Presenting its first full spring season since renovating its gallery in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, the Onassis Cultural Center NY will offer the public a major exhibition of ancient art, installations of contemporary art, and a variety of events and resources on site and online for people of all ages, during three months dedicated to the theme of Gods and
Mortals.

Mount Olympus, the peak known to the ancient world as the home of the Greek gods, will provide the real and symbolic locus for the wideranging program. This exhibit explores the relationship between the people who lived on the slopes on Mount Olympus near the first known altar to Zeus Olympios at Dion and the mythological gods who lived atop its peak. Among the highlights are artifacts never before seen in the United States and a group of Roman era mosaic panels that have never before been seen anywhere

From March 24 through June 18, visitors to the Onassis Cultural Center NY will be able to explore unique exhibits.

Anthony S. Papadimitriou, President of the Onassis Foundation, said, “This major exhibition marks the reopening of the gallery spaces at the Onassis Cultural Center NY after three years of renovation. We are eager to welcome American and international visitors to our new space and ready to host a new series of art exhibitions. Following in the established tradition of the Onassis Cultural Center NY, our exhibition and other academic and cultural activities will continue to
explore and present the Hellenic heritage to a wider audience.”

Commenting on the exhibition, Dimitrios Pandermalis said, “During the past forty-five years of work at the site of the city of Dion, not only have we been able to locate ancient buildings and portable finds but also to chart the lives of many individuals throughout the centuries. The exhibition Gods and Mortals at Olympus: Ancient Dion, City of Zeus aims to provide visitors with a sense of Dion through the presentation of some of the most significant finds, as well as to
introduce the wonder of the natural environment that inspired the ancients to develop a sacred center on the foothills of Olympus.”

On view from March through June 18, 2016, Gods and Mortals at Olympus: Ancient Dion, City of Zeus explores the relationship between daily life in an ancient city built on the slopes of Mount Olympus and the mythological abode of the gods at the peak. Within an immersive setting, the exhibition features more than ninety artworks and artifacts—including mosaics, sculptures, jewelry, ceramics, coins, glass, and implements—dating from the tenth century BCE
to the fourth century CE. None of these objects have been seen before in the United States.

Among the highlights are marble sculptures from Hellenistic and Roman times of deities including Zeus, Demeter and Aphrodite, decorative objects and implements dating back as far as 1,000 BCE and a visually stunning group of mosaic panels from the private Villa of Dionysus, newly restored with the support of the Onassis Foundation.

The exhibition Gods and Mortals at Olympus: Ancient Dion, City of Zeus is organized by the Onassis Foundation (USA) and the Dion Excavations, in collaboration with the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports—Ephorate of Antiquities of Pieria.