Discovering The Beauty Of The Cyclades
Milan ~ Chengdu ~ Beijing ~ Izmir
“Beauty invariably triumphs over ugliness and evil; destroy beauty but a flower will grow in the place of destruction, no matter how long it takes.”
MW ~ Cyclades, 2014
Presented on the Greek News Agenda website* by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic, and by Embassies of Greece in China, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Serbia, UK, USA, the Consulate General of Greece in Los Angeles, and the British Embassy in Greece, on their social media platforms. The project was first exhibited at the Aquarium of Milan in 2019 by the Department of Culture of the Milan Municipality and includes the islands of Anafi, Santorini, Ios, Sikinos, Folegandros, Poliegos, Kimolos, Milos, Sifnos, Serifos and Kythnos.
The artist has received letters of congratulations from President E. Macron of France, and also the European Union Commission.
“From 10 May to 5 June 2019, the elegant early twentieth century Art Nouveau building that houses the Acquario Civico di Milano will host the DISCOVERING THE BEAUTY OF THE CYCLADES exhibition by W. M. Wilman promoted by the Municipality of Milan within its walls and tanks. - Culture and from the Aquarium - Civic Hydrobiological Station of Milan. …The exhibition at the Milan Civic Aquarium is dedicated to the memory of Prof. A. Delivorias (former director of the Benaki Museum in Athens).”
Embassy of Greece in Italy
‘‘The photographic project Discovering The Beauty Of The Cyclades by W. M. Wilman pays tribute to the electric blue of the Aegean, the shapes and colours of rocky landscapes, beauty in its variety of physical forms and expressions above and below the water line. … Read Greek News Agenda’s interview with Mark Wilman on the reasons behind his interest in these islands, his artistic approach and his thoughts on beauty.’’
Embassy of Greece in UK“Discovering The Beauty Of The Cyclades by W. M. Wilman - A unique photographic project featuring the islands of (Anafi), Santorini, Ios, Sikinos, Folegandros, Poliegos, Kimolos, Milos, Sifnos, Serifos and Kythnos.”
Embassy of Greece in Tel Aviv
“Brits 🇬🇧 have always been impressed by the beauty of the Greek 🇬🇷 landscape. British photographer 📷 Mark Wilman is passionate about the wild landscapes of Greece’s Cycladic islands. After 4 years (2019) of exploring little-known parts of several Aegean islands, the photographer will showcase the Greek beauty he captured with his lens in the exhibition Discovering The Beauty Of The Cyclades by W. M. Wilman that will take place in Milan. Check out his impressive photography in his website.”
British Embassy in Athens
“Photographic project “Discovering the Beauty of the Cyclades”. W. Mark Wilman originates from the Caribbean, grew up in London and spent much of his life in Milan, but holds a special place in his heart for the Greek islands.”
Consulate General of Greece in Los Angeles
“W. Mark Wilman originates from the Caribbean, grew up in London and spent much of his life in Milan, but holds a special place in his heart for the Greek islands. His photographic project Discovering the Beauty of the Cyclades has had its first public solo exhibition, promoted by the Department of Culture of the Milan Municipality, at the Aquarium of Milan (10 May – 5 June 2019), while more presentations of the work are being programmed for cities in China and other countries.”
Greek News AgendaAn interview with Greek News Agenda in December 2019.
*Greek News Agenda is an online English language platform of Media Diplomacy Directorate / Department of Digital Communication (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Secretariat General for Public Diplomacy and Greeks Abroad, Hellenic Republic) offering news, analysis and interviews that showcase political, economic, business, social and cultural developments in Greece.
“Photographer W. Mark Wilman @WMWILMAN1 talks to @GreekNewsAgenda about the beauty of the #Cyclades and his love of the #GreekIslands. http://greeknewsagenda.gr/index.php/interviews/arts-in-greece/7115-wilman-cyclades”
Embassy of Greece in Washington D.C.“‘Golden Sunset on the island of Ios.’ Photo by Mark Wilman from his photo project 'Discovering the Beauty of the Cyclades'. Read his interview with Greek News Agenda.”
Embassy of Greece in Berlin
“Read here https://bit.ly/2uN9QhI an interview given by the British photographer Mark Wilman on Greek News Agenda, where he talks about his photo exhibition entitled: Interview with the photographer of the exhibition “Discovering The Beauty Of The Cyclades” (Συνέντευξη του φωτογράφου της έκθεσης), as well as his love for the Greek islands and Greece in general!”
Embassy of Greece in Serbia
“Wilman presents photographs of the natural beauty of the Aegean with unexplored aspects from Ios, Sikinos, Folegandros, Polyaigos, Kimolos, Milos and Serifos (2019). He has a long and deep relationship with the Cyclades, which he first visited in 1974, when he was still young. From his first contact until now, Mark Wilman has developed an experiential relationship with the landscape, with free diving, climbing and hiking.”
KathimeriniKathimerini is a leading Greek newspaper founded in 1919.
“Greece goes… Milan: The photos that promote the Cyclades. The British photographer Mark Wilman talks to ELLE.gr about his photographic project that presents the beauty of the Aegean in Italy.”
ELLE GreeceELLE is a worldwide lifestyle magazine.
“A well-travelled Londoner with Caribbean blood, photographer Mark Wilman is a Hellenophile at heart, and his evocative work proves it. His lifelong, multi-sensory experience of Greece has resulted in a highly lauded six-year project and a book honouring the Cycladic islands. ‘Discovering The Beauty of the Cyclades’ is an evocative photographic tribute to the natural, cultural and historical magnificence of these islands.”
Greek City TimesGreek City Times is the world’s leading Greek news and lifestyle site outside of Greece.
“Traveling means stopping to listen and observe: ‘Discovering the beauty of the Cyclades’ is both a journey and a photographic project, a four-year journey (2019) focused on the natural beauty of the islands of the Aegean archipelago. Wilman's photographs show his ability to observe and listen to the wonderful interaction between land and sea, between sky and water: from the volcano of Santorini to the wild and less explored areas such as those of Ios, Sikinos, Folegandros, Poliegos, Kimolos, Milos and Serifos.”
La RepubblicaLa Repubblica is a leading Italian newspaper.
“‘Discovering the Beauty of the Cyclades’ is a photographic project focused on the natural beauty of the islands of this Aegean archipelago, from the volcano of Santorini to the wild and less explored areas of Ios, Sikinos, Folegandros, Poliegos, Kimolos, Milos and Serifos. Land and sea are dominant elements in the work, which took over four years to complete, their interaction of prime interest from the start. This will be the first exhibition of W. M. Wilman in Milan.”
Il GiornoIl Giorno is a leading Italian newspaper.
“Cycladic Islands Through the Lens of Mark Wilman On Display in Milan. With his project ‘Discovering the Beauty of the Cyclades’, the UK photographer hopes to encourage the protection of the Greek archipelago.”
Greece IsGreece Is is published by the historic newspaper Kathimerini.
‘Lost Lady Of Sikinos, Neiko’, the work’s centrepiece, was officially supported by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports together with the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades in the use of the video ‘The Secrets of the Episkopi of Sikinos’ at the Chengdu Europe Culture Season 2020 - and more recently in Izmir, Turkey in March 2022 - where the project represented Greece, with aerial views of Tinos island by A. Kontogeorgis, at the Chengdu Contemporary Image Museum under the title ‘Discovering The Beauty Of The Cyclades - A Glimpse of the Aegean Sea’, organised by the Embassy of Greece in Beijing and Chengdu Foreign Affairs Office.
“ I feel particularly honored for being invited today to address the opening of the photography exhibition under the title “Discovering The Beauty Of The Cyclades — a glimpse of the Aegean Sea”, with works by the photographers Mark Wilman and Aristeidis Kontogiorgis, in this important and elegant Museum, the Chengdu Contemporary Image Museum. … The photos shown here do not simply denote the past, evoking longing or nostalgia, but, even more, thanks to the perennial beauty of the Aegean Sea, they aspire to give rise to deeper appreciation of the natural environment and the “Cosmos” or Universe that inspired Greek Art. These feelings gave rise to the most typical attributes of the Greek Mind, such as the pursuit of true knowledge through exploration and excellence. … I do sincerely hope that this exhibition will mark the beginning of closer cultural ties and cooperation between our countries.”
Mr. Georgios Iliopoulos, Ambassador of Greece to China
From the Ambassador’s speech at the inauguration ceremony in September 2020.
“The author of the photography exhibition "Discovering the Beauty of the Cyclades - A Glimpse of the Aegean Sea" shared his creative feelings. The exhibition of the Greek photography exhibition "Discovering the Beauty of the Cyclades - A Glimpse of the Aegean Sea" in Chengdu recently ended successfully. Mark Wilman, one of the authors of the exhibition invited by the Greek Embassy in China, shared his creative background and feelings. The exhibition is jointly organized by the Greek Embassy in China and the Foreign Affairs Office of the Chengdu Municipal Government, and is also part of the "2020 Chengdu Europe Culture Season". The exhibition was on display at the Chengdu Contemporary Image Museum from September 29th to November 5th, 2020. The following is the full text of the interview:”
Embassy of Greece in Beijing
“Photographer W. Mark Wilman presents his photographic project Discovering The Beauty Of The Cyclades at the "Chengdu Europe Culture Season" festival in Chengdu, China. The exhibition, titled "Discovering The Beauty Of The Cyclades - a glimpse of the Aegean Sea" is organised by the Chengdu Municipal Foreign Affairs Office and Embassy of Greece in Beijing (Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Η Ελλάδα στον Κόσμο) together with the Foreign Affairs Office of Jinniu District People’s Government, and it also features aerial views of Tinos island taken by Greek photographer Aristeidis Kontogeorgis.”
Embassy of Greece in France“The exhibition was inaugurated on Sunday, 27 September (2020), in the presence of the Ambassador of Greece to China, Mr Georgios Iliopoulos. In the video he made for the inauguration, Mr. Wilman dedicated the exhibition to the memory of Professor Angelos Delivorias, former director of The Benaki Museum. The ‘Lost Lady Of Sikinos, Neiko’ photo at the exhibition is officially supported by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports (Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού και Αθλητισμού) and the (Εφορεία Αρχαιοτήτων Κυκλάδων) Ephorate of Antiquities of Cyclades through the use of their "Secrets of the Episkopi of Sikinos’.”
Greek News Agenda
“How a British Photographer dedicated his life's work to the Cyclades. Mark Wilman grew up in London’s Notting Hill area in the UK, to British parents with a Caribbean background. Starting from his childhood and spanning throughout his entire life, he found himself being constantly drawn back to Greece, particularly the Cyclades.”
Greek HeraldGreek Herald is Australia’s number one daily Greek newspaper.
“The exhibition exhibits a series of 52 photos taken by British photographer Mark Wilman and Greek photographer A. Kontogeorgis in the Cyclades and Aegean Sea. … The exhibition is presented in the form of photos, accompanied by clear and vivid text descriptions, showing the rich and fascinating beauty of the Cyclades Islands, allowing the public to further understand and explore the mysteries of nature, and advocate harmonious coexistence between man and nature. In this exhibition, you can also see the video on the consolidation and restoration of the Episkopi Church on Sikinos Island provided by the General Administration of Cultural Relics and Cultural Heritage (Cycladic Antiquities and Archaeology Bureau) of the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Hellenic Republic.”
China NewsChina News is the second largest state-owned newspaper in China.
BEIJING, CHINA, July 2021: The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) International Drifting Photography Exhibition, Yangguang Shangdong Community, Jiangtai, Beijing. The Embassy of Greece in Beijing, China selected a number of photographs from the ‘Discovering The Beauty Of The Cyclades’ project for Greece’s participation in The Belt and Road Initiative International Drifting Photography Exhibition in Jiangtai, Beijing inaugurated on July 9th 2021. N.B. The original venue for the event was Canton but later changed to Beijing.
“From the age of ten, Wilman has been a frequent visitor to the Cyclades. He freedived, climbed and hiked in the Cyclades to learn about the beauty and capture the scenery along the way with his camera. Since 2014, Wilman has devoted himself to photography. This Cyclades photography exhibition (in Milan 2019) also pays tribute to Professor Angelos Delivorias, a famous archaeologist from Greece and an academician of the Academy of Athens . He served as the director of the Benaki Museum from 1973 to 2014, and passed away in 2018. The islands in the photo exhibition include Anafi, Santorini, Ios, Sikinos, Folegandros, Polyegos, Kimolos, Milos, Sifnos, Serifos And Kythnos. … A few days ago, Greek News Agenda interviewed Wilman about his artistic techniques, perception of beauty and creative motivation.”
Embassy of Greece in Beijing
IZMIR, TURKEY, March 2022: An exhibition of the project from March 1st to 20th at the Ahmed Adnan Saygun Sanat Merkezi Arts Center in Izmir was organised by Consul General D. Balkiza and her team at the Consulate General of Greece in Izmir (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic) in cooperation with the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, and with official support from the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports together with the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades in the use of the video ‘The Secrets of the Episkopi of Sikinos’ to accompany the project’s centrepiece photo ‘Lost Lady of Sikinos, Neiko’. See the Exhibitions page and the blog post for more details. The event was sponsored by Kosmos Visa Services.
“As part of the exhibition of British photographer Mark Wilman's photographic collection entitled "Discovering the Beauty of the Cyclades". Event held at Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Ahmet Adnan Saygun Art (17.03.2022).”
Republic of Greece in Turkey - Izmir Consulate General
“W. Mark Wilman presents his photographic project Discovering The Beauty Of The Cyclades by W. Mark Wilman at the prestigious Ahmed Adnan Saygun Arts Centre (Ahmed Adnan Saygun Sanat Merkezi) in İzmir, from 1 to 20 March 2022. The exhibition is organised with the support of the Consulate General of Greece in İzmir (Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Η Ελλάδα στον Κόσμο). As with the photographer’s previous exhibition at the "Chengdu Europe Culture Season" 2020 festival in China, the centrepiece of the photography project, "Lost Lady of Sikinos, Neiko", will be officially supported by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports (Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού και Αθλητισμού) together with the (Εφορεία Αρχαιοτήτων Κυκλάδων) Ephorate of Antiquities of Cyclades in the use of the video "The Secrets of the Episkopi of Sikinos".”Greek News Agenda on Facebook & Twitter
“On Thursday, March 17 (2022), in honor of photographer W. Mark Wilman, who presented his photography collection titled "Discovering the Beauty of the Cyclades" at Adnan Saygun Art Center with the cooperation of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and Despina Balkiza, Consul General of Greece in Izmir, to art lovers. A cocktail event was given. The cocktail, sponsored by Kosmos Visa, was attended by the Deputy Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and also the Chairman of the Parliamentary European Union Assembly and Foreign Relations Commission Suat Çağlayan, the Italian Consul in Izmir Valerio Giorgio, the Federal Consul General of Germany Dr. Detlev Wolter, İzmir Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Naciye Gökçen Kaya, İKSEV President Filiz Eczacıbaşı Sarper, Honorary Consuls and well-known names of the society attended.”
Turkiye Gunlugu.NetTurkiye Gunlugu is a Turkish daily news network.
“Photographer W. Mark Wilman, of Caribbean origin, who grew up in London and spent most of his life in Milan, has a special interest in the Greek islands, and now presents his photography exhibition, which he previously held in Milan and Beijing, to the people of Izmir. The project, which was exhibited for the first time in Milan Aquarium in 2019, met with art lovers in Beijing last year. The exhibition showcases the enchanting blue of the Aegean, panoramic views of the Cyclades, the shapes and colors of the rocky landscapes, the beauty in various physical forms and expressions above and below the waterline, while also reflecting the artist's artistic approach and reflections on beauty.”
Ha-ber.comHa-ber.com is a German news site focused on the latest updates in Europe and America, local news in Berlin, Hamburg and Frankfurt,
plus politics and local news in Turkey.
“Philhellene photographer Mark Wilman, creator of a successful six-year project and book ‘Discovering The Beauty of the Cyclades’ describes his first trip on Ios. … His evocative photography and writing transport you to the heart of the Cycladic culture, landscapes and colours. … As a child, the Londoner with Caribbean blood went to Ios on his first Cycladic island experience, described here. This personal story about Ios kicks off a narrative series created by him especially for IN+SIGHTS GREECE and will run over the next few weeks.”
IN+SIGHTS GREECE