EMST
The National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST) began its operation in 2000. Permanent home of the Museum is the former Fix brewery on Syngrou Ave., the reconstruction of which was completed in February 2014. The building occupies 18.142 sqm. on a 3.123 sqm surface.
The Museum’s collection is formed around a very important nucleus of works by Greek and foreign artists, such as Stephen Antonakos, Constantin (Dikos) Byzantios, Vlassis Caniaris, Chryssa, Mona Hatoun, Gary Hill, Emily Jacir, Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, Nikos Kessanlis, Jannis Kounellis, Shirin Neshat, Lucas Samaras, Costas Tsoclis, Bill Viola, a.o, which is constantly enriched.
The first exhibition, entitled Urgent Conversations: Athens – Antwerp inaugurated in 31.10.2016 the temporary exhibition spaces of EMST simultaneously with the series EMST in the World.
The second exhibition of the series was realized through the collaboration of EMST with documenta 14 and lasted from April to September 2017. EMST and documenta collaborated by utilizing the wish of an organization to “learn from Athens” and the intention of the other to “open to the audience”, so they concluded to a common decision of a double relocation: EMST firstly became the main exhibition space of documenta 14 in Athens and, afterwards, Fridericianum in Kassel became the temporary home of part of the Museum’s collection, that was presented under the title ANTIDORON. The EMST Collection. The same part of the collection, enriched, will be exhibited in the permanent collection spaces of EMST in Athens when the Museum will officially open its doors.
The strategic objective of the Museum and its prerequisite remain its full operation, which, if the present conditions apply and the commitments are fulfilled, can be inaugurated within 2018. EMST continues its outreach and synergies program which began dynamically in 2016, and focuses further on research and the creation of activities for the promotion of the contemporary artistic production in Greece, through its institutional role.
The new building, will dispose two and more of its floors, for the presentation of its permanent collection, while it will also have spaces for temporary exhibitions, conferences, events, educational programs for children and adults, a library, a project room, a media lounge etc. It will be equipped with a café and a restaurant.
History of the building
In the 1860’s the Bavarian Johann Fix (a Hellenised version of the German surname Fuchs), who had settled permanently in Greece, develops an interest in the brewing industry and establishes the FIX Brewery in the area of the modern Neo Iraklio. Escalating demand at the time leads to the need for larger facilities. Thus, the brewery moves from Neo Iraklio to Kolonaki and then the decision is made to move the brewery to Syngrou Avenue.
During this time, at the end of the century, development in the area has yet to take off. The new plant, which is large for the time, is erected on the western bank of Ilissos, not far from the ruins of the Temple of Olympian Zeus. Over the years this original building would be expanded in line with the increased business of FIX.
In the mid-1950s, in the framework of the industrial resurrection of Greece, the Fix family decides on a ground-up redesign of the plant. The project is entrusted in 1957 to the architect Takis Zenetos (1926-1977), one of the major exponents of post-war modernism in Greece, in collaboration with his colleague Margaritis Apostolidis (1922-2005). The architect’s aim is to integrate the old factory’s successive extensions without disrupting production. According to his overall philosophy, he strives to create a flexible design capable of changing and adapting to future uses and different circumstances.
The industrial building on Syngrou Avenue is completed in 1961. The architect’s design is a sharp and lucid summary of the principles of modernism: dynamic forms, clear and austere lines, large openings and an emphasis on the horizontal axis. The linearity of the façades combines with the scale of the project to give a sensation of the building extending to infinity, while its extrovert nature is reflected in the way the factory’s operations are visible through the large expanses of glass around the building at street level, where the machinery is installed. This pioneering edifice imposed itself on the haphazard, characterless cityscape of post-war Athens and became a landmark of great architectural and sociological importance.
In the late 1970s production is transferred away from Athens and the building is left idle. In the ensuing years the Fix building remains unused. The wear-and-tear in both the interior and the exterior shell and the installation of advertising panels distort its character amidst increasing concerns about its preservation and utilisation.
In December, 1994 a compulsory expropriation on public benefit grounds brings the building under the ownership of Attiko Metro S.A. The northern part of the building is demolished to make room for the subway construction works, and the adjacent metro station is built and opened in early 2000.
In February, 2000, following conversion work in the building’s ground floor, the Ministry of Culture and the Yannis Tsarouchis Foundation organise the exhibition Yannis Tsarouchis, Between East and West. The same year this facility is turned over to the newly-established National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST) as a temporary venue. It is eventually decided for the remaining part of the old FIX brewery to become the Museum’s permanent home, and a 50-year lease is signed in 2002 between Attiko Metro S.A and the National Museum of Contemporary Art.
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