Curator: Vassilis Zidianakis

As part of the celebrations for the European Night of Museums Atopos cvc has commissioned a new work for the Atopic Bodies series, a project dedicated to character design and performing arts. On this occasion Atopos cvc presents the “Atopic Bodies XI: Teen Atlas” performance by HOPE which will take place at Atopos cvc on May 20.

Through the Teen Atlas performance HOPE looks at the human body as a sculpture of transition. Τhe viewpoint of rotating living sculptures results in a visual transformation and an aesthetic principle of deconstruction. Teen Atlas poses the question of branding one's own skin. Through HOPE’s moving sculptures the visitor is transported into a zone of indeterminacy, where the usual polar distinctions collapse. Through Teen Atlas the distinction between reality and the construction of a different reality is blurred.

During the event HOPE will also personalise some copies of UNLOCKED, Atopos’ latest publication. This limited edition of UNLOCKED will be available for sale from the Atopos shop.

About HOPE

HOPE’s universe is made of sacred symbols of yesterday and today, the past and the present speak in dissonance, creating new systems of ideals, challenging the rules of symmetry and perfection and creating a unique reading of what we assume to be already established. His practice ranges from posters and collage to performance art, canvas works, fanzines and ceramics.

The artist has collaborated with Atopos cvc on the occasion of the 11th issue of the Slaves to Atopos zine series and the Atopic Bodies X: Wasteland performance with Digitaria and he is one of the 145 artists, whose work is featured in the UNLOCKED book, Atopos’ latest publication. He is represented by the Breeder gallery in Athens and he has presented his work through solo and group exhibitions in Greece as well as abroad: The Earth Eaters, HOPE and Panayiotis Terzis at Endless Editions, New York, (2015), Time will not give me time, The Breeder @ ReMap 3, Athens (2011), Mountain/ HOPE, curated by Marina Fokidis, Kunsthalle Athena, Athens (2010) and so on. His recent ceramics series is available on the Museum of Cycladic Art shop in Athens.

About the ATOPIC BODIES project

Atopic bodies is a long term performance project by Atopos cvc, exploring the uncanny, eccentric and unclassified character of the human body in contemporary visual culture. Through collaborations between designers and artists from different backgrounds, new and radical Characters are being created by mixing visual and fashion codes. Atopic Bodies treats the body as an eternal atopos and appearance as a sociocultural construction.

The anthropologist Ted Polhemus notes in his text Atopic Bodies for the NOT A TOY book by Atopos cvc (Pictoplasma publishing) that “we are our bodies and yet our bodies’ abstract constructions of our culture are always and inevitably atopos to ourselves”. He argues that there is “no such thing as natural beauty; what is deemed to be attractive and desirable in one culture or era may be deemed hideous and repulsive in another”.

On the occasion of the Atopic Bodies project Atopos cvc has collaborated with a number of international artists and designers including among others: Shoboshobo + Freeka Tet, Charlie Le Mindu, Craig Green, Boris Hoppek, Digitaria + HOPE, Pandemonia, Anklepants + George Tourlas, The Callas + the Callassettes.

More information: Kika Kyriakakou | Project & Communications Manager kika.kyriakakou@atopos.gr | press@atopos.gr+302105242004 | +302108838151 (Monday-Friday, 10:30-18:30)