(IN)TANGIBLE HERITAGE(S)
Abstract
Athens is an expanding multicultural metropolis with a glorious past, a tumultuous present and an open-ended future. On the one hand, the city boasts a plethora of material traces of the past. On the other, Athens has been heralded as the “European capital of graffiti”. Its public space, landmarks, antiquities and private property are dotted with an immense bulk of graffiti, especially tagging. An undeclared war is raging, polarizing academic discourse as well. Particularly in the historic city center, there is always a mutuality between power and resistance (Joyce, 2010: 224), which finds an expression in the practice of graffiti in the public sphere. The authors formed Art, Graffiti in the City Research Team that is committed to critically explore under a multidisciplinary lens the duality or multiplicity of Athens’ heritages. Graffiti, tagging and street art are indispensable components of the city’s (in)tangible heritage(s) the documentation and study of which will be attempted by an application (app.). This is an innovative concept, unique in its kind in Greece. Upon subscription, the user is given access to downloading and uploading photos and videos as well as permission to add comments, and to access succinct information about the preserved monuments, landmarks, public art and antiquities (“before and now” status) found in Athens historic center in relation to graffiti, especially tagging and street art, on and around them. This data is also collected and processed by the project coordinators and associated specialists to draw useful conclusions regarding viewer experience, socio- economical, public health and aesthetics issues which emanate from the impact of different types of graffiti interventions on the aforementioned art works and edifices. The app. will be focusing primarily on the historic center of Athens with a view to its further expansion at other cities’ historic centers in Greece and abroad.
Kalliopi Koundouri holds a first degree in Archaeology and History of Art from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, a M.Phil. in History of Art, awarded by the University of Glasgow, and a Ph.D., also in the History of Art, from the University of the Aegean. Her doctorate thesis examined aspects of the work of Mark Rothko. She specializes in modern and contemporary art. She was the joint recipient of the prestigious CHART AWARD for the best postgraduate essay in art and technology from Birkbeck College, University of London. Ms. Koundouri has served as special scientific associate, curator and coordinator of events at the Museum of Modern Greek Art of the Municipality of Rhodes and member of the Board of the Prefectural Committee for Culture and Education. She was also the editor/ co-editor of two art magazines, Artzine and The Look. Ms. Koundouri has written or co-authored books, art catalogues and articles, including a cultural guide of the Dodecanese. Her current research involves around tagging in Athens and issues of public space. She is an adjunct faculty member and teaches in the General Education program at Hellenic American College/Hellenic American University.
9:00 am - 10:30 am
Friday 17th June, 2022