A night at the Benaki: Our creative partnership with The Benaki Museum reached a new high this week when Cabana curated the museum's annual fundraising gala. We presented our Benaki Collection within the walls of the institution whose treasures inspired our designs, and to an esteemed audience that included the President of the Hellenic Republic.
BY CABANA EDITORS | 1 DECEMBER 2023
Earlier this week, within the walls of one of the world's finest museums and surrounded by a millennia of Greek culture, creatives, curators and supporters of the Benaki Museum came together for the institution's annual Fundraising Gala.
The elegant event, organised annually to promote the Benaki's work to preserve and research Greek culture, showcased several large-scale installations curated by Cabana to celebrate the magazine's ongoing partnership with the Benaki.
George Manginis and Martina Mondadori (far left) at the Benaki Gala
Beautifully styled, taking inspiration from 17th century still lives, tables dazzled with winter-themed floral arrangements, bronze goblets, colorful fruit displays, and textiles, ceramics and glassware from Cabana's Benaki Collection, all inspired by the Benaki’s extraordinarily rich collection of Greek decorative arts.
Left to right: Lena Grivakes, Nikos Trivoulidis, Nicoletta Menti, George Manginis, Martina Mondadori, Giorgos Gabritsos, Irini Geroulanou
After many months delving into the museum’s archives, Cabana designed a tableware capsule and three new linen patterns - Ioannina, Creta and Skyros - all inspired by archival Greek textiles.
Ioannina Still Life
President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou.
Hand-embroidered Benaki cushions.
Oranges decorated with cloves.
Cabana Still Life
The Creta Tablecloth.
NEW Benaki Dinner Plates.
Feast table devised by Chef George Papazacharias and the Delta restaurant team.
The Gala began with drinks and live music in the Benaki's grand sculpture galleries. Filled with bouquets and seasonal florals by The Secret Garden Atelier, the museum came to life in vibrant shades of green, red and orange.
In one gallery, a seven-meter-long still life arrangement, curated by Cabana, took center stage, while another featured a huge bed of living moss, decorated with an art-like food installation. The table abounded with delicacies, and bees made of honey and sugar sat on edible flowers.
The creative minds behind the collaboration - including George Manginis, Director of the Benaki Museum, Irini Geroulanou, President of the Board of Trustees, and Martina Mondadori, Cabana's Editor-in-Chief - gave speeches. Each paid tribute to the new Benaki Collection, which in turn pays homage to the Benaki Museum and its ongoing mission to preserve the arts in Greece.
The Gala's feast, presented just as creatively as the still life installations, was devised by Chef George Parazachairias and Athens-based Delta Restaurant, whose experience and local expertise enhanced the evening with flavor and color.
Throughout the evening, guests enjoyed music and performances, all centered around the installations, designed by the Cabana team to highlight our Benaki collection.
The collection of tableware and textiles marks the first time that Cabana has partnered with a public institution. A percentage of proceeds will go directly to the Benaki to support the museum's ongoing work to preseve the arts in Greece.
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A big thank you to Lia Martinou, Maya Martinou, Elina Sbokou,
Eleftheria Deko for lighting design
Chef George Papazacharias and the team of Delta Restaurant
and the entire Benaki team!
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Photo Credits
© Benaki Museum / Dimitris Giavasis, Greg Stoikos
the edit
Join Cabana on a mesmeric visual journey through thousands of years of Greek art, history and culture, guided by George Manginis, director of the Benaki Museum in Athens.
