wheninlondontown:

Dimitri Presents,

Mark Tichner - Improving the world means improving me. I want a better world, I want a better me.

There you go, 16 words for salvation.

It is that simple….

Too bad minimalism is so complicated…

Dimitri Presents,

a factory in the outskirts of  Athens. Far from the doom and gloom that has overcome the centre of our exhausted little village, continues a five year long private initiative named TIO ILAR.  A threefold project where artist, organizers (Elgeka SA) and the Cerebral Palsy of Greece come together in a low key but high end exhibition, amidst tin cans of long life milk and packs of chips (which, just to be “contemporarily” clear are neither art nor treats, simply reality…).

“the next interesting idea is a wish for the conveyance of the choice of respect and social contribution” says Alexandros Katsiotis on behalf of the organisers.

I visited the exhibition on literally its final hour and was overcome by a sense of promise, promise that there still exist a people who push forward and do so in a non provocative way.

The art presented was strong enough that there was no need for any poncy packaging of attitude. International, distinguished artists and Greek newcomers –with an emphasis on the latter- although having no common thread binding them, formed a cohesive ensemble, which interacted evocatively with its surroundings.

From an artist inspired by his accident and prolonged stay at the hospital –Atinidis Ioannis-  to a mother –Morin Sarah- who can no longer elaborate with colour as priorities (a.k.a. children) have changed, the vast depot was house to a plethora of emotions, techniques and media (working on wood seems to be very happening huh?…).

Thomas Staridas made me linger with his abstract oils (oil and pyrography on wood)

and I felt that the most intense dialogue with its surroundings was brought by the mixed technique sculptures of Diakoumis Stavros.

Kraniotis Christoforos, plastic acrylic spray on wood.

Beroutsos Athanasios, wire installation.

Of course, I cannot help but mention Katerina Drakopoulou. Her screaming with emotion photographs entitled “Agora” are so simple, so direct, so sweetly depressing, so disturbingly familiar. Katerina, one of the Eternal Optimists’ collaborators, deals with themes of life and death, existence and sub-existence and her work felt perfectly in synch with the vibe hovering around Athens. An indistinct sense of sorrow, fear and disappointment for “all the good times we lost having good times”….pushing, urging for this bloody long awaited action of thought.  

I wonder if we keep thinking, will we be glad to be where we are?

And if, as so many claim, we are indeed “parts” of a “whole” shouldn’t we retain our unique distinctiveness that will allow us to be “parts” and not just one “whole”?

Dimitri Presents,

Lee Burton’s first video clip.

Direction-Editing by ZanTot

Concept - Creative direction by Dimitri Presents

Dimitri Presents,

Do Ho Suh: Bridging Home

image via: designboom.com

Open yourself to the mistake of life.

Dimitri Presents,

the hottest band of 2015!

‘Cat Days’ using

George Bataille’s,  ’THE DEAD MAN’

for inspiration

Dimitri Presents,

Meaningful Design for Amnesty International by Maarten Baas.

Photo: Frank Tielemans

Dimitri Presents,

h220430 from Japan (or is it Heisei…?)

All photos: ikunori Yamamoto