A thought-provoking new exhibition in Piraeus asks us to look a little closer at the objects, spaces and memories that surround us.

Running at .sympan until 13 November, Load/Unload 2: Memory Manual brings together artists and designers for the second edition of the Piraeus art space’s ongoing Load/Unload exhibition series.

Curated by Athina Lasithiotaki, the exhibition explores something we rarely stop to consider: the relationship we have with the objects around us and the memories they carry.

Load/Unload forms the central exhibition framework of .sympan, with each edition bringing together artists, designers and brands alongside objects, installations, original works, sound and different materials. Rather than separating art and design into neat categories, the series places them alongside one another, allowing unexpected connections to emerge.

For its second edition, the focus turns to memory- not only the memories we consciously hold onto, but those embedded in the everyday things and spaces around us.

Set within .sympan’s industrial space, Memory Manual brings together works by Christos Tsigaras, Ilir Tsouko & Elidor Mehili, Gogo Smili, Irini Tampasouli, Natalia Manta, Tereza Stepanian and Zaza Damo.

At its heart is the idea that objects are never simply objects, which carry traces of the people who made them, the hands that shaped them and the places they have occupied. 

The space itself becomes part of that conversation. Rather than presenting visitors with one fixed interpretation, the exhibition encourages you to move through the works, look closely and form your own connections between the objects, materials and ideas on display.

Even the title plays into this approach. Memory Manual isn’t intended as a guide with a set of answers. Instead, it offers a series of directions and questions, exploring how memories are created, passed on, attached to things and altered over time.

It’s an intriguing reason to head beyond central Athens and explore Piraeus’ creative scene, particularly for those interested in contemporary art and design- or simply looking for something a little different to see while in the city.

The experience also extends beyond the exhibition itself. Memory Manual is accompanied by a public programme of talks, screenings, interventions, DJ sets, culinary events and other gatherings, creating further opportunities for visitors to encounter the ideas behind the show in different ways. More events will be announced as the exhibition continues.

Load/Unload 2: Memory Manual
When: Until 13 November 2026
Where: .sympan, Aitolikou 7, Piraeus

Additional works can also be found at Lab Piree, Dragatsaniou 59, Piraeus, and Gonia, Ippokratous 48 & Valtetsiou 11, Athens.

Images by George Parellis & Nikos Efstratiadis ©