Greek Australian migration exhibition ‘Kalos Irthate’ coming to Melbourne this weekend

·

The Kalos Irthate (Greek for ‘welcome’) Migration Exhibition will launch next weekend, November 16 and 17 in Doncaster, Melbourne. 

A Greek Australian migrant home will be transformed into an exhibition space which will feature original documents, vintage furniture, and a documentary where migrants will share their history. 

If you’ve ever wondered what the inside of a migrant home looked like and how the process of migrating to Australia worked, then this is your chance to walk through a Greek Australian home and explore the lives of Greek migrants from the mid twentieth century.

As you walk through the house, you’ll find each room dedicated to a different aspect of the migrant journey; the move to Australia, building a life in Melbourne, and then reflections 70 years later. 

Kalos Irthate has been curated by Christina Savopoulos, Jamie Gallos, and John Tzelepis, under the name ‘The Poseidoniate.’ Their group was formed earlier this year, and the name is derived from the Greek poem written by Constantine P. Cavafy in 1906, titled ‘Ποσειδωνιάται.’ The poem speaks to the nostalgic attempts of an Ancient Greek community to hold onto their Hellenic culture. Christina, Jamie, and John all felt the poem perfectly encapsulated the aims of their group—to preserve and showcase Greek culture in Melbourne. Kalos Irthate is their first project and certainly not their last. 

When finding a location to showcase the multitude of migration related documents, Christina thought of using her Yiayia’s house.

“My Yiayia had passed away last year, and my family was about to sell her house. Using the house as the space for the exhibition seemed like the perfect way to honour the family’s memory of the house,” she said.

While the house has undergone slight changes over the years, its structure and design represent houses of the 1950s and 1960s which have become staples of Greek Australian migrant homes. 

The exhibition is ultimately a homage to Greek migrants in Australia and the lives they built in Melbourne, which continue today. 

Kalos Irthate catalyses the very essence of early wave migration and is effectively a time capsule that simulates migrant experience through documentation and early life in what we now dub a ‘migrant house.’ 

What The Poseidoniate aim to share with the community in this endeavour is to showcase all the cultural ‘artefacts’ we could find, and to stratify each stage of migration from life in Greece to life in Australia. This is all to achieve an adept community understanding of the wills and ways of Greek migrant history. As a diasporic people, it is paramount for our community to discover and be critical of these diasporic spaces as it develops and nurtures the very identity the community subscribes to. 

The exhibition curators ask that you register to receive the address of the house. It is only $5 to attend the exhibition. The Kalos Irthate exhibition is running for just one weekend and is an exciting chance to learn about Greek migration and immerse yourself in the life of a migrant. The curators hope to see you there!

Event Details

Follow us @theposeidoniate on Instagram

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Cretan spirit shines at annual Dinner Dance in Sydney

The 84th anniversary of the Battle of Crete was commemorated with pride and reverence on Saturday, May 17.

‘A privilege to honour his memory’: Sydney marks 84 years since Battle of Crete

Hundreds gathered at the Cenotaph in Martin Place, Sydney on Saturday, May 17, to honour the 84th anniversary of the Battle of Crete.

Wreaths, prayer and living memory: SA Pontians commemorate the Greek Genocide

The South Australian Pontian community gathered solemnly on Sunday, May 18 to commemorate the Greek Genocide.

Pontian community gathers in Sydney to honour Greek Genocide victims

A moving memorial service commemorating the victims of the Greek Genocide was held on Sunday, May 18, in Sydney.

Mural in the making: Coburg’s Kastorian tribute takes shape

The Kastoria Club in Coburg North welcomed Dean and Peter from Yitonia on Sunday, May 18, for a special community event.

You May Also Like

Greece earns top 10 finish as Italy take home Eurovision trophy

Greece has finished tenth in the 65th Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, as Italy took home the trophy.

Saints Basketball returns: Young guns show promise despite opening loss

After months of intense preparation, it was time to hit the hardwood as St George Basketball’s Senior Reps began their quest for glory.

The Larcos family: Navigating generational trauma from the Turkish invasion of Cyprus

The Larcos family could never have anticipated the upheaval that awaited them when they made the decision to relocate from Australia to Cyprus.