SNAPSHOTS:Urban Mythology

As the curators of the exhibition “Urban Mythology”,  Bia Papadopoulou and Artemis Potamianou say: “In its different definitions, either as the set of myths and traditions of a group of people, or as the science that examines the myths (their origin, evolution and interpretation), mythology has been associated with concepts such as collective memory, the non-linear creative process, subconscious desires called upon to conform to established and acceptable patterns of human behaviour, the ‘irrational’ lie (one not governed by reason) that persists, recurs and serves to make sense of the present, describe the past, determine the future. In this way, mythology acquires functional value, clearly differentiated from the values of the imagination and dream, since it shapes, and is shaped by, the collective consciousness, liberally embellishing and reinforcing the sense of a common identity and the sense of self. At the same time, it establishes patterns which, not only different generations of the same culture but also different cultures are expected to follow, as variations of similar myths exist in different cultures and places. Myth thus performs a special role in promoting the cohesion, preservation and self-definition of social structures – even if they constitute a ‘disease of language’, according to Max Müller, a linguistic deviation whereby a word shifts from naming or signifying a characteristic property to becoming a more substantial entity. This is readily understood in Greek: The original meaning of the word mythos itself was word, discourse in Homer; in Pindar and Herodotus it took on the meaning of fairy tale, narrative and in Aristotle came to signify the plot of a tragedy. In the exhibition “Urban Mythology” 10 artists are invited to create 9 ephemeral works in a public urban space of Athens. In dialogue with Iera Odos –where in antiquity the Eleusinian procession took place– and the neighbouring areas of Kerameikos and Votanikos, once full of significant monuments, graves, sanctuaries and temples lies the site of this endeavour. The charged topos, rich in myths and archaeological vestiges, today composes a lively multinational mosaic, full of antitheses. The original urban interventions of the artists –with their ephemeral and fragile character– function here like contemporary “anti-monuments.” The works question traditional conventions, defy established situations, activate the local community and aspire to awaken passers-by. They address scorching social and political issues while exploring alternative, spontaneous forms of communication. Finally, they form artistic narrations, entangling different times and proposing new mythologies”.

Participating artists: Yiannis Grigoriadis, Eleni Exarchou, Yannis Ziogas, the collective mokotomoro (Lina Theodorou and Ioannis Savvidis), Emilia Bouriti, Eleni Tzirtzilaki, Giorgos Papadatos, Artemis Potamianou, Dionisis Christofilogiannis.

Info: Organizing team: Constantinos Constantinidis, Artemis Potamianou, Delia Potamianou and Bia Papadopoulou, Curators: Bia Papadopoulou and Artemis Potamianou, Duration:19/9-3/10/2021, www.lab4arts.eu