Delos is ancient Greece's most sacred island and one of the most visited archaeological sites in the country. The legacy of Delos is inversely proportional to its size; in fact, the tiny island is barely 5km long by 1.5km wide. Apart from being the birthplace of the ancient gods Apollo and Artemis, it was also one of the greatest ancient Greek sanctuaries.

Today, remarkably preserved ancient remains such as votive offerings, sculptures, and temples stand next to relics from the period when Delos was an important commercial center, attracting thousands of visitors each year!

It is on this unspoilt island that Greek authorities have undertaken an exciting and ambitious experiment. Sir Anthony Gormley, the famous British sculptor, has placed 'inhabitants' back on Delos. He has created 29 iron 'bodyforms', that are to be the first artworks to be erected on Delos since it was populated–more than 5,000 years ago!

"If this works, our hope is it will help change how people approach ancient monuments," says Dr Demetrios Athanasoulis, who heads the department of antiquities in the Cyclades. "There is no past without the present, and we live in times where there are any number of windows through which to view the past."

Before visitors even disembark from the ferry from Mykonos, they are greeted by one of Gormley's 'bodyforms'. On a rock at the water's edge stands a mysterious, lonesome figure, gazing toward the horizon. The invitation to exhibit his work in a place where no artist has set foot for thousands of years was both "an amazing privilege and extraordinary responsibility", "It's been a huge challenge but what a place to think about the human project," he says.

For Dr Athanasoulis, only time will tell whether the experiment has worked. "It's only natural that some won't like what they see in Sight," he quips. "It will end in October, and only then will we really know how successful this has been."

 

To read this article in full, please visit: The Guardian

Image Credit: The Guardian

The sustainable alternative to single use plastic straws is called ‘staramaki’ a name that derives from the Greek word for straw, ‘kalamaki,’ and the Greek word for wheat, ‘stari.’ Made from the long shafts of wheat, which are normally discarded, the ‘staramaki’ is an all-natural solution to the problem of plastic waste.

“The staramaki will be launched in July and we will ask the cafeterias and people that drink coffee to keep the coffee grinds because they have value. If collected properly, they can be transformed to something else; the aim is to have an exchange operation,” Kamberis explained.

The ‘staramaki’ initiative also aims to revive the economy of the Kilkis area, which has suffered due to the wheat monoculture, and create job opportunities that will keep the younger population in Kilkis.

 

 

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Online Purchase: www.greekfestival.gr & www.ticketmaster.gr

For groups (20+ persons): 210 3222720 & tickets@greekfestival.gr

For persons with disabilities: 210 3221897 & tameia@greekfestival.gr

Athens & Epidaurus Festival Box Offices:
Panepistimiou 39 (Stoa Pesmazoglou) Monday to Friday 10:00-16:00, Saturday 10:00-15:00

Odeon of Herodes Atticus: Monday to Sunday 10:00-14:00 & 18:00-21:00 on performance days

Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus: Monday to Thursday 10:00-13:00 & Friday to Saturday 10:30-21:30

 

For more information about this year's events, please visit: Athens & Epidaurus Festival

XpatAthens is proud to be a Non-Profit Sponsor of FokiaNou Art Space

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Kappatos Gallery was founded in 1991 by Gerasimos Kappatos. The gallery is actively committed to the research, development, and presentation of influential contemporary art exhibitions. Kappatos gallery is best known for its critical contribution to contemporary art in Greece and has presented innovative art events in public venues and international art fairs.
 
The gallery aims to introduce to the Greek public acclaimed international artists such as: Marina Abramovic, Lynda Benglis, Louise Bourgeois, Phil Collins, Martin Creed, Nasos Daphnis, Jan Dibbets, Rebecca Horn, Roni Horn, William Kentridge, Kai Schiemenz, Santiago Sierra, Penny Siopis, Theodoros Stamos.
 
Furthermore, Kappatos gallery is committed to the promotion of emerging artists. The gallery organises and curates the historic annual exhibition, entitled “Rooms,” in collaboration with established curators and art-historians, that aims to present talented emerging artists that haven’t yet presented their work at solo exhibitions.
 
The gallery is located at the historic centre of Athens (560m² venue) and has launched the first official Art Residency supported by a European fund (NFRS) and the programme Publicscapes: Art and Curatorial Practice in the Public Sphere. The residency aims to promote international exchange of practice and knowledge in the arts (visual and sound art, architecture, performance) and to investigate points of intersection between the arts and the public sphere by means of public interventions and educational programmes.

Combating visual vandalism has always been a priority for our administration,” stated the Mayor of Athens Giorgos Kaminis. “In this context, 8,300 square meters of facades, some of which are architectural treasures of the city, have already been cleaned from tags and illegal posters in the context of the Commercial Triangle project, and covered with anti-tagging special protection material to ensure that with a little maintenance they will remain clean.”

Furthermore, more than 100 of the city’s outdoor telephone line distribution boxes will be converted into works of art by various Greek artists! Devoid of the unnecessary visual pollution, the city will reclaim some of its lost charm!

To read this article in full, please visit: Athens Partnership