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The 6th Athens Biennale ANTI presents its first work in urban space.
For six days, from September 17 to 22, 2018 a mobile cool shelter invites Athenians at different hot locations in the city of Athens. The Microclimatic Heat Shelter is the art installation built by The Laboratory for Microclimates, an initiative of the artists Annechien Meier and Gert-Jan Gerlach from Holland.
Since 2017, the two artists started researching the effects of climate change in Athens by looking into aspects such as temperature, wind, water, vegetation, social and urban structures. Through various meetings, they gathered information on the current climatic situation in Athens. According to Botanist Dionisis Mermigas of the Goulandris Natural History Museum, certain species of local plants most likely will have disappeared by 2050 due to climate change, but also that, next to rising temperatures, the number of extreme warm days will increase. Dr. Dimitra Founda, Senior Researcher at the National Observatory of Athens, underlined that due to the effects of climate change the city of Athens is suffering increasingly from heat waves in the summer season.
In order to address the "Athenian condition" the two artists came up with the idea to build a general mobile shelter for all the citizens of Athens to provide a cool microclimate during these heat waves, which can be transported to and displayed at different hot locations in the city.
The "Microclimatic Heat Shelter" will also function as a social microclimate where people can meet up, relax and inspire each other to change their personal environment into a more pleasant and climate proof environment. The aim of the installation is to inspire people to take action in order to reduce the effects of climate change, awareness of food by changing their own personal environment.
Where and when
The Microclimatic Heat Shelter awaits you from midday (12pm) until afternoon (6pm) at the following locations:
- Monday, September 17 at Akadimias Street (bus stops)
- Wednesday, September 19 at Kypseli Square
- Thursday, September 20 at Kotzia Square
- Friday, September 21 at the beginning of Dionysiou Areopagitou pedestrian Street (Melina Merkouri statue)
- Saturday, September 22 at Agion Asomaton square
With the support of the City of Athens.
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