The space of earth that I own is mine? The space of soil that I step on it is mine? What is “mine”? The home that I own is truly mine? And will I live forever in it? What if not? The willing of claim or share a real space begins from the childhood and our mind palaces; a utopic, as no-dimensional, place. Michel Foucault claimed that there is another space, between reality and utopia, named heterotopia. This is real places with an alternative use; such is some games that children play. The necessity of socialization makes these young social members create something heterotopic, group games in public space.
The "music chairs" and "mosque" are few of the games that someone can find at Mediterranean countries. Through these games children learn to reclaim space -public or private- for their exclusive use. The relationships that developed are competitive between the different groups of these games and also between the members of a group. These games are a microcosm of the society and children are the future "players" in a larger "chessboard".
The Step-In Project proposes a different micro-society for reflection but also as a solution. The viewer is invited through his participation to be placed in one of the moving circles, which is the temporary personal space and he should coexist in a structured system with the other participants in the artwork. Through participation, the concepts of private and public, competition and rivalry, interaction, the "mine", the "other" and the "I" are redefined in the new space, in that temporary Home that is created by the chosen space and the relationship between the neighbors. The movement of the viewer is taking part in the horizontal plane, so he is just looking at the same altitude as the other participants.
In this way, equality between members of that new game is adopted and the artist/performer is a part of it as every other member. This kind of platform creates a common concern, while coordinating with the video display creates an internal kinesthetic experience.
Moreover, through this simple movement, walking, there is enough time to realize the element of a good relationship between each other and learn to share “our” space with the one that needs some of it, a space in our temporary space, a place next to us in a common Home, as an other Aristoteles in an alternative Peripatetic School.
Exhibitions:
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a piece of space: δικό μου, six impossible wishes, Romantso, Athens
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Via Art Festival, Paphos
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Kodra Fress, Thessaloniki
