Description: As part of the exhibition "As One" organised by NEON and the Marina Abramovic Institute during the months of March and April in 2016, participating artist PASHIAS presented the lecture "NOW, Performance Art in Greece - from the Mythical to the Political", as an attempt to approach the Greek contemporary art scene through the art of performance and its evolvement from the time of antiquity. Noting the extensive 'wealth' of anthropocentric images, actions, objects, narratives and devices embedded in Greek mythology, still in function within the artists’ vocabulary, a contemporary artist seems to be present at the creation of a 'second' contemporary Greek myth - the myth of 'crisis' - carrying the expectation of producing an output that stands as a statement of 'downfall' or struggle. Similarly in performance art, observed as a 'mythical' and contemporary art practice, in a converging point of the here and now dimensions, PASHIAS attempts to engage with what could be considered as political action through 'doubt' and 'honesty' in terms of intention, allowing for a common ground of difference – in which 'wealth' and 'poverty' converge. Through the lecture’s duration, PASHIAS introduces the work of established Greek artists, such as Chondros & Katsiani, and emerging cultural practitioners, alongside his own artistic work, in order to illustrate the dynamics of sociocultural relations described within his presented arguments and conversations with audience members.

NOW, Performance Art in Greece - from the 'Mythical' to the 'Political'

Lecture for the exhibition "As One" curated by Marina Abramovic, Serge Le Borgne + Paula Garcia / Benaki Museum / Athens - GR / April - 2016

Organisation: NEON, Marina Abramovic Institute

Photo: Kouros (from series "Training for performance") by PASHIAS