Even Dakis Joannou, like any businessman, is not able to separate work and vacation. The Greek entrepreneur and avid collector is inaugurating a new branch of his Deste Foundation on the Island of Hydra, where he spends his holidays at his mansion or on his Koons-designed yacht.

Indeed Joannou is in good company: the island, where you can spot art people every summer, from artists Brice Marden and Jannis Kounellis to gallerist Eva Presenhuber, is already very active with art initiatives such as Hydra School Project and Hydra Workshop. While the first takes place in the former school of the island (where the only transportation available is donkeys) with projects by emerging artists managed by Greek artist Dimitrios Antonitsis, the second one is a tiny boutique-Greek-white cube-like space where Greek London-based collector Pauline Karpidas organizes solo presentations by artists from her collection, such as Urs Fisher, Christopher Wool and Andro Wekua, in cooperation with London dealer Sadie Coles.

Opening Deste’s new operation, located at Mandraki Bay’s Slaughterhouse, is “Blood of Two,” a double presentation featuring works by Matthew Barney and Elizabeth Peyton from June 16 to September 30. As the press release says “Delivery of the artwork: Tuesday, June 16, 6AM”— perhaps a maritime way to say “opening”?

Hydra