“Once upon a time”- A visual journey through memory, identity, and the Greek spirit

Antonia Iroidou is a Greek contemporary artist whose work stands out for its sensitivity, emotional rhythm, and rare ability to transform memory into color and form. Her artistic voice resonates with timeless simplicity and poetic power.

The art series Once upon a time is a tribute to a world that is slowly fading away, leaving behind indelible traces of memory and culture. Through the forms, tools, gestures, and silences of old professions, the artist seeks to preserve what remains of an era when work was a personal affair, closely linked with identity, craftsmanship, and community.

The chestnut seller, the fisherman, the postman, the kiosk owner figures once familiar to older generations yet almost unknown to the younger. The protagonists of these works are not merely tradesmen, but carriers of another kind of everyday life, where time flowed differently and labor held a soul. With delicacy of line and a distinctive emotional tempo, Iroidou merges retro aesthetics with a contemporary gaze, creating works that form a bridge between yesterday and today.

Once upon a time is not simply a nostalgic return to the past it is a reminder that what fades does not disappear; it leaves stories behind. Stories worth telling.

Artist Profile

Antonia Iroidou’s work has received attention through major artistic collaborations and features, including British Vogue, Gala Magazine, Portes Magazine, Tuborg Project, and Samsung. She has exhibited extensively in Greece, Great Britain, and Cyprus. In Athens, her presence at Tsantilis Art Gallery has been constant, with highlights such as the acclaimed Glorious Immortality exhibition.

Tsantilis Art Gallery

With over 100 years of continuous contribution to the arts, Tsantilis Gallery stands among the pillars of Greek visual culture. Situated at 5 Sekeri Street, Kolonaki, Athens, it represents and promotes leading Greek artists to international audiences.

Featured in global media including Vogue UK, Tatler, CNN and TV5 Monde, and listed in the Louis Vuitton City Guide as “a must-visit gallery in Athens”, Tsantilis Gallery remains a landmark where artistic excellence meets authenticity. The gallery continues to showcase the essence of contemporary Greek art honouring heritage while embracing the new.