Athens arts scene flourishes in midst of economic crisis
A bronze lamb in the form of a female panther ridden by the god Dionysus at the Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens. Photograph: Orestis Panagiotou/EPA
Despite the economic crisis in Greece – or perhaps because of it – the art scene in Athens is flourishing. The city is seeing a turn towards touring exhibitions and ephemeral performances, events and discussions more suited to the tough economic climate than commercially driven work catering to rich buyers.
Today, Athens boasts more than 50 non-profit, non-hierarchical and self-organised art collectives. Many of the groups occupy spaces temporarily, collaborating with other institutions and groups.
The collective Filopappou has shown work in major galleries such as Beton 7, Gazonrouge and the Museum of Cycladic Art, while other groups choose to use Athens as their stage.
The Nomadic Architecture Network recently organised Il Camino Commune, a mapping project using songs, poems and writing as an alternative cartography to plot the city.
Reconstruction Community, a collective of architects, artists and theorists, also supports ongoing research and projects related to the metropolis.