The first contemporary artwork to be permanently exhibited in an archaeological site in Greece will be a sculpture by British artist Antony Gormley, located in the exterior space of the Archaeological Museum of Delos, following the completion of the first donation by the NEON organization to the Ministry of Culture.

The donation, a joint effort by NEON and Gormley, comes at the invitation of the Ministry of Culture and under the shared vision of enhancing public engagement with contemporary art in sites of global archaeological significance.

The original counterpart to this work, RULE, was created for the exhibition SIGHT, which was held at Delos from May to October 2019. RULE II (2019) will remain permanently on the island as a reference point for the discourse between classical and contemporary culture.

The permanent installation of Antony Gormley’s artwork is the first in a broader initiative by NEON to gift contemporary artworks to archaeological sites where it has previously organised exhibitions, in collaboration with the Ephorates of Antiquities. Over the past 12 years, NEON has worked closely with the Ministry of Culture to curate and present 11 contemporary art exhibitions in archaeological and historical sites across Greece, aiming to offer fresh perspectives on cultural heritage through the lens of modern contemporary art.