DAYSIGN: From the animal’s side – August in Athens
A workshop by visual artist Panos Sklavenitis in collaboration with EMST Learning department
A drawing by Picasso, the planning of a historical battle, a conspiracy in the courtyard of a medieval kingdom or a shopping list for the supermarket. Could all of these, equally, be considered plans? Can we think about “DESIGN” as something beyond the etching of a painting surface? As an expanded practice that includes our desires, goals, choices and decisions? As something that we do in space and time, in our daily routes, conversations and meetings? Can we all design, regardless of artistic purposes, or is this something that only professional designers are supposed to do?
EMST invites you to participate in a workshop by visual artist Panos Sklavenitis, titled “DAYSIGN: From the animal’s side – August in Athens”, in order to plan a special day in your life; the artist will encourage you to imagine an out of every-day-routine plan and then implement it and record it. This special day thematically begins with the idiosyncratic condition “August in Athens”, a month of the year when the urban feeling changes as several residents depart for vacation, thus, in a way, setting free the city from their presence. What about those of us who remain in Athens? Well, the question is not new. And furthermore, what happens not only to humans but also to animals? The workshop will be directed to “exercises of animality” focusing on everyday life and aspects of non-human, post-human, animality and anthropocentrism. It does not exclude any surprises or other topics. In fact, no one ever knows how a DAYSIGN lab will turn out. All you have to do is commit to the following schedule:
PROGRAM DAYSIGN | Part One at EMST | Sunday, July 31, 2022, from 11.30 am to 4.00 pm: Participants meet at the Museum / Performative and playful presentation of the workshop / Discussion and encouragement of the development of ideas / forming a plan. Each participant then designs a “daysign”.
DAYSIGN | Part Two away from EMST | Monday August 1st – Saturday August 6th: During this week, each participant implements the “daysign” in mind, at a time and place according to the plan. The implementation can be documented by any means the participants wishes (such as photos, videos, written diary, audio diary, etc.)
DAYSIGN | Part Three at EMST | Sunday, August 7, 2022 at 11.30 in the morning until afternoon: Back to the Museum. Participants present the day they planned in any way they want (narration, display of videos, photos, objects, etc.) through the documentation they attempted and discuss their experience.
PARTICIPATION The maximum number of participants is 20. The workshop is addressed to adults. Please make sure that you can attend and that you can present your “daysign” on the days mentioned and book your place by email at [email protected] [Please do not forget to mention your name, age as well as your phone number]. Participation in the workshop is free of charge. Please note that the workshop will be held in Greek.
MORE INFO The DAYSIGN project is a series of workshops created by Panos Sklavenitis. DAYSIGN began in 2012 and since then has been organized in universities, art spaces etc (for instance, Athens School of Fine Arts, Panteion University, University of Western Macedonia, Athens Biennale, Month of performance art Berlin, NEON, Temporary Academy of Arts–initiated by Elpida Karaba).
Each time the workshops are reinvented, often based on a particular theme. You can visit the DAYSIGN blog here: https://daysign-project-blog.tumblr.com/
