The artist residency program ‘Thermia Project’ presents the contemporary art exhibition CARING/CARRYING LANDSCAPES curated by Odette Kouzou.

Participating Artists: Ioanna Limniou, Paky Vlassopoulou, Aristeidis Lappas

The residency art program Thermia Project was implemented for the second consecutive year on the island of Kythnos, also locally referred to as ‘Thermia’. The name ‘Thermia’ originates from the natural hot ‘thermal’ springs located on the northeastern part of the island. The program prioritises both the realisation of a series of productions focusing on artistic research, and the engagement of local communities and visitors with contemporary art.

The works created during the artists’ stay on the island are inspired by their observations and interactions with the natural and cultural landscapes of  Kythnos - drystone walls, folklore songs, traditional tales, domestic animals, the flora and fauna. The narrative quality of the works reveal stories about relationships encountered in  everyday life on the island,  within a context of care, which encompasses care for the land, animals, home, family, and  even caring for the stone itself. The artists observe the colours and textures of the landscape, the meteorological phenomena like temperature changes, the sounds one hears throughout the course of a day, the rhythms of life in the surrounding natural habitat. A profound connection between everyday life and agricultural practices emerges - elements and spirits that imbue the landscape with metaphysical, or even supernatural qualities. Navigating the blurred boundaries between materialities, living beings, and narratives, the artists rearticulate how we might perceive the notion of landscape.

Themia Project 2023 is supported by Aphrodite Gonou, Art Advisor.