Art Gallery in Skopje - Macedonia. A little corner gallery with unexpectedly brilliant art work! 🎨A Photo story.

in #art7 years ago (edited)

Dear Steemians

Today we would like to take you to an Art Gallery in the magnificent city of Skopje in Macedonia. The country has been in the news lately because of their conflict with Greece. I'm going to tell you more about this dispute later. First, I would like to explain to you, where this story takes place:

🎨Art Gallery "El Greco" 🎨

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◇Initially I took this photo on order to see if Facebook would censor it. I found the painting very realistic and I wanted to understand how much breast is too much for Facebook. Can the software distinguish a painting from a photo? So far, it wasn't taken down.

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El Greco is located very close to the main square of Skopje. There is a massive statue of Alexander the Great - the supposed founder of Macedonia. And this is where the conflict begins. The Greeks want the Macedonians to give up their name because Alexander the Great was Greek and had nothing to do with the people that are living in Macedonia today.

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It is correct that the land, which is called Macedonia today, used to be part of the Ancient Kingdom Macedonia controlled for some time by the great emperor Alexander. But the people that live around Skopje today are mainly Slaves, not Greeks. Both countries are far from finding a solution to their conflict surrounding national pride the Macedonian's myth of origin.

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However, the gallery was a magnificent find by Alessandro who immediately befriended it's owner Ivan. He made us a coffee in his little kitchen corner and told us about the gallery which his mother started all by herself. It is a hard business - above all for a lady who is all by herself.

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In Skopje there are groups that function very similarly to the mafia in Italy. They want protection money - and in return, they won't damage your shop. They will also blackmail you with the same threat and take a part of your profit each month. Many shops close down because it is not just financial but extreme psychological pressure.

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Alessandro and Ivan engaged in a little photo shooting and I had time to roam around the gallery and loose myself in the colors, statues and this brilliant smell which you can only encounter in an art gallery. A bit of dust. A bit of canvas, paper and paint.

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I simply love the way, a gallery works. It's often so much nicer than a museum. Paintings are stacked, leaning, hanging and you can get very close, even touch them. It's a mess and a tasteful combination at the same time. All the anecdotes about the artists are floating around the room - and I catch their echoes.

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When have you last been to an art gallery? Where was it? What did you smell, how did it make you feel? Did you feel like you could connect to the pieces or was it nothing more than pieces of furniture?

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In the end, a little impression from Skopje's main square - filled with 26 massive statues! They are brand new and cost a fortune. For the people of Skopje it was a controversial political decision. They prefer to have working railways and less statues.


We are sending you a big hug! STEEM ON AND KEEP THE POWER UP!

Yours,
Elena & Ale

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Exellent post as usual, my last visit was, of course, in a Thai museum near my home, it was very interesting.
Have a wonderful day

Oh wow, I would love to see that exhibition. What was the story of these two mermaids?

Xx
@elenahornfilm

Unfortunately, I was alone there, had no one to translate. What I could read from the pictures was, here on the beach of Maephim there was once a mermaid who fell in love with a young man and then someday completely turned into a human being. She gave the name to the beach and is still worshiped in the temple here on the beach today. But I have to have the story translated once. Very interesting.
Here the link to the post with more pics:
https://steemit.com/art/@zanoni/impressions-of-my-new-hometown-klaeng-rayong-thailand-7-thai-art

Hi @elenahornfilm!

You found some truly beautiful pieces of art in Macedonia. There can never be enough art in our lives. No matter if we are the creator or the consumer. It does magic to our minds.

Thanks! Resteemed and upvoted!a

@crypto.journo

Great photos and story with some interesting facts I didn't know.

"The Greeks want the Macedonians to give up their name" - OMG, they can't be serious!

And I just realized that I haven't been to an art gallery for too long :)

Hi @just.irony - yes, it's a conflict that cooks constantly but came back to the surface strongly again recently.

However, I don't believe the Macedonians will actually give up their name. No way. There is no legal framework for anything like this.
But it makes the headlines again and again.

xxx
@elenahornfilm

@just.irony @elenahornfilm Yeah I don't see why they should give up their name, considering the part of the land and people originate from Macedonia/Macedonian people, Alexander The Great and his father Phillip were Macedonian, and Macedonian in those times meant that you were also Greek, only from Macedonia

I agree.

Exactly!

The paintings are daring but it state something.

Thank you @soulbella - I agree with you. They are impactful. The lady who runs the gallery as excellent taste!

This is a very interesting story. Living on the other side of the world, I had not heard about this, yet it saddens me to hear of conflict anywhere in the world. I enjoyed the pictures of the artwork!

Hello dear @poimenpost ,
thank you very much for your comment. Where are you based?

I'm glad the artwork could reach your heart - where ever you are in the world!

That's beautiful.
@elenahornfilm

What amazing work and talent.

Thank you so much, dear @afrikablr - clearly the artists there with the talent!

you have a GOD gifted talent

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Excellent piece as usual,Congrats on your addition to steemit worldmap.

Thanks @tofelix - I think #steemitworldmap is a great idea and I always try to pinpoint what I'm writing about.

Xx
@elenahornfilm