ART ISLANDS: Hydra-Weaving the Future V

The series of the exhibition “Weaving the Future” (2019-ongoing) is a project-work in progress that creates a dialogue between Greek visual artists, aiming to unite women from the past with the future, because the  manual labor of our ancestors, through the gaze and means of  women artists, becomes contemporary art, which touches and cauterizes issues of significant importance (Part I).

Photo: Artists Archive

Τhe place of departure of the exhibition “Weaving the Future” was June 16, 2019 in Athens with the participation of 20 contemporary women artists,  at a time when research on the subject was non-existent, but were very important for the project’s inspirer and curator Efi Michalarou, as she says “When I met and lived every day for 3 months with Janine Antoni at The Factory-Nikos Kessanlis exhibition space of the Athens School of Fine Arts, during the exhibition “Everything That’s Interesting Is New” (20/1-20/4/1996), she was weaving “Slumber” (1994) the blanket of her dreams. Every night she was sleeping inside the exhibition space connected with an  electroencephalogram (EEG) system that recorded her dreams, and during the day she was weaving on her own postmodern loom the blanket she was using at night. That time I promised to myself that I will organize an exhibition with women artists that are using in their practice traditional methods and means of expression (embroidery, weaving, knitting sewing, wool, canvas, yarns, fabrics) in a new way, mutating and  transforming them into contemporary sculptures, paintings and installations”. The circle as well as the searches opened up by the “Weaving the Future” exhibition, was wide… that is why “Weaving the Future”  spread both in Greece and abroad, from “Weaving The Future II” in Larissa Municipal Gallery-G.I. Katsigra Museum (24/6-31/10/2021), then with the Financial Support of the Ministry of Culture & Sports “Weaving The Future III”  traveled in Galeria e Arteve Shkodër (3-27/9/2021) and COD (Center for Openness and Dialogue), Prime Minister’s Office in Tirana (8-31/10/2021) after that “Weaving The Future IV”  was shown in Paris at Maison de la Greece (18-25/3/2022) completing its overseas circle and increasing the female artists from 20 to 50. The project operates and works like a puzzle whose pieces contribute to the creation of the image and the role that women played in history, society and the economy. In Hydra and the Municipal Market where the 5th part of the exhibitions takes place. In “Weaving The Future V” participate 25 contemporary women artists with new and older works, in full dialogue with the space, the place and the history of the island, aiming to examine  the events that have arisen in the last period after the quarantine and confinement, the way they worked by eroding and distorting the human mind and its needs, domestic abuse, gender violence and femicide, which is the major issue of our time in our country, the unfreedom and neoconservatism that came to the forefront and are closely related to the tribute organized by KEDY to women, their roles and multiple dimensions.

Participating Artists: Ada Anastasea, Vicky Betsou, Lamprini Boviatsou, Voula Ferentinou,  Penny Geka, Andromachi Giannopoulou, Katerina Kalitsounaki, Valia Karapidaki, Stavroula Kaziale Maria-Marika Koenig, Katerina Kokkinaki, Marigo Kassi, Maria Lagou, Ioulia Ladogianni, Ioanna Myrka, Margarita Petrova, Vivi Perysinaki, Spiridoula Politi, Artemis Potamianou, Ifigeneia Sdoukou, Maria Stamati, Eleftheria Stoikou, Konstantina Sylikou, Vicky Vasileiou and Grigoria Vryttia

Photo: Vicky Betsou, Silkworm, Cotton Thread, 70 X 300 cm, Courtesy the artist

Info: Curator & Concept: Efi Michalarou, Municipal Market of Hydra, Hydra Island, Greece, Opening: 5/8/2022 20:00, Duration: 5-21/8/2022, Days & Hours: Daily: 11:00-13:00 & 17:00-21:00

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