Partnership of Writers of Fthiotida, Art Gallery & Library of Lamia for World Book Day

The Association of Phthios Writers & Writers, the Municipal Art Gallery of Lamia and the Public Central Library of Lamia, together with the CHILDREN, celebrated WORLD BOOK DAY 2024

First of all, let’s note that the Old Woman Horiki Alekou Kontopoulos, it is not among the works in the Hall with his Permanent Collection, in the city’s Art Gallery. Yes that’s how it is.

But, this grandmother, the Old Villager by Aleks Kontopoulos, she is holding an open book in her hands and it is obvious that she is reading it. In fact, she also wears her glasses, so that she can see clearly what she is reading. And it was this very work of his that, from the moment I saw it, I thought it would be a very fitting occasion for the children to celebrate with her World Book Day. And, why not, it could be established already, so that, every year, guys different schools to do exactly what these children did on this year’s World Book Day.

And this, because Old Villager is in itself a clear symbol for World Book Day, an excellent example and a clear exhortation, a tacit yet dynamic call to all, young and old, to acquire the pleasant habit of reading. And of course, children, these little ambassadors, are the only ones perhaps suitable to say “read a book too”, “give a book away!”

And, it might have been my idea, this year World Book Day to celebrate it together Children, Art and Lettersbut it took place because he agreed, excitedly, the 2nd Primary Schoolbut also the Public Central Library and the Municipal Art Gallery city’s.

Yesterday morning, therefore, children of the 3rd and 4th grade of the Primary School, together with their teachers, Vaso Ifanti and Christos Glatzounis, visited the Hall with Permanent Collection of the painter’s works Alekou Kontopoulos. The Lady Efi PapaefthimiouCurator of the Art Gallery, showed the children around, answered their questions and talked with them.

In front of Gossip by Aleks Kontopoulos, which adorns the cover of the 35th Volume of the Phthiotiko Logo (2023) of the Phthiotian Writers & Writers Group, I read them the text that I had been inspired by this work, for the same volume. And I had my say, since in a little while, the children would have to do something similar.

Then they went up to the second floor. There, the little visitors were waiting for them Evie Goya, the Head, and the staff of the Public Central Library of Lamia. He told them about the Book and her World Book Day. The children also learned that, with a book, they spread their wings and fly!

Now, the concept wanted the children to write something of their own on the blank page, behind the photocopy with her image Grias Horikis. That is why, after all, they first visited the Hall with the works of Aleks Kontopoulos. To get to know him a little, starting with his self-portrait, and to feel, as if they had met him, to hear and learn about this famous Lamia painter, in front of his works. To ask their own questions and get answers.

And then, then holding in their little hands the photocopy with the Old Villagerwhich the painter had created in 1925, to take their place on the tables of the Library and write something that would have inspired them by the specific work, the Old Villager.

The grandmother with the scarf on her head, with spectacles on her eyes and the open book in her hands, and with her head bent over the book, clearly in a reading posture.

And the children, they wrote. They wrote little masterpieces. For the Book. For the Letters. For grandma. About Grandma and Letters. For the Book and Reading… The unknown, distant grandmother, who suddenly found herself being held on paper by children’s hands, inspired the children and they imagined and wrote…

The boys seemed more practical. They were writing and at the same time flipping through some book… While, for how long did Pele, yes… the well-known Pele, come into their hands, I didn’t understand. Finally, in the writings of both girls and boys, something like … grandmothers VS mothers often dominated, and the conclusion that, the grandmother is a very powerful element! It always will be. Even as she holds an open book in her hands and reads… Final conclusion? But, h Old Villager of Alekou Kontopoulosalthough a grandmother of 1925, in many ways different from today’s grandmothers, is a very good choice for … reading!