Through a ground-breaking exhibition we asked: what does it take to capture the essence of a city you have never visited? We invited 25 award-winning visual artists to create new pieces in response to Athens, inspired only box of non-visual ‘clues’ – including a recipe for stuffed tomatoes, a poem from Yorgos Seferis and a recording of a popular vintage song by Manos Hadjidakis.
Exhibition
The artists – celebrated photographers, painters, illustrators, graphic artists and interactive designers – hailed from 11 different countries and what unfurled was a journey of surprises and thought-provoking conversations. The completed works, 90 in total, were exhibited in Diplarios, a building constructed in 1932 and intended to be Greece’s flagship design school.
Programme
We worked alongside internationally fêted animator and media artist Babis Alexiadis to devise a series of workshops for children as part of the education programme accompanying the exhibition. Young people were supported in exploring their own perceptions and storytelling abilities as they worked with others to make an animated film about Athens.
Participants
Adam Dix (UK), Alexander Egger (Germany), Amy Friend (Canada), Angela Moore (UK), Craig Redman & Karl Maier (UK, USA), Daniel Gotesson (Sweden), Emma Lofstrom (Sweden), Eva Roovers (The Netherlands), Eva Stenram (Sweden), Fernanda Rappa (Brazil), Jarmila Mitríková & David Demjanovic (Check Republic), Jesse Treece (USA), John Diebel (USA), Joris Vandecatseye (Belgium), Kakofonia (Brazil), Kazuhiro Hoshimoto (Japan), Kit Miles (UK), Michael Mann (Germany), Peter Judson (UK), Ryan Russo (USA), Seb Jarnot (France), Tom Radclyffe (UK), Thomas Robson (UK).
Facts
- 25 photographers, painters, graphic artists, illustrators & interactive designers from 11 countries
- 90 artworks in various media
- Exhibition opening attended by 3,500 visitors
- 8,000 visitors in total
- 30 wraparound programmes & workshops
Related projects
OCC: 3D Printing
Design Walk: Poles Apart