One of the oldest and most historical buildings on Herakleidon Street in Athens has been transformed into a contemporary space, where art, taste and music are celebrated.
At Root Artspace in Thission, you'll find an art gallery, an art shop, a projection room, a shop selling vinyls, a restaurant and even a bar. This dynamic venue plays host to exhibitions, festivals, courses and concerts. At the same time, you can enjoy dishes, cocktails and drinks based on the most recent international nutritional developments.
The aim of Root Artspace is to offer a contemporary platform of expression for artists and creative groups both from Greece and abroad.
Record shop at Root Artspace — Photo courtesy of Petros Delatollas / Root Artspace
Root Artspace is decorated with natural materials and designed with respect for the architecture of this neoclassical building. The paintings, lighting and furniture are all designed by contemporary artists.
On the first floor, a gallery hosts exhibitions that rotate, with an art shop that sells art objects.
Root Artspace has also founded the Root Artspace Society, a community for artists who have collaborated with the space, which aims to bring together creative persons and to inspire and support collaborations. You might be surprised to discover a battery lesson or an acting workshop taking place in one of the spaces.
At the start of the community, Root Film Festival was created, which includes projections of awarded films, a competition of short films and well-known guest artists from the cinema industry. The first edition was free and had the title “Zero” Edition.
Contemporary interior of Root Artspace — Photo courtesy of Petros Delatollas / Root Artspace
For Root Artspace, taste is a form of art, too. The creative cuisine of Root is part of an international movement of quality nutrition.
Combining contemporary urban food with the primordial Paleo nutrition, the team at Root and Chef Avgeria Stapaki present for the first time to the Athenian public a Paleo-friendly menu, with fresh and raw ingredients, all based on Mediterranean cuisine.
The wellness bar and the cocktail list are inspired by well-known bartender Giannis Samaras, who presents the new trend of cocktails without sugar and gluten.
The coffees include specialty blends from all over the world, and you can also find special selections such as mixtures of herbs and antioxidant cocoa drinks.
A well-kept secret is the underground cellar with around 50 wine selections for wine-lovers.
Music is also a strong presence at Root Artspace. You can find an interesting collection of vinyls with jazz, blues and ethnic music or experimental scene and avant garde. The musical selections are made by well-known Athenian DJs and include also thematic evenings.
Guest DJs and unplugged live concerts are also scheduled now and then.
