125 Years of Painting

125 YEARS OF PAINTING 

In the year 1993 we brilliantly celebrated the centenary of Zografios. Those were the times when the diaspora had started similar brilliant celebrations 

after difficult periods. 

An organizing committee was created with our late Master Dimitrios Fragopoulos as president and the celebration began on September 19, 1993 at the School. 

At the entrance of the School there was a photo exhibition, which was prepared by the current Director of Painting, Mr. Yiannis Demirtzoglou. 

As part of the celebration, 100 saplings were planted in Halki and the 100-year-old tree of the Painter was created. 

Lectures, exhibitions of paintings and photographs followed, and finally on 28 December 1993 a dinner was organized at the then newly renovated historic Ciragan Palace 

with great success. Since then we have had several anniversary celebrations at intervals. 

Then, from 1998, the custom began for graduates to celebrate their golden anniversary and to receive their golden degrees for those completing 50 years of graduation, 

a custom that continues today.
The years passed quickly, like a breath and a dream, and this year we celebrated the 125th anniversary of the establishment of this nursery of expatriate education. 

The celebration started on November 17 with an excellent painting exhibition in the ancient preserved cistern of the ANTIQUE hotel, 

with the theme "One City Two Empires" and title THE IMMORTALITY OF THE WORKS, by the artist Ms. Renas Fili, 

which visually dealt with the Byzantine Empire Eastern Rome, while the Ottoman one was dealt with by Mrs. FEYZA ZEYBEK and artistic with Mr. Dimitris Danis as a consultant. 

The exhibition, judging as spectators rather than experts, was excellent with expressive paintings of empresses and other paintings. Congratulations are due.   

On November 20 after the solemn Vespers at the First Church of the Entrances of the Virgin of the Cross, 

followed by a piano recital by the artist and soloist Dinos Mastrogiannis "ZORBA'S DANCE" by Mikis Theodorakis, 

culminating in the last part accompanied by the young Swiss SOLVEJG SULAMITH WILDING, in the work for violin and piano "Zorba the Greek". 

The concert was really enjoyable and the artist Evanthia Reboutsika also attended it. 

On Wednesday, November 21, after the Solemn Liturgy at the First Church of the Entry of the Theotokos, presided over by the Patriarchal Commissioner, Rev. Archbishop Old Derkon 

Mr. Apostolos, in the hall of the School the graduates met, mainly from the years 1958, 1968 (golden anniversary) and 1978, 

in which the faces were sketched with joy and emotion. The awarding of prizes and degrees took place in the "Dimitrios Frangopoulos" ceremony hall, 

lunch in the dining hall of the Painting and everyone enjoyed their coffee on the top floor of the School with a view of the "Historical Peninsula". 

In the evening, a party followed on the top floor, with the musician Teris Ieremias. 

On Thursday, November 22, a trisago was chanted at the Cemetery of Sisli in memory of the late Christakis Zografou, commissioners, founders, directors, professors, 

teachers and students of Zografio and followed a motorcade on the Bosphorus "on a boat" with a lot of fun and fun. 

The highlight of the celebration, in our opinion, was the Greek Folk Music concert with the distinguished Greek composer and musician Thanasis Polykandriotis.  

It was a musical feast and everyone enjoyed the artist's solo performance of pieces on the legendary bouzouki instrument. 

At the end, the students of the Mantoulidis and Zografio Schools also participated with great success, who sang Greek folk songs with the whole audience. 

and folk songs. The hall and corridors were packed with listeners and many watched standing up. 

On his FB page, Mr. Demirtzoglou wrote the following: "Yesterday a magical, unforgettable evening was experienced by everyone who was lucky enough to attend Zografieo. 400 people, 

they filled not only the hall but also the corridors and stairs of the historic School... The unique Thanasis Polykandriotis with his magic fingers and his bouzouki 

he did wonders... with his wonderful solos he dazzled the audience who lived a magic.... which will be talked about for many years. …

On stage the 105 children surpassed themselves and with their sweet voices and unique faces they made their parents happy and proud. 

the grandmothers and their teachers... Happy birthday to all the schools of the diaspora. Thank you and happy birthday to Mantoulidis Schools for 40 years since  

establishing them… 

400 invited, we all sang in Pera, in Istanbul, in Zografieo together with Thanasis Polykandriotis! 

The celebration will end on Friday, November 30 with the choir's concert under the direction of Musicol. Mr. Grigori Papaemanouil "My Strange Bird" in Painting, 

accompanied by modern dance. 

Warm congratulations are primarily due to Ellogimos High School Principal Mr. Yiannis Demirtzoglou, who is also the main initiator of the events and worked hard and toil 

for the success of the celebrations, to his partners and to everyone who contributed to the success of the anniversary events. 

We close with the words of our late teacher Dim. Frangopoulos, during the celebration of 100 years: 

"The love of the Painter of every era with his School is amazing. 

He is inextricably linked with it. Bonds that were forged at student desks in their relationships with the School's administrative and teaching staff and continue for life in the field of his successful professional activity." 

And of Time. 

Pera November 25, 2018 PAINTER.