STASIS is a term with multiple connotations in Greek: depending on the context, it can refer to stillness, to a person’s standpoint or stance, or simply to making a stop. In this case, the audience is invited to make a stop at the 7th Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art; a stop at the first Biennale organized by the Metropolitan Organisation of Museums of Visual Arts of Thessaloniki-MOMus; a stop at the artworks contributed by more than 50 international and Greek artists; a stop at the perspective proposed by Biennale’s 11 curators; finally, a stop at the seven different locations hosting the exhibition, six in Thessaloniki and one in Athens.
STASIS is the core theme of this year’s edition of the Biennale, which celebrates twelve years of active involvement in the Greek and international art scene. The Biennale is ready to welcome everyone interested in its proposition, which is summarized by its curators thus: “a historical overview of the self, the world and life through art stances and artworks. With their questioning or enthusiasm, resistance or subversion, poeticness or realism, imagination or critical approach of reality, their probing or inventiveness, artists seek alternative viewpoints of the past, present and future world, reconstructing it in the process”.
True to its long-established international character with artists originating from Brazil to Australia, and to its extrovert philosophy and belief in the value of joining forces, “engrafting” its own team with outside curators, determined to expand its geographical horizons by going beyond Thessaloniki with one section travelling to Athens and the MOMus- Museum Alex Mylona, the 7th Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art proves it does not fear experimentation and has not been dispirited by obstacles, boldly undertaking new paths, always ready to face novel challenges.
The 7th Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art, titled “Stasis / Taking a Stance”, is organized by MOMus and implemented by MOMus-Museum of Contemporary Art-Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art and State Museum of Contemporary Art Collections. It will be held from 12 October 2019 until 16 February 2020.
The Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art is financed by Greece and the European Union (European Regional Development Fund).
Director: Syrago Tsiara
Curatorial Team: Louisa Avgita, Domna Gounari, Panagis Koutsokostas, Areti Leopoulou, Theodore Markoglou, Thouli Misirloglou, Hercules Papaioannou, Eirini Papakonstantinou, Katerina Syroglou, Maria Tsantsanoglou, Syrago Tsiara
Program
For the whole length of the exhibition, the 7th Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art will be comprised of a main exhibition, the Thessaloniki Performance Festival, complemented by a rich parallel program that includes lectures, conferences and seminars, as well as projects, masterclasses, guided tours for the audience and educational programs for children.
Main exhibition ǀ ‘STASIS / Taking a stance’
October 12, 2019-February 16, 2020
Artists (in alphabetical order): Αljoscha, Jonathas de Andrade, Art Workers’ Coalition, Helene Black, micha cárdenas, Pantelis Chandris, Maria Choulaki, Tacita Dean, Thomas Demand, Yiorgos Depollas, Diohandi, Ioannis (Yannis) Faitakis, Harun Farocki, Joan Fontcuberta, Thalia Gatzouli, Jakob Gautel & Jason Karaϊndros, Julian Germain - Ashington District Star editorial team, Julian Germain - Patricia Azevedo - Murilo Godoy - street dwellers of Belo Horizonte, Johan Grimonprez, Minna Henriksson, Hypercomf, Athina Ioannou, Kalos&Klio, Aris Katsilakis, Gustav Klutsis, Jannis Kounellis, Nicolas Kozakis & Raoul Vaneigem, Maria Loizidou, Zois Loumakis, Christien Meindertsma, Petros Moris, Paola Palavidi, Apostolos Palavrakis, Yiannis Pantelidis, Irene Pȁtzug - Valentin Hertweck, Claudio Pérez, Vangelis Pliarides, Vassilis Salpistis, Kyrillos Sarris, Jonas Staal, Stelarc, SUPERFLEX, A. Tassos, Tania Tsiridou, Vangelis Vlahos, Dimitris Zouroudis
Venues
MOMus-Museum of Modern Art-Costakis collection (Moni Lazariston)
MOMus-Museum of Contemporary Art-Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art and State Museum of Contemporary Art collections (TIF-HELEXPO premises)
MOMus-Thessaloniki Museum of Photography (Warehouse A’, port)
MOMus-Experimental Center for the Arts (Warehouse B1, port)
MOMus-Museum Alex Mylona (Agion Asomaton Square, Thissio, Athens)
Alatza Imaret (Thessaloniki)
Thessaloniki Concert Hall (Thessaloniki)
Tours open to the public
(visitors have to present their tickets of the entrance)
Every Saturday at 12:00
MOMus-Museum of Modern Art-Costakis Collection
Every Sunday at 12:00
MOMus-Museum of Contemporary Art-Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art and State Museum of Contemporary Art Collections
On the following Sundays at 12:00
20 October · 3, 17 November · 1, 15 December, 12, 26 January · 2, 9, 16 February
MOMus-Thessaloniki Museum of Photography
On the following Sundays at 13:00
3, 10, 24 November · 8, 15 December · 12, 26 January · 9, 16 February
MOMus-Experimental Center for the Arts
Every Saturday and Sunday at 12:00 and 13:00
MOMus-Museum Alex Mylona
The full program at the Biennale’s website: www.thessalonikibiennale.gr.