On the occasion of International Women’s Day, which is celebrated every year on March 8, the Municipality of Athens organized in Technopolis Art Center a series of actions to strengthen the female voice and deal with the alarmingly increasing phenomenon of gender-based violence.
The program included discussions, speeches by scientists and experts, screenings of short films, information and awareness activities. I had a special presence with their three-day exhibition entitled “Neighborhood Guilt” that included the pieces Greek Map, Flag, 2024 and the two-hour performance “Adyton”.
The events included a seminar on consent for 200 high school students. Afterwards, they participated at a workshop with me and co-created the “Greek Map” with their own bed sheets.
Adyton
The performance “Adyton” happened at the basement of the gallery on March 8th from 9-11PM.
The adyton was a restricted area within the cella of a Greek or Roman temple. Adyta were spaces reserved for oracles, priestesses, priests, or acolytes, and not for the general public. The artist was performing in solidarity while the audience was viewing the action through two monitors that were real-time streaming upstairs.
“Adyton” installation of scissors and bed sheets created during the performance. The bed sheets were donated during the action, cut into strips and tied around the three gallery columns, reference to the red ribbon that the ancient Greeks were tying around tomb stones.
The exhibition, March 8-10, 2024, had a symbolic ticket of €2. The revenue was donated to support the work of the non-profit organization “Diotima Center“, which specializes in gender and equality issues and supports victims of gender-based violence.
A limited edition of silkscreen prints of the works above, “Pink Flag” and “Neighborhood Guild”, are available through the A.Antonopoulou Art Gallery and the Georgia Lale Studio.
Photos by Nikolas Kominis, Vaggelis Patsialos and Georgia Lale Studio