Eleusis 2021 organised a large-scale performance in the public space with the participation of children of Eleusis and other organisations, in order to celebrate the 1-year anniversary of being designated the European Capital of Culture.
The event was representative of our artistic programme’s philosophy, which seeks to link art with everyday life, through involving all citizens. More than 300 children and600 adults participated in the show, experiencing the artwork of major contemporary artists such as Danae Stratou and Dimitris Desyllas. “365 days after, 1147 days to go” for the journey to EUphoria.
Children aged 8-12, gathered by early Saturday afternoon in the heart of the city, at Iroon Square, which was especially designed for the event. Separated in groups, they took in their hands their small illuminated vessels (copies of those found at Danae Stratou’s large-scale installation in Eleourgio), most of them made by the city’s old generations. They drew and wrote down their own messages about uprooting, refugees, searching for a new homeland, and then, they lightened them up.
A bit later, children with natural music instruments, that ‘activated’ the city with the timeless music timbres of Iannis Xenakis, formed a procession. The procession with the illuminated vessels and the natural sounds crossed Nikolaidou street, the street that leads to the city’s beach. The procession mixed with the citizens of Eleusis, who came into direct contact with the performance; a unique experiential event in which they participated as a ‘natural’ audience.
The children’s procession headed towards Eleourgio. The children, through crossing Danae Stratou’s installation in an interactive mode, had a unique dialogue with the artwork. The procession completed in Eleourgio and then, headed towards Eleusis beach. There, a boy and a girl entered the sea and left the first two illuminated vessels drawn with their messages travel into the Mediterranean, followed by the rest of the children. The illuminated vessels began their journey by conveying the children’s messages, and at the same time, another group of children was sending its unique sound messages.
Credits
Idea-Concept: Kelly Diapouli
Space design: George Alexandrou
Music concept-teaching: Dimitris Desyllas
Music assistants: Semeli Margariti, Aristides Lykos-Desyllas
Construction of illuminated vessels: Art Colour
Movement: Zeta Valavani
Design and Implementation of the experiential workshop “I Find My Home”: Very Young Contemporary Art
Production Management: Angeliki Lampiri
