Elefsina enters its new era with a time horizon of 2023, presents its new vision, and for the first time opens its doors to independent artists, through an international open call.
On Monday, February 1st, the 2023 ELEVSIS ECoC held a Press Conference, broadcasted live from the Elefsina Labor and Employment Center. During the Press Conference, it was officially announced that the city of Elefsina will host the title of European Capital of Culture (ECoC) in 2023, presenting its new visual identity and the new vision of the Company. Also, for the first time, 2023 ELEVSIS opens its gates to the global art space through an international open call for independent artists and artistic groups, institutions and organizations from Greece and abroad.
Under the general title “2023 ELEVSIS – Mysteries Of Transition”, the ECoC begins its new course towards 2023. The new General Artistic Director, Michail Marmarinos, presented the axes on which the new artistic program is built. Drawing inspiration from the rich history of the city, 2023 ELEVSIS aims to form a comprehensive artistic, research and educational program, under the title “MYSTERIES of TRANSITION”, which focuses on four strategic objectives: Culture, People, City and Environment. Respectively distinct and interconnected, the three main themes of its program are formed: People/ Society, Environment and Work, reflecting the unique characteristics of the city and the modern challenges, which both Elefsina and Europe are facing.
Michail Marmarinos, who presented the new vision of the 2023 ELEVSIS European Capital of Culture, said that the change in the spelling of the company name is based on a dominant type of writing, where the Latin U is replaced by the ancient Latin V, the inverted Greek L (Λ). In this way, the coexistence of the Upper and the Underworld is recalled, which was a key feature of Elefsinian mythology. Eliminating all possible difficulties and confusions in pronunciation, the choice of V creates a global and indisputable sound identity of Elefsis, strengthening its international character, which is one of the main goals of the European Capital of Culture. Besides, V, which was the main writing almost until the 14th century before the appearance of U, was used frequently in the place of Y in ancient and modern inscriptions. Finally, the choice to put the date before the name wants to emphasize the momentousness of the event. Through the definition of when in history, an attempt is made to engrave historically the time where the remarkable event took place (2023 AD), followed, of course, by where it happened, which “seals” critically the time: 2023 ELEVSIS.
Moreover, Michail Marmarinos announced for the first time an international open call to independent artists, artistic groups, institutions and organizations from Greece and abroad, to submit proposals for new projects and actions that will take place in 2022 and 2023, which will shape the final artistic program of 2023 ELEVSIS. The submission of proposals for the interested parties starts on February 11 and ends on March 31, 2021. More information here: https://bit.ly/3rdGpgV.
NEA VISUAL IDENTITY
The new visual identity of 2023 ELEVSIS was inspired by the mixture of the contrasts of Elefsis, which runs through the history of the city. From antiquity until today, Elefsis has never stopped evolving, becoming a place of new ideas, where different cultures coexisted. All these concepts are reflected in ‘Iera Odos’ (‘Sacred Way’), the route that started from Athens and ended at the Demeter temple in Elefsina. This route signals the transition, the arrival, the emergence, the realization, the birth, the awakening, the coming and it becomes the inspiration and the symbol of “2023 Elevsis” identity. Finally, special mention is made of the choice of red as the color of fire, chimneys, blood, labor movements, rebirth through the coming of Persephone and the power of its people. The design was undertaken by MNP (mnpdesign.gr).
The press conference was attended by the Mayor of Elefsina, Argyris Oikonomou, the Chairman of the Board of ECoC, Despina Geroulanou, the CEO of ECoC, Maria Panagidou and the General Artistic Director, Michail Marmarinos. The Minister of Culture & Sports, Lina Mendoni, the Deputy Minister for Issues of Contemporary Culture, Nikolas Giatromanolakis, the Regional Governor of Attica, George Patoulis, and the representative of the European Commission, Sigbjørn Sandberg addressed a greeting through zoom. The event was moderated by journalist Manolis Spinthourakis.
