Dramatic and evocative works of one of the most acclaimed artists in Greece have gone on show in Abu Dhabi’s Volvo Ocean Race (VOR) Stopover Destination Village on the city’s Corniche Breakwater.

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Original, nautical-themed compositions of Dimitris Kretsis, which combine to make up his ‘The Seas Within Me’ exhibition which debuted in Rhodes last year, have been brought to the UAE capital by Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Modern Art Gallery.

“This is part of our campaign to constantly stimulate the emerging art scene in Abu Dhabi while opening a dialogue with the public and introducing new art concepts to it,” said gallery owner, HE Khalid Seddiq Al Mutawaa. “We are also delighted to take part in the VOR Destination Village, or any initiative by TCA” he added.

The works on display, a mix of acrylic paintings and pencil sketches, have been hand-picked by Dimitris to portray his feelings of yachtsmen at sea honed from personal experience.

“I choose the pieces in an attempt to evoke nostalgia that will impact on the audience and increase interest in art as well as marine life,” said Dimitris during a short trip to Abu Dhabi to curate his works.

The 32-year-old Greek, a graduate of the Athens School of Fine Arts, studied under some of the country’s most celebrated artists including Dimitris Sakellion, Dimitris Mytaras and Zacharias Arvanitis before continuing his studies at Madrid University’s Faculty of Fine Arts.

Dimitris has won honours in art exhibitions throughout Greece and his wall paintings and other art works are found in private collections and major hotels at home and abroad.

“Dimitris is a distinguished artist acclaimed both within his home country and on an international level,” said Al Mutawaa. “He possesses impressive abilities in iconography, realistic rendering of vignettes and portraitures.

“Greeks, like many UAE nationals, have a natural affinity with the sea and Dimitris’ work has powerful undercurrents of the challenges that the ocean can throw up for yachtsmen and women.”

The VOR Destination Village, presented by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, is open, free-to-enter, to the public daily from 10am – 9pm – Sunday – Wednesday and 10am – 10pm Thursday-Saturday until January 3rd. Opening times on December 25th differ with the village accepting visitors from 4pm until 10pm.

The village celebrates Abu Dhabi’s hosting of the hardy VOR fleet which is contesting the grueling, round-the-world endurance challenge. The contesting yachts arrived recently from the race’s Leg 2 from Cape Town to Abu Dhabi and leave on January 3 on the third leg to China in Sanya.