Frequencies (and atmospheres)

Frequencies (and atmospheres) is the second exhibition in a series of four, organized in different cities by Andreas Melas (Melas Martinos) and Helena Papadopoulos (Radio Athènes) around and about the work of Greek artists Bia Davou (1932-1996) and Pantelis Xagoraris (1929-2000). It considers marks, fuzzy boundaries, cracks, atmospheres, thresholds, codes, oscillatory and vibratory phenomena, voices, projections, subtractions, prostheses and extensions, electric charges, rituals, evacuations, text fragments, repetitions, sunrises, and sunsets. The series are linked to the archive, to collecting information, preserving, tending the objects, questioning their recording, but they are mostly about how historical works may act, in the present. Except for Christos Tzivelos (1949-1995), all other artists responded to this invitation with new or recent works. Imperfect in historical detail, and a result of intermittent conversations, e-mail exchanges and telephone calls, Frequencies (and atmospheres) seemed like one of those skies under which one could only imagine eclipses and returns.

The day of the opening, composer and performer Alex Waterman will lead a group of volunteers from the audience in a sung reading of his new composition: Dita Beard Machine (2023) for 6 or more voices. There will be a short introduction, followed by a public rehearsal of the piece and a short performance. No experience reading music or singing “in tune” is required. The desire to participate in a musical process and support the voices of others is all that is asked. The rehearsal and reading will take approximately 40 minutes in total.

The exhibition is accompanied by a publication designed by Julie Peeters. It includes research material, texts by Maya Tounta, Helena Papadopoulos, and Alex Waterman, as well as his new score, composed on the occasion of Frequencies (and atmospheres). Published by Galerie Eva Presenhuber, in colour, in an edition of 400.

Available as a free takeaway is Rey Akdogan’s “Lost Record”, a fictitious record sleeve.

Rey Akdogan (*1974 Heilbronn, Germany) Lives in New York
Aristide Antonas (*1963 Athens, Greece) Lives in Athens and Berlin
Patricia L. Boyd (*1980 London, United Kingdom) Lives in London
Bia Davou (1932 -1996) Lived in Athens
Dora Economou (*1978 Athens, Greece) Lives in Athens
Kitty Kraus (*1976 Heidelberg, Germany) Lives in Berlin
Iris Touliatou (*1981 Athens, Greece) Lives in Athens
Christos Tzivelos (1949-1995) Lived in Athens and Paris
Alex Waterman (*1975 Portsmouth, VA, USA) Lives in New York
Pantelis Xagoraris (1929 -2000) Lived in Athens
Marina Xenofontos (*1988 Limassol, Cyprus) Lives in Athens