OPEN GROUNDS”
11 artistic interventions in the city of Aegina
10-26 of September 2010

From the 10th till the 26th of September, the city of Aegina welcomes the artistic interventions of 11 acclaimed Greek artists, by presenting the outdoors a...rt exhibition “Open Grounds”. The artists who participate in the exhibition are Nikos Alexiou, Costas Varotsos, Giorgos Gyparakis, Venia Dimitrakopoulou, Philippos Kappa, Nikos Kaskouras, Yiannis Bouteas, Zafos Xagoraris, Leda Papaconstantinou, Danae Stratou and George Chadjimichalis in collaboration with Panayiotis Marinis. The exhibition is curated by the art historian Charis Kanellopoulou.

Point of reference for the exhibition is the island of Aegina through the traces of its historical past, its local characteristics and its contemporary view. Walking in the city, the artists have chosen small squares, open spaces, narrow streets, places of commerce, yards of historic buildings to present artworks and in situ installations that draw inspiration from traditions and reminiscences of the island or generate new images and emotions at familiar places.

Among the “open grounds” of the exhibition is the Fishmarket, where Danae Stratou presents photographs from markets of the world; or the archaelogical site of Aphaia temple where Zafos Xagoraris brings into “discourse” images from the temple at Aegina and the sculptures of its pediments at Munich Glyptothek Museum, through a symbolic artistic action.
By “entering” in the map of Aegina, all artistic interventions attempt to change the everyday scenery of the island and arouse the interest of the watchful “viewer” or the hasty passer-by.