Runway show, glam, Hollywood stars, fashion editors, lighting, music, installations, platforms, chairs and tables and kilometer-long cables on the ancient marbles of Acropolis in turn of a 2-million-euro donation? Despite the economic crisis, Greeks said “No, Thanks!” The idea proposed by famous luxury brand Gucci was turned down by the powerful Greek Central Archaeological Council (KAS) in one voice. The final decision depends on the Minister of Culture, though.
Gucci submitted its request to hold a fashion show in front of Parthenon, the most famous monument of the Acropolis of Athens on June 1st 2017.
Gucci’s proposal for the fashion show included the set up of a runway in front of Parthenon, on the “Sacred Way”, seats for an audience of 300 selected guests, among them Hollywood stars and fashion editors, a huge tent next to Erechtheion for the models to change cloths, have their hair styled and make-up.
Erechtheion with the Caryadits
A place available for a music accompaniment. In addition, the Italian designer wanted a license to film the whole show.
Gucci offered to pay a compensation of two million euros to be used for the restoration of Acropolis or any other purpose.
From the very first moment, the Directorate for Antiquities that oversees the archaeological site of Acropolis was reluctant to the idea.
On Tuesday, archeologists and well-known Greek fashion designers reacted negative to the possibility and influenced the public opinion.”The monument is emblematic and global and requires no promotion by any fashion designer to increase the number of the visitors,” they said.
On the other hand, some citizens favorite the idea saying “the fashion show would promote the Acropolis worldwide” and that the country was in need of money anyway.
The members of the Central Archaeological Council acknowledged that the offer was not inconsiderable. And they rejected the Gucci request unanimously.
“The particular cultural character of Acropolis’ monuments is inconsistent with this event, as they are unique monuments and world heritage symbols, and UNESCO’s world heritage monuments,” the council said in a statement.
“Τhe particular cultural character of the Acropolis with its unique monuments is inconsistent with this event, as they are unique monuments and world heritage symbols enlisted in UNESCO’s world heritage monuments,” the KAS members said in a statement. They added that according to the law, “the Sacred Rock cannot be leased for any event.”
The company representatives stressed that they harbor great respect and love for Greece’s monuments, which are monuments of the world’s culture. They said that their intention was to promote them worldwide, “especially the Parthenon, which is not just any monument, but the monument of monuments.”
The Parthenon and the Sacred Way
The Gucci Plan
Gucci’s plan was to set up a catwalk in the north of the Parthenon, with the Caryatids and Erechtheion on the background.
A tent 15×17 m. for models, make up artists, hairstylists and assistants, either near the old museum or near the Erecththeion.
300 seats for editors and fashion editors from around the world, Hollywood stars and Greek artists.
Turrets will bore the lighting and audio systems for music.
The duration of the show would be 15 minutes.
A 2-million euro donation would be given for the restoration of the Acropolis or any other purpose.
The amount is not especially big as Gucci would spend also €30million for ads and another €50million for television broadcast.
Officials react
The Directorate for Antiquities of Athens and the Directorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities offered Gucci instead alternative solutions: the area in front of the ancient theater of Herodes Atticus on the foot of the Acropolis, a terrace on the Hill of Philopappou opposite of the Acropolis Hill or the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Olympieion. The Gucci representatives refused to discuss any alternative. It was the Acropolis or nothing.
“Because the Parthenon is on the Acropolis,” they said and reckoned that great monuments like the Trevi Fountain or the Rialto Bridge in Italy are being leased for events.
“There is no such practice in our country,” said Professor Nicholas Stambolidis. Curator of Antiquities of Athens, Eleni Banou added that “there is another value and symbolism for each monument.”
While the majority of archaeologists stressed the significant symbolism of Acropolis as a world heritage, some also argued that granting a license for an event would open the Aeolus’ bag.
Speaking to Skai TV on Wednesday morning, Banou said “What should we do if tomorrow another company requests the Acropolis for an event, and another company comes the day after tomorrow?”
“We could discuss the proposal only if they would talk about the Return of the Parthenon Marbles,” the general director for the Acropolis Restoration Project, Eugenia Gatopoulou, said.
Culture Minister Lydia Koniordou told state broadcaster ERT, that the decision of the KAS Council “fully cover” her.
What do you think?
Is Greece right to reject Gucci’s proposal?
a. Yes
b. No
PS I have another argument against: the protection of the archaeological site from some 500 people (organizers, assistants, technicians, models, staff of all kinds, audience, rehearsal etc) who will work for a couple of days without control.
I can imagine some workers moving around a marble or two for a smooth surface or the installation of huge platforms that will alternate the archaeological site of the Acropolis of Athens.
As we say: worth of ancient monuments is priceless.
I don’t like fashion stuff, but this was a stupid and pompous mistake — typical of archaeologists worldwide. If they don’t like money, then they should give up their state salaries.
But i thought the Greek state had unlimited funds for the public sector and didnt need any = )
It is only when GR can’t afford to pay state salaries/pensions that this mentality will change.
I’ve heard Lidl is quite a paradise for “Proletarian Shopping” (shoplifting, pillage) … why is this so?
Typical Greek civil servant answer. You don’t need to go to Lidl because of all the bribes you collected so you still have a few million in black money in cash hidden in the garden 🙂
My landlord is like that, he is obsessed with security in the apartment. He must have a lot to hide, like many Greeks! And I bet his tax statement says he makes 6,000 a year :))))
@giaourtaki
Lidl? Owned by a German Oligarch, who received almost (tax paid) $900m by the World Bank to exand in East and South Europe.
Google: lidl credit world bank
😉
Guess what happend to the farmers and mid size supermarkt owners i.e. in Romania?
This is only for Syrizee, he must be the owner of Lidl and now he’s in panic which Lidl will get pillaged
I thought that probably he suffers from Stockhausen Syndrome — where exploited and victimised workers after several years in captivity start to identify with their captors and to support the interests of employers as opposed to those of workers…
@ guest(xenos)
Well…typical barbarian answer 😉
The problem is it will be used as a venue for all the political speeches that famous actors models singers etc think they are entitled to make, when they are supposed to be entertaining.
Syrizee…another barbarian….
In my village we have a name for those doing EVERYTHING for money 😉
At this moment, there are starving Greeks who would appreciate some money. If you have so much to spare, perhaps you could send it to them — instead of making arrogant and silly remarks.
you think the money would go to starving Greeks?
barbarian “logic”?
Since it is within the legal capacity of the Greek state to do so, it is not an unreasonable demand.
STAR TV reported the 2million would be paid over a period of 5 years!!! the more details come out the more ridiculous the whole proposal turns.
Yes. If the rejection was on the basis of the actual terms (i.e. how much money, what Gucci would be allowed to do, and how the money was paid) then I find that perfectly reasonable. My impression is that they rejected it on other grounds — the allegedly “sacred” nature of the Acropolis which would be “damaged” by a commercial event.
I don’t agree with their argumentation but with the decision. For some of the reasons mentioned in the post.
How many simultaneous arguments can SJW xenos juggle. Stay tuned to find out
More arguments than you have brain cells, you can be sure…
The decision to refuse this request was absolutely right. The prostitution of an ancient, to many a sacred place is simply not on. There are some things that money must not desecrate …
Exactly!
Fantastic: The same who claim Greece lost all her sovereignty now oppose this exact form of sovereignty. 2 million? A joke! Sell it for 500 billion to Facebook, destroy the state and take it back
i am not a supporter of capitalism — especially in its post-modern form. It’s simply a pragmatic thing, the sort of thing that Brits do. The thing is that many Greek people are suffering, from lack of money and even food. Anything that can improve the situation in the short run should be done: this is a moral principle, and not an ideological one. We can be sure that the Director of the Acropolis Museum and his family are not short of food. They don’t have the right to turn down food for other Greeks. Frankly, they disgust me — putting their ideological views before the quality of life (even survival) of other Greeks.
The Acropolis doesn’t want the millions of Gucci but they do want my € 20…. I guess this “NO” has more to do with this: “We could discuss the proposal only if they would talk about the Return of the Parthenon Marbles,” the general director for the Acropolis Restoration Project, Eugenia Gatopoulou, said.
Guess they think; if french first with the 2 pieces of Marble they have at Louvre, after the english with the 75 meters of the British Museum…
My opinion is that the last thing that Greek politicians and the Ministry of Culture want is the return of the Elgin Marbles to Athens. If this happened (which logically it should) then they would have nothing to complain about, no nationalistic cause to distract people’s attention with. It is nothing other than a political game — where the objective is not getting the Marbles back, but pretending to fight for the Marbles to be returned so that the Greek people will think that they are doing a good job.