INHABITING THE BAGEION: architecture as critique

An exhibition by a collective of artists / architects / activists that 'inhabits' a beautiful defunct Neo-classical hotel in central Athens.

"INHABITING THE BAGEION: architecture as critique" comes from a collective that emerged from a developing relationship between Irish and Athenian-based artists, architects, urban thinkers and urban activists. We come from multiple fields in the arts but all share an interest in exploring alternative models of teaching, practice, and processes within architecture through exhibition and workshops involving a wider public. The project offers a response to current socio-political issues through architecture - and at the same time - explores the practice of critique itself. This spatial critique argues for alternative modes of knowledge and knowing (embodied, sensory, instinctual, gestural and performative) to enter into the field of critical and sensory discourse, and help shape a more responsive understanding of interpreting experience within a new mode of architectural critique.

The exhibition presents architecture as being part of a social and cultural collective process through a series of curated spaces over four storeys of the defunct hotel: Firstspace present's alternative models of teaching architectural practice as a mechanism of social inclusion and new forms of social engagement. Secondspace presents a series of visual art films by prominent Irish and International artists (Anthony Haughey; Mark Curran; Lina Selander; Harun Farocki; Megs Morley and Tom Flanagan) where architecture appears to carry the burden of historic events in the absence of any human accountability. Thirdspace presents an ongoing ethnographic research project by Eve Olney that focuses on the agency of the architect within a participatory architectural process. The work centres on the relationship between an Activist/Architecture group, Urban React and the original inhabitants of a 1930s refugee housing block in Athens as a means of exploring the cultural value of habitation. Fourthspace is an open creative space of workshops and events led by Irish artist Seamus Nolan collaborating with Irish, Greek and Swiss squatters/activists/ artists/ architects/ musicians that explores Squatting/Occupation as a means of cultural and social production. During the two-week exhibition Nolan and his team will design and produce items of furniture from 'Lists' of requested items from occupations and squats around Athens and attempt to initiate ongoing programmes.

This exhibition is in collaboration with the Athens Biennale.


Exhibition Duration: 14th - 26th October, 2017 | 12:00 - 20:00
Fourthspace Workshops: 15th - 24th October, 2017 | 12:00 - 18:00
Venue: Bageion Hotel | 18 Omonoia Square, Athens

For more information please visit exhibition's facebook page here.

Participants:

Eve Olney (Curator/Ethnographer), Dimitri Panayotopoulos (Urban React), Dobz O'Brien (Curator), Jason O'Shaughnessy (Curator/Architect), Seamus Nolan (Artist), Mark Curran (Artist), Giannis Filippou (Artist), Tom Flanagan (Artist), Anthony Haughey (Artist), Megs Morley (Artist), Zoi Moutsokou (Artist/Architect), Lina Selander (Artist).

MArch Graduates of Cork Centre for Architectural Education (UCC/CIT), Students of BFH Architecture School, Students/Graduates of National Technical University of Athens (NTUA): Vincent Barry, Ciaran Brady, Dimosthenis Choupas, Kieran Cremin, Max De Meester, Maria Ermidou, Olga Ermidou, Eoin French, Christoph N. Fuhrer, Viktor Gekker, Christiana Georgiou, Kalliope Georgiou, Dimitris Hatzidimitriou, Fotoula Hatzidimitriou, Katerina Karatairi, Sarah Kelleher, Sidra Mustaq, Maria Panayotopoulou, Pino + co, Savvas Sarikostas, Sofia (Bebeca) Sarikostas, Stamos Sperdouklis, Nysos Vasilopoulos, Kostas Vourekas, Rachel Warriner.