I justify my existence

"I justify my existence"
Benaki Museum
Athens, 2016
Klitoras
In the workshop of the "AS ONE" program,
Production NEON + MAI.

The art of performance is a key part of modern culture and the Marina Abramovic Institute (MAI) carries the "heritage" of its most important representative, Marina Abramovic. Promoting and highlighting collaborations and young artists. Through the As One program, one of the largest performance programs in Europe, created and implemented by two organizations. The Marina Abramovic Institute (MAI) and the Cultural and Development Organization (NEON), where they share the same vision. To promote the art of performance and to contribute to the acquaintance and education of the widest possible audience, with this form of contemporary art.

Title - I justify my existence, April 5 - 10, 50 hours.

I am very happy that I was chosen to take part in AS ONE. I have been following the work of Marina Abramovich for many years and I love both her and what she taught us through her performances.

The same feelings I feel when I paint with bright colours and even more when I met Marina Abramovich.

The title of my work "I justify my existence", has to do with violent movements and the need for contact with volumes of felled trees, where for 50 hours of loneliness and inner search, time is lost, I sit and look for many things that have no priority.
Loneliness led me to a repetitive process where I transformed and adapted the material. The sounds and movements are repeated in contrast to the dimensions and shapes that were constantly changing.
Loneliness made me multiply the pieces of wood, to have more company? Or was I trying to create reasons because I love them? Am I more attached to the tools I spend a lot of time with and do not want to rust from inertia and moisture?
Some watched the performance for more than 4 consecutive hours. Maybe because at a time when it gives you everything ready, at a time when it takes you further and further away from nature (with its technology), its materials, its calm, I was in a persistent process of physical and not just fatigue.
Maybe they were watching my communication with the tools and hardware. While there was violence, perhaps the viewer was calmed by the rhythmic sound of the process and the smell of the material, which was strong in the museum. Many felt the need for contact with the material and some wanted to get a piece of wood.
A material that is everywhere, did they have to go into the museum to be felt?


Photographs by Natalia Tsoukala and Panos Kokkinias for NEON and MAI

Sources,
NEON website: https://bit.ly/2On5U1a
MAI website: https://bit.ly/3beDXBy
NEON Youtube Channel: https://bit.ly/3bctsib
Source from NEON: https://bit.ly/3bf5BP1 https://bit.ly/2NZsVax https://bit.ly/2PBVOu1
Original video created and post it: https://bit.ly/2NZthOp