An ambitious, difficult project, with the title “Living Athens”, was completed successfully. 9th International Festival of Digital Arts and New Media, Athens Video Art Festival, has come to an end.
For three days (7th, 8th & 9th of June), in five spots of historic center of Athens, technology met art and the city transformed into a prototype mosaic of expression. A celebration of artistic expression through new capacities of technology starring more than 350 artists, who were chosen among 1.500 applies, from 58 countries.
Under the motto “Living Athens” and motivated by their love for art, more than 18.000 citizens visited Festival’s spots and browsed into focal, but also scorned, areas of the Historic Center. The purpose was the contribution to the aesthetic revitalization and the suburban improvement of the city.
This year’s event, with free admission for the audience, hosted exhibitions, screenings, workshops and live acts in public and private, indoors and outdoors, living and abandoned spaces.
With everyday video art screenings and a digital image exhibition at CAMP! on Kotzia Square, spectacular installations at the Estia Emporon of Samourka Foundation on Theater Square, educational workshops and academic presentations at Booze Cooperativa on Agia Eirini Square, the Festival satisfied even the most demanding audience. At the same time, open air video art and animation projections were held on Miltiadou and Skouze street.
In Bios Romantso, on Anaxagora street, screenings, music acts and performances were held, with artists such as Slugabed, Ital Tek, Stereo Nova, Giorgos Grigorakos and Sancho 003 as well as dj sets by Rotation and En Leyko producers. Meanwhile, Bios Romantso hosted extensive tributes to some of the most important and renowned festivals of the world as One dot Zero, Ars Electronica, Oodaq, View Fest and Streaming Festival.
Athens Video Art Festival 2013 included 3 symbolic actions of artistic interference at the civil area, under the spirit of the motto “Living Athens”. Particularly, with volunteers and artists’ participation, Historic Center’s streets were reconstructed, while street art decorated 15 stores.
Being a constant reminder of the upgrade resulting from the voluntary and creative activity of both the current situation dictates, we offered projects that enrich our senses color our lives and by extension our lives. The integration of planning the event held by a large mural that adorns most central building in the historical center of Athens.
The mural on Aghion Asomaton Street (JASON INN HOTEL) was created with the aim to motivate our perception as well as renew part of the Historic Center of Athens. Visual artist, Manolis Anastasakos by creating the artwork entitled «Some color for our city» is interested in triggering viewers and their critical thinking. This time he targets nature implying as tons of ink are wasted on sociopolitical events it would be good to shed a little color in the name of nature.
The artwork consists of a grey non-shaped environment that is colored highlighting the nature hidden in it. Each viewer is invited, through a dialogue with the artwork, to paint his/her own inner natural standard because nature, although forgotten, was, is and will always be the most hearten and the wisest teacher.
Supporter of the activity was the Athens – Attica & Argosaronic Hotel Association, which supported for the third consecutive year, Athens Video Art Festival in its action to ameliorate the living conditions in the city for citizens and visitors, and the restoration of the image of Athens at eyes of the international public opinion. Events, activities and festivals such as Athens Video Art Festival helps the city to participate dynamically with a modern and enhanced value proposition of international stature.
The hotel – member of the Association Jason Inn on the other side “gave art wall” demonstrating in practice the active participation in the implementation of alternative ideas that serve to upgrade a neighborhood in a way unique and original.
