Press Release

Athens, March 10, 2017

Latent Community / NEROMMANA

The Athens Biennale presents Latent Community / NEROMMANA
a visual arts research project by Jonian Bisai and Sotiris Tsiganos,
at the Varvakeios venue, on 19 March 2017.

Jonian Bisai & Sotiris Tsiganos, Latent Community / NEROMANNA, 2017, © Jonian Bisai

Latent Community investigates the concept of the "latent community" as a social condition, produced through a range of possible circumstances such as dislocation, dispossession, atypical organisational systems or a state of concealment through choice or necessity.

The topical basis of Latent Community / NEROMANNA is the story of the village Kallio in Fokida that was expropriated in 1969 and covered in 1981 by the waters of the artificial lake of the Mornos dam, in order to supply water for the city of Athens; since then this lake has been the main source of water of the Greek capital. As a result, the village community was dissolved and relocated elsewhere.

The aim of the project is to present the history of Kallio and to briefly reconstitute its lost community, through a combination of relational aesthetics with the archival practice.

The square opposite Varvakeios Market will temporarily take the name of the village, by installing the "Kallio" sign to designate a new space where a public gathering will be summoned, a feast whose guests will include the members of the lost community, creating a relational environment of narratives and stories, based on the community's experiences. A public archive with documents and records, much of which has been provided by the village residents themselves, will also be presented.

By attempting to re-inhabit the drowned village at a new location, the project is proffered as a potentially ideal place wherein to practice the social rituals of the community, while also seeking opportunities for a critical confrontation with contemporary social history.

This project is organised in collaboration with the Athens Biennale.

General Information:

Sunday, March 19 | 13:00 - 18:00

Venue:

Varvakeios venue | Athinas str. - opposite of Varvakeios Market