the scholarly and public dimensions of cultural heritage, while collaborations with additional cultural organizations extended this dialogue to broader audiences, examples of which are presented below.

20/06/2023 – 20/09/2023 (Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, AT)

“On Sediments and Occidents”

This exhibition explored the cultural and historical ties between Greece and Austria, showing how 19th-century artistic and archaeological research shaped both societies. I contributed by providing academic guidance and delivering a lecture at the opening, highlighting the intersections of Philhellenism, nation-building, and colonial continuities in archaeology and art history during the 18 th and 19 th centuries. Through this project, we bridged the cultural histories of Greece and Austria, linking scholarly research with contemporary art and heritage practice and public engagement. The exhibition took place in the renowned and internationally recognized Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, one of the oldest institutions of its kind in Europe, housing extensive collections documenting early archaeological and creative studies.

16–18/09/2021 (Graz, AT) & 24–26/03/2023 (Vienna, AT)

“The liberated Greece and the classical antiquity (1821–2021)”

In the framework of the unique Austrian symposium marking the 200th anniversary of the Greek War of Independence (1821), I conceived and created the exhibition of the same title. First presented at the University of Graz and later re-presented in Vienna, it showcased key moments of the Greek War of Independence and the Philhellenic movement, highlighting how admiration for classical antiquity inspired European travellers and reinforced the Greeks’ awareness of the significance of their glorious past and national identity. The exhibition also explored the cultural and socio-political relations between Greece and Austria during that period, emphasizing largely unknown aspects of Austrian Philhellenism. This project was realized through the fruitful collaboration of the University of Graz with two Greek private collections, the Philhellenism Museum Athens and the Museum of Greek History of P. Vrellis in Ioannina, under the auspices of the Embassy of Greece in Vienna and the Committee Greece 2021, and its Vienna re-presentation was achieved through cooperation with AHEPA Wien and the support of the Metropolis of Austria.

25/10–16/12/2022 (University of Graz, AT) & 05/05–02/07/2022 (University of Vienna, AT)

“The Thread of Ariadne: Haute Couture in Minoan Crete and Mycenae”

Inspired by the timeless elegance of Aegean Bronze Age art and fashion, I co-curated this exhibition, a collaboration between the University of Graz and the University of Vienna. The project explored the intersection of archaeology, art, and design in reconstructing Minoan and Mycenaean garments, reviving the vivid imagery found in the frescoes and sculptures of Knossos, Mycenae, and Akrotiri on Santorini. Created by archaeologist Dr. Bernice Jones, the meticulously reconstructed garments transformed ancient artistic depictions into tangible expressions of form, color, and movement. Complemented by original Bronze Age artifacts from the archaeological collections of both universities and detailed interpretive material, the exhibition offered visitors an immersive encounter with the material culture and artistic sophistication of the prehistoric Aegean world. First presented at the University of Graz and later at the University of Vienna, the exhibition formed part of an international initiative previously showcased in the United States, Australia, and Greece, bridging past and present through the enduring dialogue
between art, heritage, and creativity.

16/10/2019 – 10/01/2021 (Museum of Plaster Casts of Ancient Art Munich, GE)

“Living Plaster – 150 Years of the Museum of Casts of Classical Sculptures”

To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Museum of Plaster Casts of Ancient Art in Munich, the institution hosted a major exhibition celebrating its rich history and artistic legacy. As part of this project, I was responsible for the digitization and digital restoration of the museum’s extensive photographic archive – thereby contributing to the preservation and accessibility of its visual heritage. The exhibition showcased one of Germany’s most significant collections of plaster casts – comprising around 2,000 works that trace the evolution and reception of classical sculpture across the centuries. By revisiting the museum’s origins and curatorial milestones, it underscored its enduring role in the study, teaching, and dissemination of classical art. Visitors were invited to explore the diversity and timeless elegance of Greco-Roman sculpture through meticulously crafted casts – from iconic masterpieces to rarely seen treasures – offering a vivid reflection on how classical forms continue to shape Europe’s artistic imagination.