Athenogates — Art for Animal Welfare

A unique group art exhibition, “Athenogates”, opens at Andie Art Gallery on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at 19:00, supporting Dorotea’s Cats Rescue, a volunteer initiative dedicated to rescuing, caring for, and finding homes for stray cats, founded by Dorotea Merkouri.

Curated by art historian Annita Patsouraki, the exhibition features paintings, sculptures, ceramics, jewelry, and decorative works inspired by the animal world and the harmonious relationship between humans and animals. As Patsouraki notes, the artworks blend realism, abstraction, and symbolism to emphasize the importance of care, responsibility, and respect for all living creatures.

With the motto “We Love Animals – We Love Life”, the show highlights the mysterious and enchanting world of cats, as well as the broader animal kingdom, encouraging empathy and action for animal welfare. The exhibition aims to combine artistic creation with tangible support for animals, promoting awareness, compassion, and adoption.

About Dorotea Merkouri

Greek-Italian actress and Italian cuisine author, Dorotea has been devoted to stray animals since her youth. Upon returning to Greece, she intensified her efforts, founding Dorotea’s Cats Rescue, coordinating daily rescues, medical care, sterilizations, and adoptions across Athens. Since 2020 (and more intensively from 2022), her team of volunteers and veterinarians has helped over 150 cats, overseeing 120 sterilizations and facilitating 35 adoptions.

Dorotea emphasizes that in Greece, where state support for stray animals is limited, volunteer action is both a responsibility and a duty for everyone.