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art & soul

Mourello Gold takIng the cornerstone of the Mediterra-
nean diet, premium extra virgin olive oil, and
Nature’s treasures combining it with real edible gold flakes, Mour-
In addItIon to providing exceptional hospitality, bluegr Hotels & Resorts are dedicat- ello Gold is a highly nutritious, fully natural oil
ed to the arts and culture, working to help artists and enhance guests’ experience through iN a Bottle that packs flavor, antioxidants and style. Tra-
events, festivals and exhibitions. ditional groves from the village of Kritsa, Crete
blueFest Crete 19 was held in July at Minos Beach art hotel. Organized by the G. & A. offer up their best Koroneiki olives, which are
Mamidakis Foundation, the two-day festival is testament to the Foundation and bluegr’s hand-picked and cold-pressed to maintain their
commitment to culture, art and Crete. Created by visual artist Theodoros Zafeiropoulos full wealth of flavor and nutritional benefits.
and architect Yorgos Rimenidis, a sculpture and sound installation titled “Come with the And then, in an inspired move, award-winning
Wind” was the winning entry in the inaugural G. & A Mamidakis Foundation Art Prize 2019 Mourello company founder Maria Marnellou
and residency program. Revealed at blueFest, the piece consists of interactive columns, each thought to add edible gold and thyme hon-
playing the sound of a wind – a digitally processed recording of world music. The tracks are ey before sealing the end result in an elegant,
available to download using an innovative website which amplifies the experience. The impressive bottle that befits liquid treasure.
artwork is now part of the Foundation’s permanent collection exhibited at Minos Beach art Why gold? From Queen Cleopatra’s gold facials
hotel’s sculpture park. to Ancient Rome, through to Medieval alcoholic
Meanwhile, the Blue nights exhibition, curated by art historian and Foundation art drinks featuring golden leaves, the properties of
director, Sotirios Bahtsetzis, was also inaugurated, projecting video artwork by artists such this precious metal have been admired through
as Alexandros Kaklamanos and Theodoros Zafeiropoulos outdoors, in the tradition of Greek the ages. Today, it is known as an antioxidant
summer cinema. A music concert titled Radiotherapy by composer Nikos Xinos also took that promotes cell regeneration as well as phys-
place. The new original culinary concept created by acclaimed chef Giannis Baxevanis and ical and mental wellbeing. With very low acidity,
bluegr Hotels & Resorts management was also presented, shining the spotlight on Cretan all-natural, fruity and aromatic, Mourello Gold
recipes and products. takes the prized, sunny goodness of Greek na-
What makes Minos Beach art hotel unique is its history and close relationship with art, ture and seals it inside a bottle.
as it hosts numerous pieces from the G. & A. Mamidakis Foundation collection. Its open
Museum is an exhibition of outstanding works of contemporary art collected by the Foun-
dation through the years. Free to all art lovers, this sculpture park contains seminal works by
leading artists, including Takis, Nikos Alexiou, Linda Benglis, Carlo Ciarli and Costas Varotsos.
More pieces from the Foundation’s collections can be found at Minos Palace hotel & resorts
and at Life Gallery athens. Guided tours of this exclusive open-air art exhibit are available.
In the rich history of bluegr and the Foundation’s art events, we have already seen the
Underwater Exhibition, which brought sculpture, video and sound installations to the
ocean bed. art symposia, exhibitions and publications complete the puzzle, all show-
casing contemporary art and enhancing guests’ experience.
The Blue Nights exhibition is available to visit until late October, while “Come with the
Wind” and the Open Museum are permanently installed at Minos Beach art hotel.

Serving Culture in Different Ways

• As part of their commitment to culture, bluegr Hotels & Resorts have also hosted three
Art Symposia, where artists from Greece, Europe and the American continent created
in situ sculptures on the hotel grounds, which soon formed the basis for the sculpture park:
– 1st International Art Symposium, June 1988
– 2nd International Art Symposium, “A New Mediterranean Cultural Identity,” 1990
– 3rd International Art Symposium, “Art in Politics,” 1993 Mourello
• Lavishly illustrated catalogs were produced and handed out to art critics, visitors and hotel GR-720 51 Kritsa, Crete
guests as part of the symposia and of several art exhibitions. L: +30 (2841) 027-130
• Two travel books, “The Unknown Crete” and “The Unknown Rhodes” have been published, M: +30 (6999) 927-130
Email: mt@mourello.gr
in addition to a series of educational publications on mythology and history, www.mourello.com
by the G. & A. Mamidakis Foundation.

20 Blue Ink