Dürrenmatt‘s Myths
An exhibition of Friedrich Dürrenmatt's ink drawings

An exhibition of ink drawings which reveal the pictorial side of the Swiss dramatist, Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1921-1990).


In 1983, Dürrenmatt met his wife-to-be, the actress Charlotte Kerr, and visited Greece with her for the first time. Dürrenmatt, who drew upon the German grotesque tradition in his writings and often subjected mythological and historical themes to a sarcastic reworking, produced a series of drawings at Delphi centring on the Pythia. The following year, Greek mythology also inspired The Minotaur - a ballad, a poetic text illustrated with his own ink drawings, and a short story, Midas.


Visitors to the Athens show, which was designed by the famous Swiss architect, Mario Botta, whose works include the Dürrenmatt Centre in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, will be led through a suspended labyrinth. This collection, which belongs to Charlotte Kerr Dürrenmatt, was shown in Geneva (Fondation Bodmer) and in Venice (Fondazione Querini Stampaglia) last year, and has been on display at the Dürrenmatt Centre in Neuchâtel until 30 April this year.




On Wednesday July 11, the actor Vassilis Papavassiliou will give a reading of Dürrenmatt’s The Death of Socrates at 21:00.