Τhe touring exhibition “Stages of a Flight” that was hosted at the Municipal Market of Kypseli from the 31th of March since the 29th of April, has comen to an end at the city of Athens and the preparation for travelling to Vienna – the last station of its journey, has already began.
Τhe exhibition was surrounded by a series of actions and events under the title – umbrella “Changing Perceptions”, and turned on the discussion about stereotypes and dissimilarity.
The ensemble of El Sistema accompanied the opening night of the exhibition. Under the guidance of the conductor Faidra Giannelou, the Young Orchestra of El Sistema performed classical music tracks, and amazed more than 400 hundred people. Parallelly, the attendance audience was given the chance to participate at an experiential musical-kinetic game, and discover in that way, more about classical music.
Τhe beginning for the exhibition’s closing events in Athens, constituted a round table discussion with the subject “Changing the Narrative – The Role of Journalism” that took place among three journalists and the participating audience, on Friday the 27th of April. The participants from the journalist field were:
Nermin Ismail, journalist for the Austrian Media organisation ORF in Vienna, book author and also co-creator of the photography exhibition “Stages of a Flight”
Angel Ballesteros, Multimedia documentary maker that at the moment travels through Greece. Turkey, Balkans, Iraq, and Lebanon with TeleSUR a multi-state funded terrestrial and satellite television network.
Babis Christakopoulos, senior editor and presenter of a TV show with the name “Alternativa” and director at the webradio “Portokali Radio” that focuses on subjects such as Rights, Solidarity and Social Economics.
Co-ordinator of the discussion was Lida Tsene, a Communications Expert and also, PhD Dr. at the field of Public Relationships & Communications.
During the whole process of the dialogue, many questions arose about the role that a journalist has to keep towards crucial subject areas such as the refugee crisis, constituting base of the round table of this enlightening οpinions placement. Each participant, shared experiences that has gained by the years, insights that has been forming during the journeys, and the deep thoughts that contributed to the way of approaching the refugee subject nowadays that media choose to ignore, despite the importance that needs to be given.
The events were accomplished with a visual arts cooperation between CityLab and the Athens School of Fine Arts, along with 14 artists – university students (ASFA/– and 120 children aged from 6 to 12 years old from the area of Kypseli, created artworks with a triptych inspirational axis: Memory – Ιnequality – Style.
The exhibition closing was also related to music. This time, On Saturday the 28th of April, a Hip Hop concert took place bringing together four artists from Kypseli neighborhood,in order to celebrate with music, the exhibition’s closing in Athens, and all the activities and events that took place during “Stages of a Flight” The music producer Billa Qause (B.Q), Elephant Phinix, the group of two twin brothers TWINSANITY, and L.O.S, made a combination of their rhythms and passion and gave an unforgettable live concert for the audience.
This great procedure was accomplished from Impact Hub Athens in collaboration with Brunnenpassage (Austria), Studio ALTA (Czech Republic) and Dschungel Wien (Αustria) and was realised with the support of Creative Europe.
Living Realities – Changing Perceptions was a worth-mentioning step that succeed in bringing people together, in creating skepticism around theme areas such as the refugee’s realities that stand behind the “scenes” of media, and in laying the foundation of a continuing dialogue between people and art. Art – with the form of photography, dialogue, cinema, painting, music. Because art is the freedom of feelings, thoughts, and a common language among all the people.
For our upcoming production „In my dreams I feel free “ we visited House Liebhartstal, a new home for around 200 children from Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Somalia… and had a wonderful time getting to know each other, eating, playing, dancing, making video interviews.
Thanks to all our young performers and all the Liebhartstal families for sharing this great day and also their (day)dreams with us!
(c) ffilmtec
Information
As the project “Living Realities – Changing Perceptions” approaches its completion, the circle of the touring exhibition “Stages of a flight” that its present station is the city of Athens, closes with a series of many events that will take place at the Municipal Market of Kypseli, on the 27th, 28th and 29th of April.
Round Table Discussion: Changing the Narrative – The Role of Journalism”
On Friday the 27th, at 18:00 p.m. , an interesting discussion around the Issue for the role of journalism and the journalist’s positioning, during a period that the refugee crisis is not the central issue for discussion at the news reports, and also, at the traditional mass media.
Which actions should a journalist do behind the scenes of traditional media? Which is the approach to the facts that concern the life of people who flied? Why is the credibility of the news questioned and how does this effect aggravate unfavorable situations? These, and many more questions will be the centralization point of the discussion among the journalists, included Nermin Ismail, co-creator of the whole attempt with the name “Living Realities – Changing Perceptions”. on Friday the 27th at 18:00, at the Municipal Market of Kypseli.
Discussion Participants:
Nermin Ismail – Multimedia Journalist – www.nerminismail.com
Angel Ballesteros – Photographer. Videojournalist – Muzungu -TeleSUR
Babis Christakopoulos – Head Editor of Publication – Alternativa ΕΡΤ3
Coordination: Lida Tsene – PhD Communications Expert
EPI-KOINONIA: Τhe Higher School of Fine Arts of Athens, Co-Creates with children from Kypseli’s neighborhood
On Friday the 27th and Saturday the 28th, from 11:00 in the morning until 19:00 in the afternoon, a visual arts cooperation between the lab for the city’s architecture,called CityLab and the Higher School of Fine Arts of Athens, during which 10 artists – university students (HSFA/ΝTUA) – in the terms of the European project “ROCK” – and 120 children aged from 6 to 12 years old from the area of Kypseli, will create artworks with a triptych inspirational axis: Memory – Ιnequality – Style.
Children will be called to portray in a creative way -under their point of view- the university student’s artworks, by drawing under the influence of what they received the artwork that they saw,and in that way, they will “communicate” their messages. In the 29th of April,after the termination of this double-day action, an exhibition set up with all the artworks of the children, will take place at the Municipal Market of Kypseli. The duration of the exhibition will last until the 4th of May, signifying the “Living Realities” completion in Athens, and the its journey’s beginning for its next – and last- destination, Vienna.
Hip – Hop Concert with music artists from Kypseli
On Saturday the 28th of April at 20:00, a concert that will bring together four hip hop artists from Kypseli, will take place, in order to celebrate with music, the exhibition’s closing in Athens, and all the activities and events that took place at Kypseli’s Market during the period that “Stages of a Flight” was hosted there.
The music producer Billa Qause (B.Q), Elephant Phinix, the group of two twin brothers TWINSANITY, and ΦΑΝΗΣ Λ.Ο.Σ, will combine their rythms and passion, to give an unforgettable live concert for the audience, and turn the Municipal Market of Kypseli, into a big stage for all the people!
Because music has the power to make us smile or bring us to all types of tears. But its biggest strenght is that music has the ability to inspire us!
Organisers
With a key focus on the photography exhibition, Living Realities – Changing Perceptions has so far been presented in the Czech Republic along with a series of parallel events. Athens is the second stop of the project, which will then travel to Austria in June. The whole project is a joint collaboration and coproduction of Brunnenpassage (Austria), Studio ALTA (Czech Republic),Dschungel Wien (Austria) and Impact Hub Athens (Greece), co-funded by Creative Europe.
Accessibility
The exhibition is accompanied by audio description and the venue is accessible for wheelchair users. The recently renovated building of the Municipal Market of Kypseli is equipped with an accessible bathroom. Accessibility services have been designed and curated by Liminal.
Audio description
Script: Kerassia Michalopoulou, Idyli Tsaliki
Narration: Kerassia Michalopoulou
Braille Print: KEAT
Living Realities – Changing Perceptions
Duration: March 31 – April 29, 2018
Opening: Saturday March 31, 2018, time 18:00
Location: Municipal Market of Kypseli (Fokionos Negri 42, Kypseli, Athens 113 61)
Visiting Hours: Monday – Friday 16:00 – 20:00 / Saturday – Sunday 11:00 – 20:00
School visits during morning hours by appointment at agora@impacthub.net
Accessibility services designed & provided by: Liminal
Free entrance
http://living-realities.eu/
http://www.brunnenpassage.at/
https://www.altart.cz/?lang=en
https://www.dschungelwien.at/
https://athens.impacthub.net/
Αbout
Living Realities – Changing Perceptions is a socio-political, transdisciplinary art project bringing the contemporary living realities of people who had to leave their countries in search for a new home into focus. The touring exhibition Stages of a Flight forms the common thread throughout the transnational venture and is expanded by participative art projects in each respective country, spanning from the creation of theatre performances, music and singing classes, dance, photography workshops to discourse formats. The project creates encounters through art and encourages dialogue about current questions of arriving and living together, aiming to change perceptions and perspectives for the participants as well as audiences. Dedicated to the generations of people, that do not have access to education, to the job market, to social participation.
Exhibition
Stages of a Flight is a touring exhibition that portrays the living realities of individuals who had to flee. The project aims to counter the populist, often negative images shown in the media with the perspectives of those affected. Since 2015, photographer Simon van Hal and journalist and voluntary translator Nermin Ismail have – in seven different countries – encountered and accompanied people who were forced to leave their homes. In a hub for human smugglers in Izmir; along the Greek coastline; at railway stations in Hungary; on the Slovenian and Moroccan borders; in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta; in the shelters in Austria and Italy. The project gives these individuals the opportunity to tell their story and to be seen. Furthermore, it shows the political developments until 2017.
Data
More than 65.6 million people around the world are currently fleeing. Every day, people are forced to leave their homes. There are various reasons for this: Many are persecuted for expressing opinions that dissent from those of the authorities. Numerous countries continue to threaten minorities with execution. Some girls and women flee to escape forced marriage. Natural disasters and profit-driven encroachments into the living environment force people to leave their homes.
To flee is not a crime. Half of all those currently fleeing are young people under the age of 18 and children. 84% of them find refuge in so-called developing countries. Very few make it to Europe. Currently, there is no legal route into the EU. The European Union is partly responsible for many of the reasons, which cause people to flee. However, not even 3 % of all those who are fleeing reach Europe. A result of the continent’s increasing isolation and the fact that more and more people die trying to reach it. It is more important than ever that worldwide efforts are made to promote social cohesion and that a platform is given to initiatives that encourage encounters and fight populism with solidarity.
Organisers
With a key focus on the photography exhibition, Living Realities – Changing Perceptions has so far been presented in the Czech Republic along with a series of parallel events. Athens is the second stop of the project, which will then travel to Austria in June. The whole project is a joint collaboration and coproduction of Brunnenpassage (Austria), Studio ALTA (Czech Republic),Dschungel Wien (Austria) and Impact Hub Athens (Greece), co-funded by Creative Europe.
Accessibility
The exhibition is accompanied by audio description and the venue is accessible for wheelchair users. The recently renovated building of the Municipal Market of Kypseli is equipped with an accessible bathroom. Accessibility services have been designed and curated by Liminal.
Audio description
Script: Kerassia Michalopoulou, Idyli Tsaliki
Narration: Kerassia Michalopoulou
Braille Print: KEAT
Living Realities – Changing Perceptions
Duration: March 31 – April 29, 2018
Opening: Saturday March 31, 2018, time 18:00
Location: Municipal Market of Kypseli (Fokionos Negri 42, Kypseli, Athens 113 61)
Visiting Hours: Monday – Friday 16:00 – 20:00 / Saturday – Sunday 11:00 – 20:00
School visits during morning hours by appointment at agora@impacthub.net
Accessibility services designed & provided by: Liminal
Free entrance
http://living-realities.eu/
http://www.brunnenpassage.at/
https://www.altart.cz/?lang=en
https://www.dschungelwien.at/
https://athens.impacthub.net/
#livingrealities #changingperceptions
Now that the cast for the Performance ‘In my dreams I feel free’ is finally fixed, the two Choreographers, Sanja Tropp-Frühwald and Corinne Eckenstein invited the participants to a four days research workshop in the Brunnenpassage.The workshop gave an opportunity to the five adult dancers, the six kids and the artistic team to get to know each other and to develop ideas, stories and movements for the play together. It was
fantastic to see how concentrated and intense the performers of different age (kids and adults), speaking diverse languages and out of multiple backgrounds worked together, on the same ideas and artistic approaches.The ‘In my dreams I feel free’ intense rehearsals will start in the summer of 2018 in DSCHUNGEL WIEN Theatre for young audience.Let´s live 
realities! W
e´ll keep you 
posted!
The Story So Far
El Sistema Greece was founded in October 2016 in Attica as an initiative of Impact Hub Athens, promoting integration through music education. The ultimate goal of El Sistema in Greece is to promote the social inclusion of underprivileged children in Greek /European society. By teaching them music, they are not only inspired to strive for a better future, but music provides the platform for dialogue and togetherness across diverse communities.
Carrying on the legacy of the global El Sistema community, which was founded in Venezuela in 1975 and has so far educated nearly 800,000 children, El Sistema Greece is a community music project that is both philosophically and methodologically inspired by its native town. Up to this date, El Sistema Greece’s music instructors and paedagogists have been offering music classes to children, teenagers and young adults in refugee camps, hospitality units and community centers in Athens.
Public performances and concerts are an integral part of the El Sistema methodology. Thus, the El Sistema Greece students have participated in several performances in different locations and venues in Athens – from concert halls, to public spaces and open theatres. The most distinguished of them all, is perhaps a performance held literally under the majestic Acropolis in August, 2017.
During summer 2017, El Sistema Greece hosted the Sistema Europe summer residency uniting more than 300 young musicians from the whole continent in Athens. The residency culminated with a performance held literally under the Acropolis, at the Herodes Atticus theatre. The most breathtaking part of this night, was seeing students from refugee camps share the stage with young musicians from all over Europe, and the world renowned opera singer Joyce DiDonato. Hearing Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” performed by this group and in this specific setting, was a moment in time.
A new chapter in Kypseli
In November 2017, a new chapter in the history of El Sistema Greece was born. A new cycle of music classes was launched in the recently renovated historical building of the Municipal Market of Kypseli, offering weekly choir and string-instruments lessons for children and teenagers. What makes this specific endeavor really important, is that it does not only invite children from the neighbourhood of Kypseli to attend music lessons along with children from vulnerable groups in joint classes, but also provides masterclasses from renowned musicians, choir and orchestras directors from other countries. Moreover, a big Christmas concert by the newly established El Sistema Greece Youth Orchestra was held at the Municipal Market of Kypseli drawing a huge crowd and media buzz. This specific concert could be considered a milestone for the Municipal Market of Kypseli as it launched a series of several other public events and activities within the premises of the establishment.
El Sistema Greece at the Opening of Living Realities-Changing Perceptions
Right now, El Sistema Greece has 400 young students in the wider Athens region, many of whom are the ones attending the weekly classes at the Municipal Market of Kypseli. This specific group of young El Sistema musicians will showcase their musical skills during a much anticipated performance at the opening of the Living Realities-Changing Perceptions in Athens,
A second performance by the El Sistema Greece Youth Orchestra will also take place, conducted by Phaedra Giannelou, while the music teachers and instructrors of El Sistema Greece will invite children and adults to an innovative participatory music workshop that will take place the same evening. http://elsistemagreece.com/
