Olea All Suite Hotel in Zakynthos is transforming its suites, gardens, restaurants and shared spaces into an immersive gallery for the latest edition of the Olea Creative Residency.
The 2026 residency welcomes award-winning Greek sculptor Theodoros Visvardis, whose new site-specific exhibition, MYTHOS MATERIA – Ancient Stories. Modern Form, explores the mythology, landscapes and cultural identity of Zakynthos through more than 25 contemporary sculptures.
The exhibition opened to visitors on July 15, 2026, with an official opening event scheduled for August 19.
Ancient stories reimagined in modern forms
Born on Zakynthos, Visvardis draws inspiration from ancient mythology, classical sculpture and the cultural traditions of his home island. Working primarily with marble, stone and other natural materials, he reinterprets familiar stories through a distinctly contemporary visual language.
Rather than presenting Greek mythology as something confined to history books and archaeological sites, the artist explores its continued relevance. His sculptures connect classical narratives with broader themes of memory, identity, nature and humanity’s relationship with the landscape.
The resulting works are intended to feel grounded in Greek tradition while remaining unmistakably modern.
Visvardis is a lawyer and self-taught sculptor whose work has been exhibited in Greece and internationally, including in New York. His recent honors include the First International Sculpture Prize at Festival InterArtia 2025, an Artist of the Year distinction in 2025 and the Yorgos Foydoylis Culture Award in 2026.
Art throughout the hotel
Instead of being restricted to a conventional gallery, the sculptures are displayed throughout Olea All Suite Hotel and its Flow Dine & Wine restaurant.
Guests encounter the collection while moving between suites, gardens, dining venues and communal areas. The format allows architecture, landscape and sculpture to interact, with the hotel itself serving as part of the exhibition.
The approach is particularly suited to Olea’s contemporary Mediterranean architecture. Set among centuries-old olive trees on a hillside in Tsilivi, the hotel is organized around a sprawling lagoon-style pool. Natural materials, flowing lines and an earthy color palette help connect the built environment with its Ionian Sea setting.
Against this backdrop, Visvardis’ stone and marble sculptures become part of the property’s visual rhythm rather than appearing as separate decorative additions.
Connecting travelers with contemporary Greek culture
Established in 2023, the Olea Creative Residency was created to introduce hotel guests to contemporary Greek artists while encouraging a deeper engagement with Zakynthos.
Each edition invites an artist whose work has a meaningful connection to Greece to produce or present a collection inspired by the destination. Previous residencies have explored subjects including nature, femininity, mythology and transformation.
For 2025, multidisciplinary artist Natalia Manta created Double Moon – She is Both the Hunt and the Hunter, a site-specific installation inspired by Artemis and the full Buck Moon over Zakynthos. That residency incorporated sculpture, video, light-sensitive materials and a live audiovisual performance.
The annual program reflects a wider shift in luxury hospitality. Hotels are increasingly working with artists, craftspeople and cultural organizations to create experiences that extend beyond accommodations, dining and wellness.
At Olea, the residency is designed to help guests understand something of the island’s creative identity while providing contemporary Greek artists with an international platform.
“The Olea Creative Residency has become a defining initiative for our hotel and an established platform that reflects our philosophy of creating experiences with a meaningful cultural impact,” said Venia Xenou, co-owner of Olea All Suite Hotel.
A design-led retreat on Zakynthos
A member of Design Hotels, Olea All Suite Hotel is a five-star, adults-friendly property welcoming guests ages 12 and older. Its 89 suites include accommodations with swim-up access and private pools, while the wider property offers restaurants, bars, wellness facilities and views across the surrounding olive groves toward the Ionian Sea.
The hotel’s emphasis on architecture and nature creates an appropriate setting for a residency examining the connection between mythology, place and natural materials.
For travelers, the exhibition offers another perspective on Zakynthos—an island better known internationally for its beaches, limestone cliffs, blue caves and loggerhead sea turtles.
Experiencing contemporary sculpture in this setting provides an opportunity to look beyond the island’s familiar coastal attractions and consider how its mythology and cultural heritage continue to inspire artists today.
