the archive: Utopia Project 2006-2010, opening November 18, 2010 – Athens
The
Athens School of Fine Arts
presents the archive:
UTOPIA PROJECT 2006-2010
at the:
Institute of Contemporary Greek Art
opening: Thursday 18 November 2010, after 19:00
from 18 November 2010 – 29 January 2011
organized by Vassilis Vlastaras, visual artist and lecturer at ASFA, Maria Glyka, artist, Katerina Gkoutziouli, art critic and curator
Utopia as a term in everyday language is associated with the ideal, the unattainable, the impossible and allows for many and often contradictory interpretations. Utopias are the places of dreams and hope for a better life giving way out of the incomplete reality. In certain cases, utopias react against the scientific or biological laws, involving the metaphysics and sometimes they are ephemeral shelters, which do not pose particular socio-political questions; though their creation is usually based on the intention to criticize the established institutions and the structure of the present society. A concept which is associated with the ideal and desire and paradoxically, it sometimes allows for derogatory characterizations due to its distance from reality and sometimes for acclaimed interpretations due to its idealistic dimension and its creative effect on human history.
Utopia is a concept that fascinates artists as a free expression of the ideal and desire. Art, via utopia, is released by the confines of reality and finds its way to the expression of its visions.
On the occasion of this relation, the workshop which has been organized by the Athens School of Fine Art since 2006 under the coordination of Vassilis Vlastaras, visual artist and lecturer at ASFA and artist Maria Glyka, in collaboration with artist Gary Woodley, lecturer at the Slade School of Fine Art and artist Klaas Hoek, lecturer at Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht, deals with the prolific and much discussed concept of Utopia.
Utopia Project is a workshop that started out in the summer of 2006 in the ASFA Annex in Rethymno under the title Utopia as an Island, prompting the participants to an initial quest about the origin of the term “utopia” and its social and political connotations. Next was the project Utopia and Violence in July 2007, exploring unsuccessful attempts, among others, of utopian forms that led to possible Dystopias. A web of artists, scientists and theorists soon began to take shape that through the diverse concept of Utopia they would explore shared concerns. In 2008, on the occasion of the anniversary of May 68, the concept of Utopia was explored under the general title Utopia and Praxis: May 68- May 08, revisiting the shift in values through the idealistic aspect of the events. In the summer of 2009, the workshop was entitled Utopia and Youth in response to the riots of December 08 in Athens. In July 2010, a year of heated international debate on the role of man upon nature, Utopia Project, entitled Utopia and Nature, analyzes philosophical, historical and artistic matters.
Utopia Project is a workshop that researches methods and tactics asking from the participants to collect or archive material and reconsider it, as well as to think about alternative ways of presentation and integration of this material in their creative language. Presentations, lectures, screenings, performances and discussions run parallel to the workshop with notable guest artists, scientists, writers such as the artists Klaas Hoek, Eddie Farrel, Gary Woodley, Michael Wedgwood, Jim Hobbs, Caroline de Lannoy, Bryan Parson, Natalia Charogianni, the writer Dimitris Dimitriades, Dr. Yannis Stavrakakis, political scientist, Associate Professor of Political Science at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Dr. Fay Zika, Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Theory of Art at the Athens School of Fine Arts, art theorist Katerina Gkoutziouli, Alexandros Kioupkiolis, political scientist, lecturer at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Dr. Dora Giannaki, political scientist and youth expert, Dr. Angeliki Avgitidou, artist and architect, Assistant Professor in the Fine Art Department at the University of Western Macedonia and others.
About 70 artists from Greece, U.S.A., Great Britain, Italy, Iceland, Korea, Japan, China, Denmark, Egypt, Malaysia, Thailand, Portugal, Holland, Belgium, and Zimbabwe have attended the Utopia Project.
The archive: Utopia Project 2006-2010 has a diverse and complex structure. The presentation of this diversity is depicted in three basic ways of expression, that we feel essential and necessary in order to convey the significance and the raison d’être of this venture:
An exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Greek Art (ISET), a bilingual (Greek-English) publication by ASFA and a Table Talk during the course of the exhibition. These initiatives will feature the works of Greek and international artists, artists’ collectives, theorists and scientists who have participated in the Utopia project from 2006 to this day. The schedule of the events is still in development and will be announced soon.
Participants/ Contributors:
Aglae Bassens, Alaena Turner, Alexandra Antonaki, Alexandra Hughes, Alexandros Tsamouris, Alkistis Vereniki Donti, Andreas Mitropoulos, Andreas Vakalios, Angeliki Valvi, Annabel Emson, Aspasia Kristala, Ben Youngman, Brian Chan, Caesar Vrettos, Chrissa Lamprakopoulou, Danae Hatzaki, Daniele Genadry, David Karshmer, David Yu, Ellie Reid, Fotini Kalle, Francesca Anfossi, Giannis Kokkalis, Giannis Papagiannakis, Giorgos Zitis, Helen Dowling, Indiana Audunsdottir, Janne Malmros, Jayne Wilton, Jedsada Tangtrakuwong, Jeffrey Nakamura, Julia Tcharfas, Karem Ibrahim, Katerina Botsari, Kieran Drurry, Kjartan Abel, Kostas Pardalis, Kristbjörg Olsen, Larry Achiampong, Laurien Versteegh, Lay Ngo Koay, Lila Maragoudaki, Maria Chrysochoidou, Maria Filipakopoulou, Maria Georgoula, Melis van de Berg, Michalis Adamis, Panagiotis Tomaras, Patrick Loan, Paulina Michnowska, Rachel Ichniowski, Rob Phillips, Ryan Riddington, Sarah Wilson, Sonia Almeida, Victor Mavedzenge, Woon Jeong, Xanthie Kostorizou, Angeliki Avgitidu, Brian Parsons, Caroline de Lannoy, Eddie Farrell, Fanis Vlastaras, Gary Woodley, Jim Hobbs, Klaas Hoek, Maria Glyka, Michael Wedgwood, Natalia Charogianni, Vassilis Vlastaras, Alexandros Kioupkiolis, Dimitris Dimitriades, Dora Giannaki, Fay Zika, Katerina Gkoutziouli, Yannis Stavrakakis.
Info: Vassilis Vlastaras, 19, Faneromenis, Holargos
Athens, GR, 15561, mob.: 30 6937101463 e-mail: vvlastaras@gmail.com
Contact: maria panagidou artproductions
T: 210 6912331, 210 6913943, F: 210 6980673
e-mail: panayides@ath.forthnet.gr
UTOPIA PROJECT 2006, “UTOPIA & ISLAND”: http://www.islandworkshop.blogspot.com/
UTOPIA PROJECT 2007, “UTOPIA & VIOLENCE”: http://www.utopiaworkshop.blogspot.com/
UTOPIA PROJECT 2008, “UTOPIA & PRAXIS”: http://www.utopiaproject2008.blogspot.com/
UTOPIA PROJECT 2009, “UTOPIA & YOUTH”: http://www.utopiaproject2009.blogspot.com/
UTOPIA PROJECT 2010, “UTOPIA & NATURE”: http://utopiaproject2010.blogspot.com/
