Interdisciplinary art • site-specific projects • art–science collaboration • cultural initiatives
KALLIERGON syn seeks to leave a lasting imprint on culture by opening paths of thought, creation and collaboration, paths that remain open and continue to be walked
Because creation begins with syn, together
WEST MANI: The Kazantzakis - Zorbas Project
Rooted in Stoupa, in West Mani
the place where Nikos Kazantzakis met George Zorbas and a story that travelled the world began.
WEST MANI: The Kazantzakis - Zorbas Project
Rooted in Stoupa, in West Mani — the place where Nikos Kazantzakis met George Zorbas and a story that travelled the world began.
A Cultural Initiative Rooted in Mani
WEST MANI: The Kazantzakis – Zorbas Project is a long-term cultural initiative inspired by the encounter between Nikos Kazantzakis and George Zorbas in Stoupa, West Mani.
Rooted in the place associated with the birth of one of the most influential literary narratives of the twentieth century, the project seeks to explore the relationship between people, place, memory, and creativity through contemporary cultural actions, artistic collaborations, research, and participatory experiences.
The project approaches the legacy of Kazantzakis and Zorbas as a living source of inspiration that continues to engage with the present and open pathways toward the future.
Why WEST MANI?
Stoupa is the historical heart of the project. It was here that Nikos Kazantzakis met George Zorbas and where the experience took shape that would inspire a story known throughout the world.
WEST MANI: The Kazantzakis – Zorbas Project adopts Mani as its point of reference, recognising that the relationship between the two men was shaped not only by a specific location, but also by the wider natural, historical, and cultural landscape that surrounded them.
Stoupa is the point of departure. Mani, West Mani, is the context.
The project seeks to highlight this unique cultural legacy through contemporary initiatives that connect memory with creativity, local identity with international resonance, and heritage with future generations.
Historical Background & Documentation
his initiative is founded on many years of research, documentation, and heritage-promotion activities undertaken by NARTURA – Cultural Association for Art and Nature and Katerina Exarchoulea-Georgilea, a member of the Association and the Stoupa representative of the Kazantzakis–Zorbas Cultural Routes of the International Society of Friends of Nikos Kazantzakis. Through this sustained effort, places associated with the meeting, collaboration, and friendship of Nikos Kazantzakis and George Zorbas in Stoupa, West Mani, were identified, documented, and brought to public attention.
This ongoing work contributed significantly to highlighting the historical and cultural importance of these sites of memory and laid the foundation for the development of the WEST MANI: The Kazantzakis - Zorbas Project.
Explore the places and the story
The First Footprints
A trace of human presence in the landscape, between creation and freedom
STOUPA
The Place Where Kazantzakis Met Zorbas
The ideogram, created by Vasiliki Kateri, unites human presence and landscape at Kalogria Beach in Stoupa, West Mani — the place where the encounter between Nikos Kazantzakis and Giorgos Zorbas gave birth to a story of global resonance.
MURAL DEDICATED TO NIKOS KAZANTZAKIS AND GIORGOS ZORBAS
This mural is inspired by the collaboration and deep friendship that developed between Nikos Kazantzakis and Georgios Zorbas at the Prastova lignite mine in Stoupa in 1917. Their relationship left an indelible mark on the writer’s life and became a source of inspiration for the novel Zorba the Greek (The Life and Times of Alexis Zorbas), one of the most widely recognized works of modern Greek literature. Through this work, Kazantzakis became known throughout the world, while the novel continues to be regarded as one of the most significant achievements of twentieth-century Greek letters.
Through this work, which continues to be regarded as one of the most important achievements of twentieth-century Greek literature, Kazantzakis became known throughout the world.
Located at the southern end of Stoupa Beach, within walking distance of the places associated with the historic presence of Kazantzakis and Zorbas, the mural serves as a contemporary tribute to their friendship and legacy.
The mural was created on the initiative of the Cultural Association for Art and Nature NARTURA, in collaboration with the cultural organization KALLIERGON syn.
Mural Artist
Major Sponsor
With the support of
Neochori – Stoupa Community
Local businesses