press release for maria Papacharalambous at MMCA

Maria_Papacharalambous

Maria Papacharalambous - “Here & Now – Happiness” Workshop of productive ideas and practical applications for finding happiness Opening: Saturday 18 December, 2010, 13.00 Maria Papacharalambous is the first artist that will participate in Project Space of the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art, in the framework of which she will mount a workshop for productive ideas and practical applications for finding happiness. It has to do with an exploration for the discovery of the basic pillars that support, preserve, or even challenge what we all desire: happiness. An ideological opening that aspires to more substantial and anthropocentric approaches. The new does not constitute an end in itself, but, on the contrary, a focus on mechanisms of escape from the contemporary dark ages of our everyday lives. New combinations of existent knowledge and experience can lead to new sociopolitical practices. A game of subversion not only of the sense of the gallery, but also of art itself with regard to its aims and objectives. According to the artist, the project is “a journey embarked upon in order to seek the meaning of my own existence and self-realization (with accordance to Maslow's hierarchy of needs) through art and the glossary that I have developed during all these years. […] We are always part of a result, but holding a conscious and impulsive stance before this approach sets a new landscape, a new view that can be defined as art, or maybe as 21st century art. Where the sciences for once more meet the arts, philosophy, and poetry”. This alchemical workshop of ideas, images, and sensations looks forward to causing encounters (either physical, by distance, or virtual) with philosophers, psychologists, theorists, scientists, historians, art critics, artists, poets, radio producers and the public in general, with the aim of approximating the meaning of happiness through modern positions or even acrobatics. Might art be superfluous in a happy environment? The environment/installation takes the shape of a non-space where the idea of a traditional coffee shop, of a refuge of the soul and the body, as well as of a park of free expression peacefully coexist. The artist will present a variety of her works, as well as photographs, poems, maxims, books, music, and whatever makes up her artistic and philosophical world during this period of her life At the same time, she invites professionals from various areas of interest (composers, actors, poets, and writers, among others) in order to initiate, with the aid of impromptu elaborations and positions, conversations with reference to the search for happiness. In the meantime, visitors will be able to leave behind their own thoughts in the form of a text or in any other way they deem appropriate. The project is in perpetual progress. In Cyprus, it started with the title “Here & There”, where it was presented as a trilogy at APOTHEKE Contemporary Arts, at the ARTos Foundation, and at Argo Gallery. Before it finds its place at the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art, it will be presented at the Cairo Biennale and, after that, at [m]ARTos in Madrid. It will be accompanied by a bilingual, colored catalog of 128 pages. Events and performances during the opening: “Happiness Runs” Giannis Kosmidis (Verbal Delirium) presents his compositions for piano and vocals, while Antonis Boskoitis reads his texts on happiness, in a joint, specially conceived performance. “Here & Now. Happiness” Performance by Maria Papacharalambous “I got lost in the way; please let me stay the night” Workshop-discussion with art historian, curator Thalea Stefanidou and young artists / students of the Fine Arts School of Thessaloniki. Schedule of events*: Tuesday, 4/01/2011, 16.30 “Blissful” A monologue-improvisation by actress Despina Gatziou, based on 2 texts: the second stasimon of Sophokles’ “Antigone” and an excerpt from Dimitris Hatzis’ short story “The Murder of Isabella Molnar”. “The Sound of Happiness” Maria Papacharalambous and Achilleas Kentonis present video art works, as well as the installation “The Sound of Happiness” – a device that produces a sound vortex, patented by Achilleas Kentonis. The presentation includes conversation with the audience. Saturday, 15/01/2011, 12.00 “First Move” Composer Sakis Papadimitriou and singer Georgia Syllaiou present a specially conceived performance for piano, voice and text. (www.sylleou.gr) Friday, 28/01, 18.00 “The Little Secret of Life” Interactive performance by GAIA (Georgia Velivasaki and Kostas Athiridis), inspired by their new book/cd, a story around man and nature. (www.velivasaki.gr) Other events (the dates will be announced soon) Director and film critic Linos Panagi will present his work “Full Moon”, and will discuss issues around Happiness, setting off from two movies by Mike Leigh (“Happy go lucky”, 2008, and “Naked”, 1993). Composers Andreas Moustoukis and Tasos Stylianou will present a specially composed synthesis for marimba. *Watch this site for further announcements. With the kind support of the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education and Culture of Cyprus MMCA Project Space MACEDONIAN MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART (MMCA) Project Space by ArtBOX.gr Dec 18th >>> Maria Papacharalambous (more) 3D representation by Stergios Galikas (architect) Για κείμενο στα ελληνικά πιέστε εδώ! The Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art’s Project Space is launched in December 2010, under the Artistic Direction of ArtBOX.gr – Christos Savvidis, Lydia Chatziiakovou. The Project Space’s aim is to shed light upon the birth of the idea which leads to the creation of contemporary art. The Project Space becomes a representation of the artist’s studio, not in its scenography (as a visualization of a certain physical reality), but in the metaphorical sense: the birth of inspiration is captured through the artist’s reference material (books, films, music etc.), through conversations with curators and intellectuals or even other artists’ works. The “medium” is anything that can trigger inspiration. Meanwhile the studio’s “exhibitional” section does not necessarily become a standard exhibition, but a documentation of the artist’s work, or even a presentation through other artists’ works, according to the stimulus s/he wants to instigate. The installation and setup of the space is decided in discussion with the artist and in accordance to his/her work. Our ultimate goal is to render the public –specialized or not (art lovers, students, young artists, arts professionals, general public…)– witness or even part of the creative process, which can be interactive and enlightening. The participating artists will be invited according to the nature of their work and their potential to use these special circumstances as a constructive experience for themselves as well as for the audience. Among the first artists to present their work within the Project Space is Cypriot Maria Papacharalambous(in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Culture of Cyprus) and British Mark Titchner (co organization with the British Council), known from his nomination for Turner Prize in 2006. partners: Ministry of Education & Culture of Cyprus