I am half-Japanese, half-Greek and grew up in London. As a marine biology student I came to Iraklio, Crete.
We were a huge group including Spanish, Italians and Irish and every weekend we would all bundle into two or three battered cars and make our way to the beaches of southern Crete. We would trek for up to 7 hours in the wild mountainous landscape until we reached some deserted beach where we would stay the weekend. I fell in love with this side of Greece.
Later I was a volunteer for the sea turtles in Zakynthos and then in charge of rehabilitation at the Sea Turtle Rescue Centre, Glyfada, living in a train wagon for 14 months and working with volunteers from all over the world. Apart from rehabilitating sea turtles we renovated the train wagons.
I started to make papier mache and I thank Benaki Museum shop for accepting my papier mache animals, giving me the courage to continue exploring and playing around with paper.
I learnt origami from my mother but I was very resistant to using it. I wanted to do something that was my own. Then I took part in a Paper Fashion exhibition "RRRIPP!!" organised by ATOPOS. I made paper dresses for Benaki's shop, not for the main exhibition, but it was very inspiring to be part of this event. On the closing days of the exhibition we made paper clothes for the visitors. I made a full-size paper kimono and paper neckties. Each child or adult chose their piece of paper with great thought and I loved seeing their look of satisfaction when they wore their necktie. After that I found ways of incorporating origami into paper lights, which are influenced by my memories in Japan.
I started linocut and woodcut lessons with Adriana Kotsi at the Ergastiria Texnis in Agia Paraskevi in November 2012. The following year the centre acquired a printing press, allowing us to include etching in our printmaking lessons. I started my first adventures in papermaking in February 2013 and attended a PIY seminar for screen printing in November 2013. I have continued printmaking and papermaking through workshops and at home. Every now and then, I keep a printing diary here https://www.instagram.com/yeti.prints/

Marietta Kallona

PROJECTS / WORKSHOPS / EXHIBTIONS

The Castro / Group Show at FokiaNou Art Space, 6-17 July 2021 FokiaNou Art is pleased to present The Castro, a group show curated by Mary Cox and Panagiotis Voulgaris, for which participating artists responded to an open call. The exhibition title refers to the famous San Francisco district that since the 1960s has become one of the most well-known centers of LGBT activism and culture in the world. The title’s double meaning is the antithesis of a free environment, that of a traditional castle as a walled-in, exclusive and restrictive institution. Artists were asked to play with the word castro, and its double meaning, presenting the bright and open castle of freedom, acceptance and equality, as well as the dark and enclosed castle of racism, homophobia and violence. The show comprises a wide variety of media: drawing, painting, photography, video and sculpture. Curated by Mary Cox and Panagiotis Voulgaris Participating artists: Sofia Archangelou, Dimitrios-Claudio Bantourakis, Sebastian Boulter and Taija Goldblatt, Aristea Charoniti, Stelios Dexis and Myrto Vounatsou, Andromachi Giannopoulou, Marietta Kallona, Vasiliki Kanellou, Christos Katsinis, Kalliopi Kouklinou, Kelly Koumarianou, Andreas Lyberatos, Alexandros Mavrogiannis, Gioula Papadopoulou, Dina Skapetoylia, Christina-Sylvia Simantira, Maaike Stutterheim, Zari Nikolov, Maria Bourbou, Eva Gkilntirim, Geeta Roopnarine, Stella Sevastopoulos, Marios Trichas, Panagiotis Voulgaris, Grigoria Vryttia. Curated by Mary Cox and Panagiotis Voulgaris http://fokianou247.gr/

Good Old Days / Group Show at FokiaNou Art Space, 13-29 May 2021 After seven months of lockdown, FokiaNou Art Space is pleased to present a group exhibition of artists focusing on the idea of past times, i.e. pre-Covid, pre-crisis, when we all had different things on our minds. Good Old Days is a diverse kaleidoscope of works, including painting, drawing, collage, photography, video and sculpture, which while looking back, also speaks for today's state of mind and looks forward to better times as well. Participating Artists: Lina Bebi, Sebastian Boulter, John Bicknell, Mary Cox, Irini Diadou, Sarah Ettlinger, Panagiotis Ferentinos, Christos Giannopoulos, Andromachi Giannopoulou, Chris Hawtin, Marietta Kallona, Vassiliki Kanellou, Maria Letsiou, Alexandros Mavrogiannis, Foteini Poulia, Caroline Pradal, Marina Rovithi, Evi Stamou, Iliana Theodoropoulou, Panagiotis Voulgaris, Alexandros Zoulias. Curated by Mary Cox and Panagiotis Voulgaris http://fokianou247.gr/

Papermaking workshop at Roleplay, Athens, November 21, 2019 We made handmade business cards for Greekly, together with the client and the office team at Roleplay. Thank you to everyone for a lovely papermaking day. https://www.roleplay.gr/blog/2020/6/12/the-workshop-series-papermaking

Origami workshops at The Center for Day Care and Occupational Therapy of the Galilee Unit in Spata, May 15th 2018 & February 12th & 21st 2019

Painting a mural in a school courtyard October 26th and 27th 2017
With other parents we transferred drawings by 6-7 year olds on a larger scale to the school courtyard wall. The children then painted it on their own, with just the slightest help from us, creating a happy mural in beautiful sunshine.

Uchi - conception and curation of a collaborative, multi-faceted project, February 10th - 25th 2017
Fo Kia Nou 24/7 invites the community to help us transform from an exhibition space into a home in the month of February. With Marietta Kallona as our project coordinator, we will make this home as a collective effort in three parts - building, furnishing and housewarming. It will be a work in progress that we will all add layers to, so that it grows from an empty space into a home.
Uchi is the word for house or home in Japanese.
There are also other meanings:
1. Inside.
2. Us. Uchino means “our”. This refers to a tight knit group of people, like one's family, colleagues or circle of close friends
3. While. It gives an indication of time. For example, atsui uchi means while it's hot. Ima no uchi means while it's now (right now)
Origami workshop with Georgia Lagoudi / Marion Fischer: intervention at the space / Papermaking workshop with Marietta Kallona / Kimono sewing workshop with Marie Howarth / Stamping/printing workshop with Dimitris Koletsis / Marbling workshop wih Mary Cox / Storytelling with Anna Mastori / Noodle making with Marietta Kallona / Silkscreen printing workshop with Manolis Angelakis and Marietta Kallona / Sushi workshop with Angela Dounas / Screenings of Tampopo film and Panagiotis Voulgaris videos / Housewarming party
Special thanks to Panagiotis Voulgaris and Mary Cox, co-directors and curators of FoKiaNou Art Space in Athens, for letting me into their space and helping me realise this project together.
Thank you also to extra contributors Georgia Kagia, Marietta Aya Kalfa, Maiko-Eleni Kawakami, Dean Manning and Artemis Ohta Katsampani.

After-school arts and crafts with children 5-10 years old, every Monday at the 4th state school in Pallini, November 2016 - May 2017

Fireworks / Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, January 29th 2017
Workshop for adults. As part of the celebrations for the Chinese New Year, join us to make a paper lantern. The lit lanterns will light up a magical night. Design - implementation: Marietta Kallona & Myrna Escalante

The dance of the dragon / Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, January 28th 2017
Workshop for children, 4-8 years old. As part of the celebrations for the Chinese New Year, join us to make a dragon kite with shiny papers which we will colour together and see it come alive as it flies! Design - implementation: Marietta Kallona & Myrna Escalante

Magical Garden / Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, September 3rd 2016
An open origami workshop for children aged 4-12. Small birds, frogs, insects, flowers and other little creatures were created with colorful origami papers at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre. Together with Myrna Escalante.

Painting a mural at kindergarten May 15th 2016
With other parents we transferred drawings by 5 year olds on a larger scale to the school courtyard wall. We then painted it with the children in bright happy colours.

Back to Basics / Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, May 7th and June 11th 2016
Silkscreen printing workshop for adults at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre. With Manolis Angelakis.

Support your local artists. Exhibition, bazaar and live silkscreen printing at Romantso, December 15th-16th 2015 with Manolis Angelakis, Vassilis Georgiou, Costas Theocharis and Paris Koutsikos

Group exhibition at Diktio tis Siniparxis December 12th 2015 - January 15th 2016

Children's workshop at Onassis Cultural Centre Athens October - December 2015
Making a book from start to finish, inspired by Aesop. With storytelling, illustration, typography, papermaking and silkscreen printing. For ten Saturdays, from November 7th - December 12th. With Manolis Angelakis, Vassilis Georgiou, Costas Theocharis, Kostis Sotirakos and Georgia Kagia.

Synergastirion 20 December 2014 - 31 July 2015
A modern studio for design, calligraphy, sign making, a printing workshop and showroom in one of the Gallery of Merchants' stores in Voulis street. On the second Saturday of each month, the Collaboratory invites the public to participate in learning workshops for handmade paper, illustration, engraving, typography, silkscreen printing and collaboration.

Glow in the dark! at Diplareios School, May 22nd 2015
A silkscreen workshop for kids and adults from the TIND team. Using dyes that glow in the city night, we'll print on old city maps and posters. Part of Strange Cities Athens / Onassis Cultural Centre Athens

Children's robot workshop at hello Future! March 2015 at Onassis Cultural Centre Athens
Curated by: Double Decker (Melita Skamnaki, Wilhelm Finger)

Support for The Future is Yet to be Printed (live screen printing workshop) March 21st-22nd 2015
With Manolis and Chris Angelakis and Stelios Spanoudakis at Onassis Cultural Centre Athens. Curated by: Double Decker (Melita Skamnaki, Wilhelm Finger)

Print it Yourself Seminars and Workshops (silkscreen printing) March 2015
With Manolis Angelakis, Fuzz Ink, Iliana Galazoula, Marietta Kallona, Maria Adela Konomi & Antonis Daktilidis

Wind Within exhibition with Jana Tziveleki and Napoleon Tzanetos at Fo Kia Nou 24/7, Nov. 8th - Dec. 5th 2014

Papermaking workshop at the 8th Animart Experiential art school, Monodendri, July 2014

Embroidery Circle @ Fo Kia Nou 24/7, run by Blanka Amezkua, started June 2014

Engraving group exhibition at the Ergastiria Texnis, Agia Paraskevi, June 2014

Papermaking and silkscreen printing workshop with the Silk Bastards, March 2014

Origami / paper creations with children 5-12yrs at their school at their xmas celebtrations, 2010-2013

Scenery for Through the looking glass and what Mira found there, Martinos Gallery, Athens, December 2013

Engraving Group exhibition with the Ergastiria Texnis, Agia Paraskevi at Technopolis Gazi, July 2013

Zoo group exhibition, Martinos Gallery, April 2013

All in Red group exhibition, Martinos Gallery, March 2012

RRRIPP!! Paper Fashion by ATOPOS, 2-day closing celebration, Benaki Museum, April 2007