Back to Athens 8 International Art Meeting 2021 | Profiles of the Future - An inquiry into the limits of the possible:
the art community responds to a post pandemic conditions that have developed during the 12-month period of ambiguity.
"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 realised 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)
Back to Athens 8 | 2021 International Art Festival entitled "Profiles of the Future: An inquiry into the limits of the possible" borrows from the homonymous title of Sir Arthur Clarke's book, 1962), so as to manifest 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. Back to Athens 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. 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.
From 2012-2014, Back to Athens has been active in the wider area of Kotzia Square in Athens, from 2016-2017, at the historic square of the Exarchia district, in 2018 at the Athens Commercial Triangle, and 2021 and 2022 at the emblematic “Isaiah” Mansion in Patission.
Curated by:Georg Georgakopoulos, Fotini Kapiris, Christian Rupp
Organised by: APART Art Research and Applications Participating Organisations: Coordinated by CHEAPART, Auspices of the City of Athens, kind Support of the Austrian Embassy in Athens and the Ministry of Culture of Austria, ZOIA, and participation of the Athens Intersection Cultural Program and Offspring Young Artists Program.
"Elephant in the Room" Curated by: Georg Georgakopoulos. Artists: Spyros Aggelopoulos, Dimitris Antonitsis, Kostas Bassanos, Babis Karalis, Ioanna Lin, Maro Michalakakos, Maria Papadimitriou, Nikos Papadimitriou/ Kostas Tsolis, Kostis Velonis, Theodoros Zafeiropoulos.
"per austria ad aspera" Curated by: Christian Rupp. Artists: Olga Georgieva, Robert Gschwantner, Claudia Mongini, Julian Palacz, karin maria pfeifer, Christian Rupp, Sula Zimmerberger.