ELEUSIS - Beyond the gulf, the silhouettes and lights of the refinery tell the recent past and partly the present of the Greek city of Eleusis (Elefsina in contemporary Greek) which today launched its European Capital of Culture year for 2023. One year which, in the hopes of the small town of 30,000 inhabitants west of Athens, should mark a rebirth, centuries after having been the center of the secret pre-Hellenic cults called Mysteries - the story of Persephone stolen from her mother Demeter by the king of the underworld was celebrated, and its return, symbol of the alternation of the seasons - and a recent industrial destiny now in visible decay.
This is why its theme is Mysteries of Transition, the aspiration to embark on a new passage, conceived by the artistic director Michail Marmarinos.
"With this year as European Capital of Culture we want to place ourselves at the center of international attention, with the collaboration of the State, individuals and local communities we have overcome many difficulties to achieve this result. We are the smallest capital of Culture ever" , says Mayor Argyris Oikonomou.
And to confirm the global attention, the many delegations from the capitals of culture of the recent past, including Matera 2019. After the inauguration ceremony, in the presence of the President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropulou and the Vice-President of the European Commission Margaritis Schinas,
performances and exhibitions by international and Greek artists inspired by the Mysteries punctuate the two days of celebrations among abandoned factories and ships, cultural spaces and archaeological sites, each of which has a number.
Like Mistero 17, dedicated to the legendary actress and later Minister of Culture Melina Mercouri, the one who launched the idea of celebrating the European capitals of culture, with vintage posters, photos and films.
For the launch, numerous processions alluding to the relationship between this world and the Underworld arrive in the city, as in antiquity: TimeCircus, an artistic collective from Belgium, after traveling 3,000 km across Europe on foot, the longest pilgrimage procession in the story of Elefsina;
the Elefsinian Movement, 14 local associations that make up the cultural mosaic of the city (populations from the Black Sea, Asia Minor, other areas of Greece and beyond have settled here) bringing music and dance to its streets;
dozens of hemerodromes (messengers), which starting from the archaeological site of Kerameikos in Athens, traveled the 21 kilometers of the Via Sacra which has connected the city to Elefsina since ancient times.
Then the great show at sea, dedicated precisely to the Mystery of the Transition.
For the artistic director Michail Marmarinos,
the choice of Eleusis can be explained by the multitude of themes that the small center contains "archaeology, and industrial archeology, immigration, social struggle, environmental problems. Culture, in this case, can make the difference and leave a tangible and intangible legacy ... the transition has been chosen as a metaphor for the city', there are spaces that have been opened up, which will also be useful in Atne. Like for example the choreography school".
Eleusis therefore bets on a future different from its important remote past - remembered by the imposing archaeological site - and from a heavy near past.
The challenge is enormous, but the enthusiasm is tangible in the city, among artists everywhere and smiling young volunteers.
(ANSAmed).
archaeology, and industrial archeology, immigration, social struggle, environmental problem.
Culture, in this case, can make the difference and leave a tangible and intangible legacy... the transition was chosen as a metaphor for the city', there are spaces that have been opened, which will also be useful in Atne.
Like for example the choreography school". Eleusis therefore bets on a future different from its important remote past - remembered by the imposing archaeological site - and from a heavy recent past. The challenge is enormous, but in the city the enthusiasm is tangible, among artists everywhere and smiling young volunteers.(ANSAmed).
archaeology, and industrial archeology, immigration, social struggle, environmental problem.
Culture, in this case, can make the difference and leave a tangible and intangible legacy... the transition has been chosen as a metaphor for the city', there are spaces that have been opened, which will also be useful in Atne.
Like for example the choreography school". Eleusis therefore bets on a future different from its important distant past - remembered by the imposing archaeological site - and from a heavy near past. The challenge is enormous, but in the city the enthusiasm is tangible, among artists everywhere and smiling young volunteers.(ANSAmed).
the transition was chosen as a metaphor for the city', there are spaces that have been opened up, which will also be useful in Atne.
Like for example the choreography school". Eleusis therefore bets on a future different from its important distant past - remembered by the imposing archaeological site - and from a heavy near past. The challenge is enormous, but in the city the enthusiasm is tangible, among artists everywhere and smiling young volunteers.(ANSAmed).
the transition was chosen as a metaphor for the city', there are spaces that have been opened up, which will also be useful in Atne.
Like for example the choreography school". Eleusis therefore bets on a future different from its important remote past - remembered by the imposing archaeological site - and from a heavy recent past. The challenge is enormous, but in the city the enthusiasm is tangible, among artists everywhere and smiling young volunteers.(ANSAmed).
enthusiasm is tangible, among artists everywhere and smiling young volunteers.
(ANSAmed).
enthusiasm is tangible, among artists everywhere and smiling young volunteers.
(ANSAmed).