National Gallery Exhibit Reexamines Institution's History

Artist Natasa Biza's 'Changing Grounds' exhibition explores untold narratives in the National Gallery's archive.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The National Gallery of Greece is hosting an exhibition titled 'Changing Grounds - Supplementary Narratives in the Archive of the National Gallery' that reexamines the institution's own history and archive. The exhibition, created by visual artist Natasa Biza, goes beyond simply displaying artworks and instead opens a dialogue with memory and history by exploring the Gallery's archival materials, including photographs, administrative papers, and notes, to compose new narratives that highlight details often left on the margins.

Why it matters

The exhibition serves as an exercise in activating the archive, treating it not as a static repository of the past but as a living organism open to reinterpretation. By exploring how narratives are constructed, which events are prioritized and which are omitted, and how knowledge is produced and solidified, the exhibition encourages visitors to reconsider their certainties about the institution's history.

The details

The exhibition is organized around three main thematic axes: the Gallery Building, its People, and its Collections. Through these axes, the artist seeks to trace the paths of an institution closely connected to the country's cultural history and examine how changes over time have influenced its identity. The artistic proposal consists of four works that employ a variety of expressive media, including video, artistic prints of archival photographs, brass engravings, spatial installations, reproductions of documents, and an artist's book.

  • The exhibition has been hosted at the Central Building of the National Gallery since mid-November 2025.
  • The exhibition will remain on view until September 30, 2026.

The players

Natasa Biza

The visual artist who created the 'Changing Grounds' exhibition, immersing herself in the National Gallery's archival material to compose new narratives.

Syrago Tsiara

The General Director of the National Gallery of Greece, who notes that the artist invites visitors to reflect on which stories we choose to preserve in collective memory and how they can be visually rearticulated today.

Elpiniki Meintani

The curator of the 'Changing Grounds' exhibition, who emphasizes the dual nature of archives as both traces of reality and constructions.

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What they’re saying

“The exhibition's essential value lies precisely in this shift: it encourages us to look at the past with the tools of the present, to confront what we take for granted, and to reconsider our certainties.”

— Elpiniki Meintani, Curator (The National Herald)

What’s next

The exhibition's public program includes thematic tours, educational workshops, and the publication of a bilingual catalogue, expanding the dialogue initiated by the installation itself.

The takeaway

This exhibition highlights the importance of revisiting institutional histories and archives, not to reproduce official narratives but to uncover untold stories and encourage a critical examination of the past. By engaging with archival materials in creative ways, the 'Changing Grounds' exhibition invites visitors to reconsider their understanding of the National Gallery's identity and legacy.