The Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center is pleased to announce the opening of its new exhibition Rings of Fire: The Olympic Journey of Euripides Kastaris Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at 6:00 pm. As a four-time consecutive Olympic Artist, Euripides "Rip" Kastaris demonstrates how the flames, forms, and features of Olympic Competition have become his crucible, and the background to his personal journey.

The HMCC's exhibition of Rip Kastaris' Olympic Art tells the story of one Hellenic-American's creative journey that started in Greece and creatively participated Salt Lake 2002, Athens 2004,  Turino 2006 and Beijing in 2008.  The exhibition will display this experience in documents, video, and photographs. The show aims to inspire as well as record the joys and struggles of winning the selection process within the United States Olympic Committee, Hellenic Olympic Committee, and the Hellenic Cultural Foundation who chose Rip to create KYKLOS - Circle of Glory. This epic mural and sculpture was featured at the Athens 2004 Olympic Stadium and continues to be a permanent installation in the International VIP Reception Center at the stadium where the opening and closing ceremonies took place.  The HMCC exhibition will showcase original art and official prints as well as working models and correspondence from behind the scenes. The resulting exhibition will reveal the creative process hidden to the casual observer.   Museum viewers will see the drama along the