#ASFA Studio Poka-Yio

[artistonartistconvergences-blog]

_x_ Criss Cross 2 | Studying Encounters_x_

_x_Curated by Eva Giannakopoulou, Yiannis Melanitis and Panos Sklavenitis_x_

_x_Participants: Nadja Argyropoulou, ASFA Studio Poka-Yio, Aria Boumpaki, Michel Colet, Norah Dineen, DOLCE (Fanis Dalezios, Theodoros Koveos, Matina Nikolaidou), Ioanna Gerakidi, Maria Gorgia, Eva Isleifs, Kling & Bang  (Elísabet Brynhildardóttir, Erling Klingenberg, Selma Hreggviðsdóttir, Sirra Sigrún Sigurðardóttir, Rúrí Sigriðardóttir Kommata), Dimitra Kondylatou, Rakel Mc Mahon, Most Mechanics Are Crooks (Alexis Fidetzis, Eva Giannakopoulou, Panos Sklavenitis, Kostis Stafylakis), Yiannis Melanitis, Maria Nikiforaki, Christian Oxenius, Maria Papadimitriou, Naira Stergiou, Studio 11 asfa, Antigone Theodorou, Eriphyli Veneri, Valentine Verhaeghe (ISBA, Besancon), Michailangelos Vlassis-Ziakas, Poka-Yio, Eleana Yalouri, Neritan Zinhiria._x_

_x_Isolation and exclusion forge ahead against the so called “failed multiculturalism”, as stated by European leaders.In contrast to this dystopian condition, we focus on extroversion and cooperation, the networking of those very subjects who fret in this new claustrophobic reality. Reevaluating the political potential of an encounter between subjects with affinities, friends and peers, could be the “per excellence” content of the synergy we propose and its emergency. Without idealizing togetherness -which either way entails power politics, discrimination or appropriation-, we attempt to fantasize new ways of cooperation, to reinvent the terms of claiming proximity, to reexamine the ontological and political notions of encounters, to use these artistic practices for discovering unexpected facts and different possibilities. In its second version CRISS CROSS | ARTIST-ON-ARTIST CONVERGENCES, is transformed into a networking organism expanding ideas and practices, focusing in coexistences that oscillate between the “acceptable” and “unacceptable”, in what is defined as politically correct and incorrect, in the performativity of the encounters in front of and behind the cameras, in a party and a conference room. The project unfolding in three days encounters will hopefully constitute a collective piece of art co-shaped with the participants. Visual artists, students and theorists will cooperate, in order to create working groups that will creatively investigate the encounter notions. How are we going to meet? In which context? What are we going to discuss? What are we going to wear? What or who are we going to carry with us? Are we even going to exchange presents? Are there going to be surprises? The last day of the project in A-DASH, will be a show unfolding with actions, live events and documentations of the previous Criss Cross 2 encounters._x_

_x_Criss Cross 2 | Studying Encounters is part of the project CRISS CROSS | ARTIST-ON-ARTIST COΝVERGENCES by Eva Giannakopoulou, Yiannis Melanitis and Panos Sklavenitis. CRISS CROSS is a project that attempts to examine the influential marks of encounters between artists. Departing from relationships which determined the life and the creative development of the involved subjects, as well as the way that history of art is constructed, the project attempts to reflect experimentally on those meetings and re-examine their dimensions and importance. Longstanding collaborations, friendships and love affairs, momentary encounters or short conversations, spiritual proximities and rivalries, seem to have composed an alternative archive of ‘relational’ history of art._x_

_x_The workshop will be held in English._x_

_x_Criss Cross 2 | Studying Encounters is part of the project CRISS CROSS | ARTIST-ON-ARTIST COΝVERGENCES by Eva Giannakopoulou, Yiannis Melanitis and Panos Sklavenitis_x_

_x_Kindly Supported by ASFA, Isba-Besançon and Montagne Froide/Cold Mountain_x_