«Thrivers»: an exhibition of paintings that invites us to wander through our inner treasure is coming to Heraklion, Crete from 17 April to 30 April.

For those who are looking for an excuse to wander through their own inner treasure and remember or realize through art that they themselves can become triumphant in their lives, Loula Metaxas’ first painting exhibition “Thrivers” or in free translation “Triumphants” premieres. You are invited to the opening of the exhibition on Friday, 19 April at 18:30 at the Basilica of St Mark’s in Heraklion, Crete. In addition, you can browse daily from 17 to 30 April.

But who are the “Triumphants” or “Thrivers” of Lula Metaxa? Each painting is a small confession of the soul or a small testimony of observation of human emotions. The 90 works in the exhibition talk to each other and at the same time narrate a journey of different human souls in managing their personal psychological traumas with the ultimate goal of triumphing.

The works have been inspired by the concept of psychological trauma and highlight the power that we hide within ourselves. The power not just to survive a traumatic event – big or small – but instead to manage to see, understand and transform our own inner “darkness” into a “bright” triumphant one, through the way we “see” and process the events that have marked us. The connection between art and the science of psychology is made through the highlighting of the new model “Thriver” which deals with the concept of post-traumatic development.

Besides, for the painter herself, Loula Metaxas, having studied Psychology and Business Administration and having completed her Master’s degree in Human Resource Management, the observation and analysis of the human “soul” is an inspiration in all aspects of her life. Although she has been painting since a very young age, her journey of visual art began by seeking ways to capture the manifestations of life experiences that are deeply imprinted in us, but cannot be externalized in words.

With the axiom, then, that wounds and storms are ultimately man’s treasure, the wandering through the psychological stages depicted acquires a different interpretation. That is why the exhibition «Thrivers» invites you to wander, to identify the psychological state behind each painting, to speculate about the past and to imagine the thoughts of each person. Perhaps art will become a trigger for you to take a dive into your own soul.

The exhibition will last from 17 to 30 April at the Basilica of St Mark in Lions Square, Heraklion, Crete. For those who wish not only to browse the exhibition but also to learn more about the psychology behind a traumatic experience, they can attend the Friday 19/04, at 18:30 at the opening of the exhibition, where the Psychologist – Psychotherapist, MSc, Vasso Velivassaki, will give a short lecture on the subject with a special scientific connotation. The opening speeches will be moderated by Andriani Angelidaki, Journalist-Presenter.

The coordinator of the exhibition is Magdalena Wozniak Melissourgaki, an acclaimed Polish-Greek artist, whose works are in private and corporate collections in countries such as USA, Canada, Italy, Germany. At the same time she is co-organizer and chairman of the jury of the Aegean Arts International Festival in Crete, member of the Biennale, ambassador at the Mondial Art Academia and member of the jury of the Children’s Gallery of Greece.

A few words about Loula Metaxas
Born in 1988, Loula Metaxa resides in Heraklion, Crete and has studied Psychology (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki), Business Administration (American College of Thessaloniki) and then completed a postgraduate degree in Human Resources Management (Athens University of Economics and Business), while she works as Director of Human Resources at Metaxa Hospitality Group.

She remembers herself painting as an amateur from a very young age. At the same time, the constant factor in all academic, professional, artistic decisions and inclinations of her life has always been the fascination with the observation and analysis of the human “soul”, which found expression through the art of painting. For her, painting is a tool for introspection and also a means of recording her thoughts and psychological states.

The exhibition “Thrivers” is her first journey in painting and reflects her search for ways in which she can best capture those things that cannot be expressed in words, but exist.