Four Seasons Greek Collection Presents Elemental Essence, an Immersive Art Experience at Art Athina 2026

The Athenian Riviera’s pine-covered peninsula and modernist heritage. Mykonos’s sea air and whitewashed Cycladic architecture. These contrasting landscapes and cultural identities inspire Elemental Essence, an immersive art experience presented by Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens and Four Seasons Hotel Mykonos at Art Athina 2026. Marking the Four Seasons Greek Collection’s debut at the contemporary art fair, the installation brings together commissioned artworks, architectural archives and scents created for each property. It will be on display from November 12 to 16, 2026, at Onassis Ready in Athens.

Curated by Claudia Paetzold, Elemental Essence draws inspiration from ancient Greek philosopher Empedocles, who identified earth, water, air and fire as the fundamental elements of existence. Two neighbouring spaces give these ideas a contemporary twist, exploring how architecture responds to nature through scent, materials and art.

Internationally recognised Norwegian artist and chemist Sissel Tolaas uses smell as a medium for contemporary art. Following research visits to both properties, she created scent compositions that capture their distinct environments. Her work translates the pine-covered Athens peninsula and the maritime atmosphere of Mykonos into sensory encounters, adding another dimension to familiar views.

Alongside Tolaas’s compositions, Australian cinematographer Matthew Thorne explores architecture, light and landscape through moving imagery that forms part of the Four Seasons Hotel Mykonos experience.

For curator Claudia Paetzold, artwork should feel deeply evocative. "I place the emphasis in my curatorial work on the connection with sites and the immediacy of the experience, on inhabiting rather than exhibiting," she says.

The story of Astir Palace began in 1960 on a forested cape in Vouliagmeni. At the time, Greek modernism was forging fresh connections between architecture, leisure and the Aegean landscape.  Astir Palace became one of the Athenian Riviera’s defining addresses. Leading architects Emmanouil Vourekas, Periklis Sakellarios, Prokopis Vasileiadis and Konstantinos Dekavallas contributed to its evolution and in 2019, this architectural legacy became part of Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens.

At Art Athina, earth and pine anchor the Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens space. Sculptural forms, natural materials and scent capture the character of the peninsula and its modernist architecture. Archival imagery adds glimpses of Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens through the decades, connecting the installation to the history of the place.

On Mykonos, acclaimed Greek architect Nikos Valsamakis takes a contemporary approach to Cycladic architecture at Four Seasons Hotel Mykonos, overlooking Kalo Livadi Bay. Taking inspiration from the island’s traditional villages, whitewashed forms follow the hillside, linked by intimate courtyards and interconnected spaces.

Landscape architect Helli Pangalou of H. Pangalou & Associates carries this approach into the hotel’s grounds. Mediterranean planting, stone pathways and sheltered gardens connect the buildings to the island terrain, easing the transition between architecture and landscape.

Back at the art fair, the Four Seasons Hotel Mykonos pavilion shifts the mood to air and sea. Visitors move through layers of suspended, translucent fabric infused with scent, as Thorne’s moving imagery animates the space. Architectural drawings and landscape studies reveal the thinking behind the hotel’s design and its close connection to the Aegean setting.

Together, the spaces express a shared ambition: to offer fresh ways to experience a destination. Through sculpture, film, archives and scent, Elemental Essence brings visitors closer to the natural and cultural character of the Athenian Riviera and Mykonos. Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens and Four Seasons Hotel Mykonos offer two complementary expressions of Greek coastal life. Framed by fragrant pine forests, Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens pairs Athenian Riviera heritage with three private beaches, Michelin-starred dining and proximity to the capital's ancient landmarks. Above Kalo Livadi Bay, Four Seasons Hotel Mykonos combines whitewashed Cycladic architecture, panoramic Aegean views and secluded beach access with a secluded setting close to the island's vibrant social life. Both connect guests with their surroundings through distinctive dining, cultural discoveries, private excursions and personalised Four Seasons service. 

Exhibition Information

Exhibition: Elemental Essence

Art Fair: Art Athina 2026

Dates: November 12–16, 2026

Venue: Onassis Ready, Athens, Greece

About Art Athina

Established in 1993, Art Athina is one of Europe's longest-standing contemporary art fairs, bringing together galleries, artists, collectors, curators and cultural institutions.