“Odyssey of Colors"
The Hellenic Museum of Michigan
Detroit
July 30, 2025, on display until Oct. 12
Nestled across from the Detroit Institute of Arts and next to the historic Park Shelton building sits a charming, red brick mansion in Detroit’s cultural district. Less well-known than its neighbors, this is the Hellenic Museum of Michigan, dedicated to conserving and celebrating Greek culture. The museum’s current exhibit “Odyssey of Colors” – on display until Oct. 12 – features work from more than 30 artists, many with ties to both Greece and Michigan.
While Greek figures, clothing and places are featured throughout the exhibit, the work is not limited to overt Greek themes and motifs.
A display with works by pastel and watercolor artist Elizabeth Carruthers Zachary features her “Detroit Jazz Series” triptych with depictions of three of Detroit’s most prominent contemporary jazz musicians, Alvin Waddles, Marion Hayden and Kerry Price, in performance. To their left are paintings with depictions of a charming Greek village, a peaceful boat and an exchange of a bitten apple, alluding to the temptation of Adam and Eve.
One of my favorite artists in the exhibit is Jeanne Karas. Her colorful “Romantic Realism” style paintings feature women with flowing dresses and hair in idyllic situations, overlooking the sea or reading a book next to a lake in the forest. The scenes are calming and aspirational with a nostalgia of a romanticized history.
Another favorite is Yiannis Karimalis, who has one of the larger collections on display. His colorful paintings are largely abstract designs and natural settings, but I was most drawn to a vibrant portrait of a woman holding a dove. The two share a look of contentment and peace, with the woman wearing a colorful flowing green headdress, highlighted with red lips and fingernails in front of a bright turquoise blue background with abstract details. The effect is both whimsical and calming, just an overall pleasantness.
Anthe Capitan-Valais also captured that feeling. Her four panels feature joyous scenes that incorporated her Greek roots and faith, with women dancing in traditional Greek clothing and a vibrant smiling Virgin Mary holding white flowers.
Some of the most unique art in the exhibit are pieces by Melanie Manos. From afar, Manos’ art looked like neat, geometrical shapes. But up close, the patterns are actually a collage of small photographs of Manos in different poses. She describes her work as walking a tightrope between humor and solemnity to convey the inequities and insecurities of daily life and the systems that perpetuate them.
“Odyssey of Colors” is a lovely collection of work that celebrate Greek themes and Greek artists, especially those with ties to Michigan. I always enjoy discovering more local talent. Moreover, it was nice to get a closer look at the pretty house I usually experienced from a distance and see its other exhibits that included traditional Greek clothing and the history of Detroit’s Greektown, plus a small children’s exhibit about the primary Greek Gods and others. Next time you’re in Detroit’s cultural district, it’s definitely worth a stop.
