XV BIENNALE DE LA MEDITERRANEE – THESSALONIKI / ROME 2011

For the first time, the name of the event has changed in Biennale de la Méditerranée, with the aim to focus our attention more and more on the Mediterranean area and its social, political and cultural context.

Furthermore the format has changed, including 2 cities: Thessaloniki and Rome, each of them focusing on particular disciplines (Cinema, Literature and Music in Rome; Visual Arts, Applied Arts and Gastronomy in Thessaloniki). This choice offered the possibility to create an articulated path through the different Countries which are part of the BJCEM network and made possible for a large audience to take part to our activities. The idea was originally born in order to support Casablanca, that was the candidate city for hosting this Biennial. Unfortunately due to the international economical crisis burst in 2011, the organizers in Morocco were not anymore in condition to ensure the realization of the event and hopefully our partner in Rome and Greece showed their interest to host part of the already planned activities.

Theme: Symbiosis?

This Biennial articulated its subject in the form of a question: Symbiosis?, as a clear and straightforward indication of the urgency of responding to a current question: how could we live together in the present?.

Rather than reformulate the moral imperative at the heart of the notion of “living together” (symbiosis), this project aims to raise a series of questions. This choice reflects the awareness of the complexity involved in engaging with the urgent notion of “togetherness” within the context of a Biennial. It also stems from a will to provoke multiple answers, and give voice to conflicting positions, within the framework of this temporary event.

Numbers

More than 500 artists, aged between 18 and 30 years old, from 27 Countries (Albania, Algeria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Finland, France, FYROM, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Montenegro, Palestine, Portugal, Republic of San Marino, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, Austria, Israel, Kosovo, Syria, UK) participated to the event. Half of them were part of the official program, while the other half took part to parallel events, particularly in Thessaloniki where for a month the city was animated of activities linked to our Biennial.

Artistic director of the event in Thessaloniki was Christos Savvidis, well-known independent curator and producer, accompanied by Stephanie Bertrand and Efi Halivopoulou. In Rome the Director was Mr. Costantino d’Orazio and the curator, Ms. Costanza Paissan from the MACRO Museum.

The public was assessed around 20.000 presences in Thessaloniki and 2.000 in Rome.

To be signaled the works and performance of the following artists: Scarlett O’Hanna, musician from France, Salma Badawy, visual artist from Egypt, Didem Erk, visual artist from Turkey, Khaled Jarrar, video-maker and performer from Palestine, Point Blank Poets, collective of writers and performers from UK, Muhammad Ali, visual artist from Syria, Daniel Markus Klark, writer and storyteller from UK, Jocelyne Allen, Photographer from UK, Mathias Isouard, visual artist from France, Hypen Hypen, pop rock band from France and Liburn Jupolli, contemporary musician from Kosovo. 

6 October – 6 November 2011

Starting in early October and for a whole month, Thessaloniki hosted the event, which presented creations from the Visual and Applied Arts sectors, as well as Gastronomy.

Back in 1986, the 2nd edition of the Biennial, which later became a landmark in the history of the event, had also taken place in the city, as an outstanding cultural event. In the current local reality and time of crisis, culture can be again an instrument to minimize the differences, offering a wide range of communication, exchanges of ideas and supporting social cohesion.

Venue

Thessaloniki Port

Parallel program

In collaboration and with the approval of the Organizing Committee, we built a rich, intriguing parallel program that is a valuable addition to the Biennial and to the cultural life of the city. In particular it is important to mention: the Hotel Ariston residency project, Teenage angst by Dynamo project space and dedicated to artists from 15 to 18 years old and the photography workshop Diavlos focused on immigrants.

Graduates’ Exhibition

School of Visual and Applied Arts/Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Dates: 6 October – 6 November 2011

Venue: Thessaloniki Port

Curators: Xenis Sachinis, Charis Savvopoulos, Maria Kenanidou.

Diploma Thesis Projects’ Exhibition 2010-2011

School of Architecture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki/School of Architecture, Istanbul Technical University

Dates: 6 October – 6 November 2011

Venue: Thessaloniki Port

Curators: 40.22.ARCHITECTS (Anastasia Papadopoulou & Vanessa Tsakalidou)

Face Art – Public Murals

Proposed and implemented by: Carpe Diem

Artists: Blu, Faith47 & Dal, Live2 & Apset, Nade & Nastwo, Woozy & Kez, Same84, Ser

Symbiosis?: Hotel Ariston – Ariston could mean we can live together

Dates: 7 October – 6 November 2011

Venue: Hotel Ariston

Curator: Thouli Misirloglou

Teenage Angs

Dates: 28 October – 18 November 2011

Venue: Dynamo project-space

Organization, Production, Curator: Dynamo project-space

Still Life… is still alive

Dates: 1 October – 10 October 2011

Venue: National Bank of Greece Cultural Foundation – Thessaloniki Centre

Curators: Stela Anastasaki, Iraklis Goudaras, Maro Psyrra

Soulbiosis

Dates: 6 October – 6 November 2011

Venue: Thessaloniki Port

Curators: Kalos & Klio Showroom, The Box Gallery, Decorama Arte, Petros Nikoltsos

Exhibition: Photography Workshop Diavlos

Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art

Dates: 7 October – 5 November 2011

Venue: Piraeus Bank Conference Centre

Rrose Selavy ou Eros c’est la vie?

Dates: 31 October – 21 November 2011

Venue: Institut Français de Thessalonique

Disconnect

Dates: 6 October – 6 November 2011

Venue: Thessaloniki Town Hall

Curator: Maria Oikonomidou

Duet – Photography Exhibition

Dates: 6 October – 6 November 2011

Venue: Bookshop of the National Bank of Greece Cultural Foundation – Thessaloniki Centre (MIET)

Action Field Kodra’s Stalking Horses

Dates: 6-8 November 2011

Curators: Maria Kenanidou, Dimitris Michalaros, Theofilos Trampoulis

Walking 4ART

Dates: 6 October – 6 November 2011

Venue: White Tower Area

Curator: Maria Kenanidou

Awake

Dates: 6 October – 6 November 2011

Venue: White Tower Area

Young Greek Photographers 2011

Hellenic Centre for Photography

Dates: 19-29 October 2011

Venue: Institut Français de Thessalonique

Curator: Manolis Moresopoulos

Image Of The World

Theatre Workshop & Performance

Workshop Date: 4-6 October 2011

Performance Date: 7 November 2011

Venue: Aristotelous Square

Curator: La Xixa Teatre

Urban Strategies For Public Space

Architecture Workshop

Dates: 10-19 October 2011

Venue: Thessaloniki Port

Organizers: Technical Chamber of Greece/Section of Central Macedonia

The Warehouse Nights

Selected and coordinated by Soul magazine

Dates: 6/14/21/27 October, 5 November 2011

Venue: Thessaloniki Port, Warehouse 8

Concerts

Dates: 10/ 12 October

Venue: Thessaloniki Port, Warehouse 8

W13

Dates: 6 October – 6 November 2011

Venue: Thessaloniki Port, Warehouse 8 

16-17 December 2011

In Rome the disciplines of Music, Cinema and Literature have been presented in December. Local organizers considered the Biennale as an opportunity to promote creativity and technology, which, bounded up together, represent the driving forces young people are exploiting to change their own Countries.

Venue

MACRO – Museum of Contemporary Art

Bjcem

in collaboration with:

Hellenic Republic – Ministry of Education, Lifelong Learning and Religious Affairs – General Secretariat for Youth

Municipality of Thessaloniki – Department of Culture, Education and Tourism – 46th Dimitria

Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki Port Authority SA

Roma Capitale

Department for Family, Education and Youth

MACRO – Museum of Contemporary Art Rome

Zètema – progetto cultura

Thessaloniki Organization

General Secretariat for Youth (GGNG); City of Thessaloniki – Department of Culture, Education and Tourism; 46th Dimitria; Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art (MMCA); Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH); Thessaloniki Port Authority SA; BJCEM aisbl – Association Internationale pour la Biennale des Jeunes Créateurs de l’Europe et de la Méditerranée

Presidium

Luigi Ratclif – President of BJCEM

Yiannos Livanos – Secretary General for Youth

Yiannis Boutaris – Mayor of Thessaloniki

Xanthippe Skarpia-Heupel – President of the Board of Directors, Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art

Yiannis Mylopoulos – Rector of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Stelios Aggeloudis – Chairman and Managing Director, Thessaloniki Port Authority SA

Organizing Committee

Spyros Pengas – Deputy Mayor for Culture, Education and Tourism

Tania Dimitriadi – Special Advisor on Culture & Social Policy to the Secretary General for Youth, Artist

Emiliano Paoletti – Secretary General, BJCEM

George Papakostas – President of the School of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Matoula Scaltsa – Member of the Board of Directors, Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art

Maria Loukou – Administrative Officer, Department of Culture, General Secretariat for Youth, Artist

Artistic & Organizing Director

Christos Savvidis (MMCA), George Papakostas (AUTH) – Director – Architect

Lydia Chatziiakovou (ArtBOX.gr), Ioanna Tokmakidou – Assistants to the Directors

Stephanie Bertrand, Efi Halivopoulou, Christos Savvidis – Curators (Visual Arts – Main Program)

Maria Triantaphyllidou – Curator (Applied Arts – Main Program)

Maria Netsika – Curator (Gastronomy – Main Program)

Curators (Parallel Program): 40.22.Architects – Anastasia Papadopoulou & Vanessa Tsakalidou; Stela Anastasaki; Carpe Diem; Decorama Arte – Niko Voukyklarakis; Ingo Duenebier; Dynamo project-space; Angeliki Grammatikopoulou; Iraklis Goudaras; Kalos & Klio Showroom – Klio Tantalidou & Christos Kalos; Stergios Karavatos; Maria Kenanidou; Dimitris Mihalaros; Thouli Misirloglou; Manolis Moresopoulos; Petros Nikoltsos; Maria Oikonomidou; Hercules Papaioannou; Maro Psyrra; Evdoxia Radi; Charis Savvopoulos; Ser; Simone Fontana; Guy Stefanou; The Box Gallery – Argiris; Saraslanidis; Theofilos Trampoulis; Stefanos Tsakiris

General Coordination

Tania Dimitriadi – Special Advisor to the General Secretariat for Youth

Sofia Kasfiki – Special Advisor to the General Secretariat for Youth

Sofia Leou – City of Thessaloniki, Department of Culture, Education and Tourism

Parallel Program Coordination

Mina Vellou

Legal Advisor

Yiannis Pitsioras

Financial Audit

Vassilis Dolmas

Press Office

Giorgos Bazmadelis – City of Thessaloniki, Department of Culture, Education and Tourism

Aggeliki Gypaki – Press Officer, General Secretariat for Youth

Markella Peloponnisiou – Special Advisor to the Secretary General for Youth, “GUIDE MAP OF THESSALONIKI” Coordinator

Social Media

Konstantinos Lyratzis

Elisavet Sergiadou – AUTH

Apostolos Tsorakis – Journalist, General Secretariat for Youth

Nikos Vasilakis – Special Advisor to the Secretary General for Youth, Social Media Advisor

Visual Communication

Concept & Design by: Ambigram & PAD advertising

Creative team:

Melina Maltsidou, Niki Tampaki – Art Directors

Leoni Sion, Yiannis Valtis, Zoe Sfyrikla – Assistant Art Director

Photographer

Aris Rammos

Architects

Polis – G. Papakostas, Κ. Proios, Y. Vlahos, S. Voulgaraki

Lighting and Installation of Audiovisual Works

Giorgos Kosmidis – Diapason

Constructions

Dinos Makedos

Art Works Mounting

Periklis Galanos

Art Works Trafficking

Kostas Bahariadis – City of Thessaloniki, Municipal Gallery

Insurance

Y. Karavias & Associates LTD

Volunteers Program Coordinator

Makis Ananiadis

Web Development

Michael Tilkeridis

Travel Agency

Kornilios Theodoridis – Minima Travel

Biennale Information Centre – Coordinating Office Thessaloniki

Christina Akritidou, Maria Loukou, Nikos Prindezis (GGNG)

Directorate of Social Participation

Elsi Tsiarpisnou – Head of Department

Directorate of Cultural Activities

Eleni Vergini – Head of Department

Athanasia Christou, Nikos Daskalakis, Tzenia Kondaratou, Nikoleta Sidiropoulou

Partner Institutions

Ministry of Education, Lifelong Learning and Religious Affairs; Thessaloniki Port Authority SA; General Secretariat for Gender Equality; General Secretariat for Population and Social Cohesion; City of Thessaloniki – Department of Social Solidarity and of Protection of Citizens; City of Thessaloniki – 5th Municipal Community; School of Architecture – Faculty of Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki; School of Visual and Applied Arts, School of Drama and School of Film Studies – Faculty of Fine Arts, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki; National Bank of Greece; Cultural Foundation – Thessaloniki Centre (Villa Kapandji & Bookshop); Piraeus Bank Conference Centre; Institut Français de Thessalonique; Goethe-Institut Thessaloniki; American Embassy in Greece; City of Kalamaria – Department of Education, Sports, Culture and Youth; Department of Visual and Applied Arts – University of Western Macedonia, Florina; School of Architecture -Istanbul Technical University; Technical and Professional Chamber of Greece – Section of Central Macedonia; School of Architecture – National Technical University of Athens; School of Architecture – Faculty of Engineering, Demokritos University of Thrace; School of Architecture – Faculty of Engineering, University of Patras; School of Architecture – Faculty of Engineering, University of Thessaly; School of Architecture – Faculty of Engineering, University of Crete; Interuniversity Postgraduate Program Museology, School of Architecture – Faculty of Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki; Thessaloniki Photography Museum; Thessaloniki Film Festival

Partners

Action Field Kodra; Artfools Video Festival; Athens Video Art Festival; Bankit – non-profit group; Carpe Diem; City Uncovered Magazine; Decorama Arte; Dynamo project-space; Hellenic Center of Photography; Kalos & Klio Showroom; Soul Magazine; Symβiosis; Shoot_it; The Box Gallery; Tricycle

Communication Sponsors

Ert; Ert 3; Kosmos; Mega; Artfools Video Festival; Athens Video Art Festival; Athens Voice; elculture.gr; Mad; Republic Radio; Soul Magazine; TVXS – TV Without Borders; TV100; UpnLoud Web Radio

Gastronomy Section Supported by OPAP

Message In A Bottle Supported by Malamatina Group

Warm thanks to the volunteers of the Biennale, who contributed their time, energy and enthusiasm to the organization.

Rome Organization

City of Rome

Gianni Alemanno – Mayor

Department for Family, Education and Youth

Gianluigi De Palo – Councillor

Loredana Zorzan – Head of secretariat

Francesco Maria Olivieri – Head of staff

Concita De Simone, Francesco Macaro, Laura Gigliarelli – Press and communication office

Gabriele Gnocchi, Gloria Zuniga, Paola Amici, Giuseppe Mazzotta, Cinzia Cerioni – Secretariat

Matteo Mennini – Responsible of School Office

Irene Castellina – Responsible of Family Office

Francesca Di Stefano – Responsible of Education Office

Costantino D’Orazio – Responsible of Youth office and BJCEM Delegate

Education and School Services Department

Giovanni Williams – Director

Emanuela Bisanzio – Director

Michela Micheli – Executive Manager

Roberta Maria Sorace – Manager

Stefania Chiffi, Daniela Iannelli, Patrizia Scuglia, Raffaele Sisca, Antonia Anna Pagano – Staff

Department for Cultural Policies and Historical Centre

Dino Gasperini – Councillor

Anna Mosca – PR Office

Valeria Arnaldi – Communication Office

Claudia Lovisetto – Press Office

Cultural Heritage Superintendency

Umberto Broccoli – Superintendent

Renata Piccininni, Teresa Franco – PR and Communication Office

Patrizia Cavalieri – Manager Events – Exhibitions – Area Managing – Restorations Planning

Federica Pirani – Responsible Exhibition and Cultural Activities Office

MACRO Museum of Contemporary Art

Bartolomeo Pietromarchi – Director

Laura Pagliani – Secretary

Tina Cannavacciuolo – Museum Activities Support Office

in collaboration with Anita Valentina Fiorino, Ambra Giorgulli

Costanza Paissan – Exhibition Department

in collaboration with Silvia Bucchi, Carolina Pozzi, Maria Villa

Massimiliano Moschetta, Nicolò Scialanga, Simona Staniscia – Press Office and Communication

Teresa Emanuele, Nathan Clemens-Gillespie, Giulia Omodeo Salè – External Relations

Zètema – Organization and museum services

Francesco Marcolini – President

Albino Ruberti – Chief Executive Officer

Roberta Biglino – General Director

Teresa Mulone, Luca Carosella – General organization

Patrizia Morici – Press Office