Back to Athens 2021 | Profiles of the Future | An inquiry into the limits of the possible
"The most notable achievements of the last decade may pass unnoticed,
mainly because we focus on those possibilities most unlikely to succeed,
and less on what can be realized in the near future. That which has changed,
was the least expected – and it is without doubt, our perspectives on the future…"
(excerpt from the prologue of Sir Arthur Clarke's book, 1961, Kaktos Publications 1976)
Back to Athens 2021 International Art Festival entitled "Profiles of the Future: An inquiry into the limits of the possible" (borrowed from the homonymous title of Sir Arthur Clarke's book, 1962), manifests the ideas and proposals of the art community in response to a critical 12-month period of ambiguity and conflict, as experienced both individually and collectively. As post-pandemic societies will face the ‘new normal’, it not expected that we will recover to pre-crisis conditions. Though we stand before rapid transformations, little is certain. What will change and to what extent? Certainly, our perspectives on the future. The festival declares the artist as an “wondrous, autonomous machine", privileged to imagine and develop through personal practice and experimentation, the most unordinary and unique artwork that may interpret the present issues and conditions, and share these findings with the public. It is not by chance that Back to Athens emerged at the beginning of the crisis in 2012, providing vital insight on the issues and concerns of the art community, while leaving conclusions to rest on interpretation.
Back to Athens 2021 opens to the art audience from July 1 – 4, at the iconic “Isaiah” Mansion, a historical landmark and listed monument of Athens. 16 curatorial exhibitions and proposals are presented, with the participation of 150+ artists, curators, independent art spaces and initiatives from Greece and abroad. Back to Athens 8 is curated by Georg Georgakopoulos, Fotini Kapiris and Christian Rupp.
Back to Athens 8 International Arts Festival 2021
Isaiah Mansion
65 Patission & Ioulianou, Athens, 104 33
Back to Athens 8 Curatorial team:
Georg Georgakopoulos
Fotini Kapiris
Christian Rupp
Opening day: Thursday, July 1
Duration: July 1 - 4, 2021
Hours: Thursday 1.7, Friday 2.7, 16:00 – 22:00, Saturday 3.7, Sunday 4.7, 12:00 – 22:00
Organised by: APART Art Research and Applications
Auspices of: City of Athens
Support: Austrian Embassy in Athens, Ministry of Culture of Austria
Zoia
Coordinated by: CHEAPART
Participation: Athens Intersection Cultural Program, Offspring Young Artists.
Back to Athens International Arts Festival has been active within the wider area of Kotzia Square in Athens (2012-2014), at the historic square of Exarchia district (2016 – 2017), the Athens Commercial Triangle in 2018, and in 2021 in the emblematic “Isaiah” Mansion in Patission.
The event considers all public health protection measures, in the context of avoiding the spread of coronavirus (Sars-CoV-2).
Back to Athens 8 | 2021 Exhibitions
«Elephant in the Room»
Group exhibition
Curated by: Georg Georgakopoulos
Artists: Spyros Aggelopoulos, Dimitris Antonitsis, Kostis Velonis, Theodoros Zafeiropoulos, Babis Karalis, Ioanna Lin, Maro Michalakakos, Kostas Bassanos, Maria Papadimitriou, Nikos Papadimitriou / Kostas Tsolis
1st, 2nd, 3rd Floor
«per austria ad aspera»
Group exhibition
Curated by: Christian Rupp
Artists: Olga Georgieva, Robert Gschwantner, Claudia Mongini, Julian Palacz, karin maria pfeifer, Christian Rupp, Sula Zimmerberger.
1st Floor
«Utopia - Dystopia - Atopia»
Group exhibition
Curated by: Efi Michalarou
Artists: Christos Athanasiadis, Ada Anastasea, Theodoulos (Gegoriou), Yiannis Theodoropoulos, Dimitris Lempesis, Alexandros Maganiotis, Stella Mourkogianni, Manolis Babousis, Margarita Petrova, Artemis Potamianou, Panagiotis Rappas, Katerina Rimpatsiou, Ifigenia Sdoukou, Fani Sofologi, Theodora Tsiatsiou, Voula Ferentinou, Panos Charalampous, Mantalina Psoma.
1st Floor
«Flight 03-03», Theodoulos
Video projection, part of «Utopia - Dystopia - Atopia»
Curated by: Efi Michalarou
1st Floor
«born with a 'leg up'»
Group exhibition
Curated by: Themis Ragias
Artists: Charalambos Kourkoulis (Photoharrie), Konstantinos Kotsis, Dimitrios Barouchos, Konstantinos Palaiologos, Nikolas Simantirakis, Kostis Fokas.
1st Floor
«CC | Cinematic Cabinets»
Group exhibition
Curated by: Konstantinos Argianas
Artists: Alexis Fidetzis, Panagiotis Lezes, Thanos Makris, Campus Novel, Vangelis Patsialos, Maria Tsagkari, Giorgos Tserionis Vassilis Vlastaras.
1st Floor
"Keep breathing slowly"
Group exhibition
Curated by: Flat 1
Artists: Hannes Glaser, Ewa Kaja, karin maria pfeifer, Lola Pfeifer, Christiane Spatt, Johanna Tatzgern, Sula Zimmerberger.
2nd Floor
«Sleeping Beauties»
Group exhibition
Curated by: Galini Lazani
Artists: Dimitris Foutris, Panagiotis Koulouras, Alkistis Mavrokefalou, Alexia Psaradeli, George Stamatakis, Dimitra Vamiali..
2nd Floor
«Offspring Review [1+1], Sense - in2uition»
Group exhibition
Artists: Eleanna Balesi - Antonis Kapnisis, Dimosthenis Bogiatzis - Danae Tzotzos, Katerina Botsari - Jannis Skatsas, Sotiris Fokeas - Michael Tzetzias, Vasilis Galanis - Μarkellos Kolofotias, Orestis Karalis - Andreas Vembos, Dimitris Kontodimos - Thanos Fountas, Sofia-Rose Kosmidou - Fotis Stathis, Marilena Kranioti - Ioannis Avgoustis, Kostas Lales - Charis Lales, Natalia Manta - Marina Margelou, Kleopatra Tsali - Odysseas Glykas.
2nd Floor
“C'EST TOUT?”
Group exhibition
Curated by: Jordanis Theodoridis, Werner Widmer, widmertheodoridis
Artists: Othmar Eder, Sandra Kühne, Victorine Müller, Elisabeth Nembrini, Ursula Palla, steffenschöni, Nicolas Vionnet, Werner Widmer.
3rd Floor
«In Slit»
Group exhibition
Curated by: Hara Piperidou
Artists: Jacques Duboux, Konstantinos Kotsis, Chrysanthi Koumianaki, Anna Lascari, Andreas Lolis, Yorgos Maraziotis, Irini Miga, Valia Papastamou, Fotini Paplana, Georgia Sagri.
3rd Floor
«Day Wavers»
Group exhibition
Curated by: Dora Vasilakou, Theodora Malamou
Artists: Babak Ahteshamipour, Angelos kyriou, Antonis Larios, Theodora Malamou, Angelos Merges, Melina Mosland, Hannes Schumacher, Myrto Xanthopoulou.
3rd Floor
«City Dwellers»
Group exhibition, Kaktos Project
Curated by: Caroline May
Artists: Dimitra Ioannou, Sotiris Panousakis, Lila Polenaki, Kostis Velonis.
3rd Floor
Independent presentations, Artists and Curators | Back to Athens 2021
"Memory Vessel", Dimitri Yin, Phoenix Athens Gallery and Residency
Sculpture
1st Floor
"Bureaucracy”, Tasos Liakopoulos
Installation
Curated by: Eva Nathena
1st Floor
"SUDDEN WAR 2020", Venia Dimitrakopoulou
Sound - installation
Concept, text, voice: Venia Dimitrakopoulou
Music: Panayotis Kalantzopoulos
1st Floor
“Invisible people”, Vicky Betsou
Video-projection
2nd Floor
"The distance room", Nikos Giavropoulos
Video-installation
2nd Floor
«Natural equivalence», Panos Profitis, Marina Papadaki
Installation
3rd Floor
"Epic
-003-", Paolo Incarnato
Installation
Curated by: Stratis Pantazis
3rd Floor
«Caliban in the Uk», Filippos Tsitsopoulos
Performance & video reaction
3rd Floor
