“ALEXANDER THE GREAT” by WARLAMIS TRAVELS TO EGYPT

ALEXANDER THE GREAT THE SPIRIT OF TOLERANCE

 

The BIBLIOTHECA ALEXANDRINA, the emblematic Library of Alexandria in Egypt, has been invited to present the visual art collection of the international Greek painter and architect of the diaspora, Makis Warlamis (1942-2016), on Alexander the Great, entitled:

 

“ALEXANDER THE GREAT BACK TO EGYPT”

 

The collection, two years after its impressive presentation in Kuwait, continues its journey to the Arab World to convey the ever-current message of Alexander, the message of tolerance and creative coexistence and cooperation of peoples.

In the main exhibition space of the Library, 53 works will be presented until January 20, 2026, including 40 large-scale paintings, 12 bronze and ceramic sculptures and the “House of Pindar”, an original and impressive wooden structure.

In parallel with the exhibition, the Library Management is planning a series of events referring to Alexander and the Hellenistic Period, which also include educational activities for younger and older children in order to connect them with the history of the founding of the city and the Library.

The enthusiasm and mobilization of the Egyptians for such a cultural event reveals once again the great possibilities that Art opens up both at a political level and in the business world, creating special relationships of interest and trust with the world of the Near and Middle East where even today both the common historical traces and the love and admiration for the Macedonian king are preserved.

The exhibition at the Library of Alexandria is under the auspices of the Greek Embassy in Cairo, the Greek Ministries of Defense, Foreign Affairs and Interior, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the Union of Regions of Greece. And it is being co-organized by the BIBLIOTHECA ALEXANDRINA, the EXPERIMENTAL LABORATORY OF VERGINA, the Central Assotiation of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE), the Greek Center for Research on Alexandrian Culture in Alexandria and the Austrian Art Museum.

The historical sponsor is the Greek company SALFO, which operates in the Arab countries, and the sponsors are the Greek company ARCHIRODON, which also operates in the Near and Middle East, while on the Egyptian side are the companies ORASCOM, OSL, ΟΓΔ of the SAWIRIS group. The transport sponsor is EGYPTAIR and the Supporters are the Architectural Office THYMIOS PAPAGIANNIS & ASSOCIATES and the RADISSON BLUE PARK ATHENS hotel. The communication sponsor is ERT3.

 

The words of Warlamis from 2000* about Egypt and its culture, remain relevant and essential even today:

 

…

Egyptian culture is global in its global complexity. Needless to say, the modern spirit and dominant cultural presence are determined by the most industrialized countries, but for me the spirit and vision of Egyptian culture remain of incalculable importance, because Egypt managed to preserve an identity that dates back thousands of years and to secure the foundations for a civilization based on human standards…

…

Art is no longer a luxury: it is the concept of survival. World art initiates a dialogue not only with historical tradition but also with the idioms of each culture.

The value and content of Egyptian culture are closely linked to its timeless depth, which intersects and condenses the structures and concepts from which new technologies can develop. These new alternative technologies once again place man at the center and deal with issues of health, ecological harmony, happiness and beauty – “raw materials” that industrial production overlooks and omits.

Egyptian culture represents, more than any other country, the pulse of the African continent, both interculturally and intercontinentally between Africa, Europe and Asia.

This cultural dynamism can neither be hindered nor ignored, even if the evolution of industrial technology has led in other directions.

Humanity needs, above all, the participation of Egyptian culture, which has a depth and content with which it can strengthen the modern spirit…

 

Warlamis 2000

 

*

In 2001, the Alexander collection was presented to the European Parliament under the auspices of the then president, Mrs. Nicole Fontaine. In the meeting that Warlamis had with the President of the European Parliament, the late Fontaine, enthusiastic about his work, suggested that this collection become a “bridge of communication” between Europe and the countries of the Near and Middle East.

 

 

THEY WROTE ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

 

… In Warlamis’ works, Alexander appears from multiple perspectives: sometimes as a conqueror confidently leading his armies, sometimes as a thinker contemplating the horizons of empires, and sometimes as a young man with dreams beyond his years. These artistic perspectives give the viewer the opportunity to discover Alexander from sides unknown to us in traditional historical narratives and remind us that art can reshape the past to redefine questions of the present…

Dr. Ahmed Zayed

Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina

 

…Two ancient civilizations, which even today, through this great exhibition by Warlamis, send the world the message of Tolerance and creative dialogue between different cultures.

This was the spirit of the Macedonian warrior, which is more needed than ever in our days…

Yiannis Loverdos

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs

 

… Through his inspired brushstrokes, Makis Warlamis captures not only the heroic grandeur of Alexander the Great, but also the timeless ideals of creativity, leadership and cultural unity that continue to resonate to this day. His art invites us to reflect on a past that unites us and to envision a future where cooperation between Greece and Egypt will grow ever stronger…

H.E Omar Amer Youssef

Ambassador of Egypt in Athens

 

…The exhibition of the late Greek diaspora, Makis Warlamis, in Egypt, confirms and continues this close cultural relationship, connecting the two peoples.

Surely, there could be no better place than the Library of Alexandria, an iconic building created by the modern Egyptians, with the splendor of the Ptolemaic Library…

Lazarus Kyrizoglou

President of KEDE

 

…… The present exhibition on Alexander the Great by the late Warlamis at the Library of Alexandria has a deep symbolic meaning. On the one hand, it is held in the very city founded by the Macedonian general and, on the other, within the Library itself — a timeless and universal symbol of Knowledge and Spirituality. The Egyptian people have indeed managed to reconstruct this historical miracle of the ancient world, thus sending a resounding message to all humanity about its historical continuity, as the heir to one of the greatest civilizations that have graced the history of mankind…

Kyriakos Anastasiades

Rector of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

 

I have been working for more than thirty years as an archaeologist, searching for Alexander in the city he founded – Alexandria. Perhaps that is why I can understand and feel Warlamis in his obsession, in this colossal mission to find Alexander: to find his gaze, to find his soul. Only with such unwavering dedication and obsession can one complete and succeed in such a task.

Warlamis, as an “archaeologist of art”, also digs – but he digs within his soul to discover “his” Alexander, because Alexander exists within all of us. He represents faith in Tolerance, faith in Cosmopolitanism, faith in Community and faith in Vision. With these values, he planted the first seeds of global civilization – allowing people everywhere on earth to live in peace and prosperity…

…“Alexander the Great returns to the city he founded, to the city he loved” — and from here, from the historic city of Alexandria, the city from which modern history essentially began, his message is more timely and necessary than ever — just as it was almost 2,300 years ago. The message of Conduct, Respect and Universality.

Calliope Limnaiou-Papakosta

Director of the Hellenic Research Institute of Alexandrian Civilization (HRIAC)