The birth of Aphrodite, goddess of Love, on Kythera was the event that determined the island’s destiny. According to the Theogony by Hesiod, Aphrodite was born from the sea foam off the coast of Kythera and was worshipped as the island’s patron goddess. Homer mentions Kythera in his epic Iliad, while Aphrodite, the goddess of love and sensual beauty, is identified with the island and takes the name “Cytheria.” The great writers of antiquity — Herodotus, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, and Xenophon — refer to Aphrodite and Kythera. Isidore of Charax (Greco-Roman geographer of the 1st century AD) argued that the island took its name from Cytherian Aphrodite, not the other way around. He highlighted the significance of the verb “κεύθω” (to conceal) and its relation to the goddess and the island. “Κεύθω” means “to hide,” and those who experience love on the island of Kythera discover their hidden erotic passion.
Art historian Dr. Konstantinos V. Proimos notes:
In our era, dominated by information technology and intensified work, people no longer have the time or energy to follow the old rituals and ancient protocols through which romantic encounters and relationships once evolved. Information technology has colonised the realm of dating and romantic relationships with online applications that use algorithms to determine the most suitable partner for each individual. Relationships now develop online, giving people instant access to countless potential partners. Yet, only a small portion of these online encounters lead to a happy real-life outcome, as physical contact often proves less thrilling than the digital experience, causing frustration and disappointment. Despite the abundance of available choices through online dating apps, loneliness has become more intense and pressing than ever.
The exhibition “Cytherian Aphrodite, From hidden erotic passion to the digital pursuit of love” is curated by art historian and assistant professor at the University of Patras Konstantinos V. Proimos, visual artist and founder of the Follow Your Art gallery Georgia Tseri, and the director of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Chania Elaiourgeion Ioannis N. Archontakis.
After its presentation in Kythera, the exhibition “Cytherian Aphrodite, From hidden erotic passion to the digital pursuit of love” will travel to Chania, Crete, and then to welcoming art spaces in central Greece.
The exhibition includes works of drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography, mosaic, constructions, and installations. It is accompanied by a bilingual (Greek–English) full-color catalogue presenting the exhibited works along with curatorial texts, analyses, and commentaries.
The exhibition is co-organized by the Region of Crete, the Chania Regional Unit, the Municipality of Kythera, the Municipality of Platanias, the Match More Art Gallery, the Pasiphae-AMKE, and is part of the visual arts program CHΑΝΙaRT 2025.
