If you are in Athens this weekend and want to experience an art event that’s both enriching and culturally immersive, make your way over to the amazing grounds of Zappeion Megaro for Art Athina 2023, which is celebrating its 30th edition this year!
Featuring a diverse range of contemporary art exhibitions – art lovers are invited to view 67 art spaces from around Greece and nine from abroad – Germany, France, Netherlands, Cyprus, Britain, Switzerland, Uruguay, Poland, and Romania.
From Friday the 15th of September through to Sunday the 17th, Art Athina will be hosting a great program that spotlights the art world, artistic processes, and the contemporary art scene.
This year visitors will have the chance to explore unknown corners of Zappeion Megaron with a range of inaugural performances, including “Live Encounters.” Curated by Panos Giannikopoulos, this segment explores multiple aspects of visual performance, while at the same time highlighting the Greek connection, its relationship with theatre, choreography, sound practices, social activism and space.
Presenting independent art spaces “Projects” curated by Olympia Tzortzi, is another special segment this year that introduces visitors to those with unique voices, including: ALKINOIS, igni, KORAI PROJECT SPACE, MISC, One Minute Space, Sealed Earth Gallery, Space52 and the Thermia Project.
For those wanting to learn more about how the visual arts landscape is evolving, you can catch renowned guest speakers as they share their views during a panel discussion titled “Talks.” The conversations will place an emphasis on the field of hospitality, publications, and commissions of new works of art.
Additionally, a moving video “I miss you more than I remember you” curated by Akis Kokkinos, and showcasing creators from Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Palestine and Lebanon, explores the complex relationships between land, vulnerable communities, and the deep history of the southeast Mediterranean and the Middle East. The production aims to bring its audience in contact with innovative visual material.
In terms of design, visitors are taken on a journey via “The chair” – an ordinary object – that is transformed into an exhibit and brings visitors closer to Greek tradition, design and craftsmanship. While showcasing more than 100 years of history, it bears the signature of Greek artists.
Constantly investing in its educational role, this year Art Athina has also included a Kids’ Educational Program– designed for children and teenagers aged four to 15 and their companions. The program aims to familiarise young people with art, in the hope of contributing to a new generation of art enthusiasts.
Finally, to celebrate its 30 years of success, a specially designed “Booth” space can be found honouring important moments, historical figures, artists and personalities of visual and political life that have been present during Art Athina’s outstanding three decades.
DETAILS
When: 15-17 September, 12:00 – 21:00
Where: Zappeion Megaron, Leof. Vasilissis Olgas, Athens
Entry: 10€ for adults
Website: aavirtual.gr
Images by Marina Tsekoura ©
