Project Info
This short film was created as part of THE RIVER Installation by Christina Nakou, presented in the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki from July 18 to August 31, 2024.
The exhibition was realised under the authority, supervision and archaeological documentation of the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki and it was funded by the 2024 program of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture “All of Greece One Culture” www.allofgreeceoneculture.gr/en
THE RIVER exhibition was supported by the Embassy of Italy in Greece and by the American Academy in Rome.
Concept idea by Christina Nakou
Camera by Evi Loi and Christina Nakou
Edited by Evi Loi
PRESS RELEASE
THE RIVER / VOICING WATER
Christina Nakou / Anna Pangalou
July 18 – August 31, 2024 Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki
Exhibition opening: July 18, 19:30 Performative actions: July 18 & 19, 20:30
The production is part of the 2024 programme of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture “All of Greece, One Culture”.www.allofgreeceoneculture.gr/
The exhibition “THE RIVER / VOICING WATER” is presented at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki and explores the notion of conflict through the art of the mosaic and the transformative power of water.
With Roman antiquity and the Archaeological Museum’s collection of Roman mosaics serving as its springboard, the exhibition attempts to conjoin the two cities – Thessaloniki and Rome – by highlighting the contemporary issue of water sustainability. The concept and outlining of the exhibition were based on research conducted by Christina Nakou at the American Academy of Rome, which revolved around three axes: the natural flow of potable water, the often-unseen networks of aqueducts, and fountains as works of art that convey worship.
The exhibition unfolds in two movements: the visual and sound installation “The River” by Christina Nakou and the performative actions/performances “Voicing Water” by Anna Pangalou.
Coursing through the 21st century, at the onset of a digital and virtual world, the art of the mosaic persistently maps a handmade materiality that borders on human corporeality. The fracturing of marbles for the creation of the handmade mosaic tiles is taking place in a world where humanity still engages in a conversation with the environment in an effort to feel, understand, and appease it. The artist invites the viewers to surrender themselves to the sounds of the river, familiarise themselves with the element of the mosaic, touch it, sense it haptically, observe the routes of water, and attempt to see beyond the visible. In its full spectrum, the work displays the experience of lived time and the multitude of senses that connect us with the natural world and our fellow human beings.
The exhibition design promotes the mobilisation of our senses in the exploration of the work. Seeing, hearing, and touching, as well as activating our kinaesthetic perception and memory, extend an invitation to the visitors to explore more broadly the notion of flow as a constituting ingredient of the cultural process.
The series of performative actions, “Voicing Water” by Anna Pangalou, seeks to endow Water with a Voice. The human voice interacts with the water element in different quantities each time, from a single sip of water to a full immersion within it. It further explores how water transmits sound, how the meaning of words dissolves within it, and how melodic elements are indeed enriched by it.
The two performative actions, especially conceived for the exhibition, insert themselves into a dialogue with “The River” by Christina Nakou and the themes it examines, focusing on understanding the Water’s nature and the aspects of human intellect attributed to it. Ancient pithoi from the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki collection come to the forefront, conversing with the human voice and offering the sound they generate in the end. The elements of Heron’s fountain, Epicurean thought, and Lucretius’ poem “De rerum natura” weave together the mythological narratives of the fountain statues, hydraulic technology and its contribution to the building of musical instruments (ancient Hydraulis) by means of observing the Flow and Pressure of Water, as well as the Collision erupting if this is blocked.
Sound Compositions: Katerina Tzedaki
Field Recordings: Christina Nakou, Anna Pangalou
Lighting Design: Stephanos Droussiotis
Architectural Design of the Exhibition: Konstantinos Daskalakis
THE RIVER short film: Concept idea by Chr. Nakou, Camera by Chri. Nakou and Evi Loi, Editing by Evi LoiAcoustic Narration Design: Christina Nakou, Anna Pangalou, Stefania Vannini, Andrea Applebee Coordination and Technical Installation Supervision: Ilias Mantziaris Co.
The events on July 18 and 19 are offered free of charge by the Helenic Ministry of Culture. Advanced booking is necessary
For access to the exhibition on the rest of the days, admission is free to those who have purchased the Archaeological Museum entrance fee.
For more information and advanced booking, please visit: www.allofgreeceoneculture.gr/
The exhibition was realised under the authority, supervision and archaeological documentation of the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki.