2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture, in collaboration with Afroditi Liti, presents the sculpture exhibition Proerosia, hosted at the Old Oil Mill Factory of Elefsina, Warehouse 1, from 18 June to 18 June.
The exhibition features a cohesive sculptural ensemble, characterized by diverse thematic choices yet a strong internal coherence. It is a visual allegory inspired by the cosmogonic myth of Demeter and Persephone, focusing on a significant ancient ritual celebration — the Proerosia. The wheat sheaf, a treasured symbol of the Thriasian Field – the granary of ancient Athens – forms the core of the artistic narrative.
Afroditi Liti’s sculptural topography is an ode to the forces of vegetation and the eternal rebirth of nature. It is dedicated to the sacred land of Elefsina, the mythical site where wheat first appeared. Each October, before the ploughing season, the people of Attica would perform rituals with prayers, sacrifices, and offerings from the first harvest, seeking divine favor for a prosperous new crop. This body of work symbolically recounts those sacred acts of devotion to the deities of growth and renewal.
At the heart of the exhibition stands a sculpted bronze sheaf of grain, upheld by a female bronze figure, directly linked to the city of Eleusis and the essence of the Proerosia tradition.
Through sculptural installations situated within the industrial setting — such as a leaf with birds, a mirrored leaf, a female figure with wheat stalks, a peach tree, and two bird-bearing trees, the artist reimagines the organic relationship between sculpture and public space. At the same time, she contributes to the ongoing dialogue between contemporary art and tradition, from which she draws deep inspiration.
Since her early works, Afroditi Liti has consistently turned to the symbolism and allegories of Greek mythology, as well as to depictions of nature’s magical world. Her work continuously explores the symbolism of the life cycle, using clear, recognizable forms that are masterfully highlighted through polished cast bronze, refined gilding, metal, elegant marble, shimmering aluminum, reflective stainless steel, colorful Murano glass tesserae, semi-precious stones, and electric light elements.
Her sculptures, rich in visual power and semantic resonance, emphasize the mystical bond between humans and the natural world, inviting the viewer into a ritual of life’s enduring force.
Afroditi Liti notes:
“The wheat stalks seek to awaken carefree memories of days spent in the countryside, where recollection comes alive before our eyes, reproducing the emotional charge of remembrance. With this idea in mind, their near-naturalistic rendering enlarges and tames them. The works, as if still veiled in the mist of ages, bring the enchantment of the Eleusinian Mysteries into the present.”
