NP or The Possibilities of a Life at locus athens

Artists: Nikos Alexiou, Athanasios Argianas, Natasa Biza, Lizzie Calligas, Anastasia Douka, Farida El Gazzar, George Hadjimichalis, Vassos Kapandais, Kyriakos Krokos, Michael Michaeledes, Kosmas Nikolaou, Nina Papakonstantinou, Zoë Paul, Lucas Samaras, Soula Tzakou

Exhibition title: NP or The Possibilities of a Life

Curated by: locus athens (Maria-Thalia Carras and Olga Hatzidaki)

Venue: locus athens, Athens, Greece

Date: May 15 – June 30, 2017

Photography: Dimitris Parthimos, all images copyright and courtesy of the artists and locus athens

Exhibition design: Architecture Research Athens

NP or the possibilities of a life is an exhibition whose starting point is the life of an ordinary man with an extraordinary collection. NP or the possibilities of a life s a biographical exhibition; however, more than that, it talks about solitary visions, imaginations unleashed and the limitless possibilities of creating worlds, as well as the impossibility of containing them.

The exhibition suggests multiple systems for structuring the chaos of one’s mind and of creating a taxonomy of objects (as ordered as it is hapless). Art works, handcrafted heirlooms, notes, working books (and other collectibles) are ordered and re-ordered, mimicking the love and pathology of holding on to knowledge, things. Entering NP’s universe, we are transported through a series of artists’ visions, projections and collections into a psychological landscape where hierarchies are overturned. Each work leads us on, as each world drifts into another – a labyrinth of thoughts filling us both with solace and quiet despair. The possibilities are limitless.

Vassos Kapandais, In the Streets of Smyrna, 1966, Bronze, 35 cm.,Courtesy Kapandais family

Kyriakos Krokos, Publishing house office building (unrealised project), 1991, Cardboard maquette, 21 x 24,5 x 14 cm.,Courtesy Neohellenic Architecture Archives, Benaki Museum

George Hadjimichalis, Small Archive of Images (001-100) 1986/1996-1999, From the Archives of “Workshop of projects and images in crisis”, 1986/1996-1999, Wooden archive cabinet on iron base / 100 drawers with mixed technique images, 108,5 x 187 x 34 cm.Courtesy Konstantinos Papageorgiou

Nikos Alexiou, Fear (top view), 2000,Print on matt film, 130 x 127 cm.,Courtesy The Infinite Garden. Nikos Alexiou Archives

Farida El-Gazzar, Untitled (6, 32, 37, 40), 2011, Acrylic on paper 24.5 x 32.5 cm., Courtesy Kalfayan Galleries, Athens – Thessaloniki

A collection of 15 Embroidery Samplers from Fez Morocco 1920’s-1960’s, Thread on fabric (variable dimensions),Courtesy Collection Petros Petropoulos, Paris / Spetses & Nina Papaconstantinou, Ma Chère Maman, 2014, Five drawings with pin-pricks on Japanese paper (dimensions variable), Courtesy Kalfayan Galleries, Athens – Thessaloniki

Lizzie Calligas, Exercises, Patience, 2016-2017,Watercolour on paper (variable dimensions), Courtesy the artist

Kosmas Nikolaou, I Was Given Instructions But I Couldn’t Even Read Them, 2017, Installation (clay pots, and sound recording of a diary), (variable dimensions), Courtesy the artist

Zoë Paul, Mazeuvie (series 1.1), 2013, Wool and thread on found fridge grill, 56 x 56 x 1 cm., Courtesy The Breeder, Athens

Lucas Samaras, Stiff Box no 8, 1971, Acier cor-ten 45 x 35 x 45 cm., Courtesy Private Collection

Lizzie Calligas, Exercises, Afternoon, 2016-2017, Water Colour (variable dimensions), Courtesy the artist

Anastasia Tzakou, Unititled, circa 1970, Oil pastel on canvas, Courtesy Tzakos family & 10 Tsikalia (Earthen-ware cooking pots), 1930-1980, Earthenware pots “Tsoukalia” (variable dimensions), Courtesy Collection of Yorgos Kyriakopoulos

Anastasia Tzakou, Unititled, circa 1970, Oil pastel on canvas, Courtesy Tzakos family

10 Tsikalia (Earthen-ware cooking pots), 1930-1980, Earthenware pots “Tsoukalia” (variable dimensions), Courtesy Collection of Yorgos Kyriakopoulos

Installation shot with Michael Michaeledes, Sails II A, 1980-4, Duck Canvas, Courtesy Eric Efstathiou & 10 Tsikalia (Earthen-ware cooking pots), 1930-1980, Earthenware pots “Tsoukalia” (variable dimensions), Courtesy Collection of Yorgos Kyriakopoulos

Michael Michaeledes, Sails II A, 1980-4, Duck Canvas

Nikos Alexiou, Fear Polaroid (1,26,32,38), 2001, Matte film (polaroid print), 66 x 64 cm., Courtesy Yerassimos Yannopoulos

Athanasios Argianas, Sea a zero, See zero, Zero seas, To see to zero, To sea two zeros, (raw copper), 2017, electroformed copper-plated urethane, dust of foraged red-oyster shell, approx. 35 x 45 cm., Courtesy of the artist, On Stellar Rays, NY and Aanant & Zoo, Berlin; Natasa Biza, The Encounter & Demetra, 2017, Two publications, 17 x 23 cm., Printed photograph, dimensions variable, Courtesy the artist

Anastasia Douka, The sign of the palm, 2017, Jewellery by Ηaris Doukas, soap, glass, wood, 120 x 90 x 75 cm. Under the glass sits the time that my father spends making, Courtesy the artist

Vassos Kapandais, Head, c.1971, Bronze, 9 cm.& Snake (date unknown), Bronze, 42 cm.,Courtesy Kapandais family

Natasa Biza, The Encounter & Demetra, 2017, Two publications, 17 x 23 cm., Printed photograph, dimensions variable, Courtesy the artist