- The Allspice exhibition showcases original pieces from ancient Middle Eastern and Southeastern Mediterranean civilizations.
- Michael Rakowitz reimagines heritage with his 2025 work “Study for a Lamassu in spolia.”
- The exhibition weaves together connections between historical artifacts and modern art.
- Visitors experience a thoughtful blend of human stories, spanning multiple timelines.
- Entry is free to the public throughout the run.
Ancient Guardians Reimagined: Michael Rakowitz’s Vision in 2025
Inside the Allspice exhibition, Michael Rakowitz’s work, “Study for a Lamassu in spolia” (2025), stands as a thoughtful bridge between worlds. Drawing from a bearded head from 5th-century BC Cyprus, Rakowitz cleverly ties this sculpture to the lamassu—those iconic, winged guardians of Assyrian palaces and cities. Rakowitz sketches a lamassu’s body directly onto the glass that shields the ancient artifact, inviting viewers to look beyond the barrier. In this layered gesture, he hints at joining two fragments: one physical, one drawn, both shaped by the long reach of history.
This approach nods to the tradition of spolia. Ancient artisans often took stones from earlier buildings, fitting them into new structures, sometimes for practical reasons and sometimes as decorative elements. Rakowitz’s method mirrors that practice, blending the past and present without forcing them to merge. His glass drawing becomes a quiet conversation with the original, bringing new meaning to both.
Where Ancient Worlds Meet Contemporary Imagination
Allspice offers more than a single impressive artwork. Throughout the exhibition, rare artifacts from the Middle East and Southeastern Mediterranean find themselves in dialogue with the work of Rakowitz, the internationally respected Iraqi-American artist. The setup doesn’t just display items from distant times. It unrolls a tapestry of stories—of people, trade, belief, and craft—woven through the ages.
Original relics stand side by side with Rakowitz’s thoughtful responses. The artist’s contemporary pieces do not overpower the ancient objects. Instead, they cast fresh light, helping visitors imagine lost faces and layered histories. The result is a kind of visual conversation. Old and new works fit together like neighboring stones in an intricate wall.
A Tapestry of Stories
Allspice’s mood is both thoughtful and inviting. Travelers and art lovers alike will find reasons to linger, tracing patterns between objects discovered centuries apart. What emerges is not a lesson in dates or battles, but a living portrait of human relationships with history—how memories of craft, power, and devotion travel across time. Here, the past feels alive, not as a frozen tableau but as an open book waiting for curious eyes.
“Allspice | Michael Rakowitz & Ancient Cultures” traces unseen lines between then and now, making the museum not a vault, but a meeting ground.
- Entry to the exhibition is always free, opening doors to both seasoned visitors and new explorers.
- The exhibition can be visited at the official Acropolis Museum website (https://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/allspice-exhibition) for more details.
