GREEK
 
     
 

NAXOS FESTIVAL 2008 ART AND MADNESS


"When we are born, we cry that
we are come to this great stage of fools."
King Lear,
William Shakespeare

 

Madness as a metaphor

Naxos festival from its start, until this very day, thought the last eight years, is balancing between art and life, seeking for new paths of expression, communication, bold cooperation, thesis and effectiveness.
This year our interests turn to the point where art meets madness, and every form it can encompass, having on the one hand the art exhibition «Psychotopia» and on the other hand series of selected theatrical, music and dancing performances, most of which are the festivals special assignments.  
This year concern axis gives us the opportunity
To seek the depth of  artistic expression not only as a creative force but also as an endangerment
To face the relationship of the artist with his work as an overshooting procedure for mental pain and social stigmatization.
To understand the nature and the dynamics of art, but also of mental disorder.
To investigate new ways of transubstantiation of depiction and representation of internal experience from the representatives of modern art.
In this years mount, we have very important representatives from modern art, that inspired from the special, the «unnecessary», and their life or their work was combined with the diptych «art and madness».
This way they can coexist dialogically cases, such as: Friedrich Nietzsche, Daniel Paul Schreber, Camille Claudel, Robert Schumann, Vaslav Nizinsky, Yiannoulis Halepas, along with the works of the self-taught and spontaneous visionary, outside of the main current.
«At the big stage of lunacy» of our society, which constantly extends by developing, at the same time, new mechanisms and conditions of exclusion , madness emerges as the unique exit to a world that seems reasonless . Madness as a metaphor of the social disarray, of the one who is out of the limit, of the one we can not even name.
The question is: « why all the excellent people are melancholic». It remains unanswered since it was attributed in Aristotle “Melancholy and genius”, and centuries afterwards is still more current than ever.

Stelios Krasanakis
Psychiatrist -drama therapist- director
Art director of Naxos Festival



19th of July until the 4th of September

Psychotopia
Presentations and representations of the inner stage
From the 19th of July until the 4th of September, a thematic exhibition, at Bazeos Tower.  Every day: 10:00 – 17:00. The art of people with psychiatric issues as there are recognized and expressed equally in the modern, open structure of our post-modern society.
Next to the work of the great Greek sculptor Yannoulis Chalepas (1851–1938), that comes from the National Gallery - Museum Alexandros Soutzos, and the «crazy works» of the modern German professional artist Klaus Pfeiffer who lives and works at Naxos island, works are also presented from: Amaleia Bandera, Vasso Kalaitzi,  Dimitris Zahos, Dimitra Laios, Dimitris Rakogiannis, Peter Tezapsidis, Theodor Tzadarmas that work in the Unit of Cultural Communication of Psychiatric Hospital Thessaloniki.  Works of the French painters Thiery Bombardier, Yasmina Braham, Suzanne Guillot and Vianney Jacquot, that come from the Centre Hospitalier Sud Francilien, in Paris are also presented. The collection of the pharmaceutical company Lundbeck Hellas with works from Manos Tennes, John Papadakis, John Pachis, George Melatos, Thomas Bertolis and more, supplements the ‘anthology’ of Greek art brut where, beyond the author’s grief, the spontaneity, inventiveness and expressive force, the most clean-cut landscape of human soul emerges. A deep revealing glance, the artistic action video of Katerina Koskina, Art Historian, from Atelier du Maison Blanche, in Paris.
Curator: Pavlos Bassiliadis, psychiatrist-painter. Planning-organisation: Mario Vazaios, cultural manager. Organized by AEON in collaboration with the Scientific Company “Psychology-art”. Under the aegis of Greek Psychiatric Company and Greek Psychological Company.

Grand sponsor: LUNDBECK HELLAS S.A
Sponsor: KARAVIAS & ASSOCIATES













Sun. 3 & Mon. 4/8

21:30
«Shreber’s Nervous Illness» by Caryl Churchill. A play based on the memoirs of Judge Shreber, which were used by Sigmund Freud in his theory on paranoia. A theatrical performance that explores the scenic representations of mental disease through the use of corporeal codes and experiential practices beyond stereotypes, introducing an innovative theatrical language “approaching dream and the event”. Dramaturgical procession-direction: Stelios Krassanakis. Decor-costumes: Nickos Alexiou. Staring: Kostas Zaharakis, John Kourkoumelis. Translated by Αdonis Galeos. Sound designer: Spyros Aravositas. At the role of judge the voice of Vassilis Papavassiliou.  Voices of rays: group 6. A production of Naxos Festival.


Sat. 19/7 20:30

Opening for the art exhibition Psychotopia. Speakers : Nikos Tzavaras, professor of Psychiatry and Chairman of Greek Psychiatric Company, Klimis Navridis, professor of Psychology in the Athens University and Chairman of Greek Psychological Company, Pavlos Bassiliadis, psychiatrist-painter, doctor of Aristotelian University Thessalonica and Stelios Krassanakis, psychiatrist-dramatotherapist-artistic director of Naxos Festival.


Sat. 26/7 21:30

«Every Crazy Boy» concert by Elli Paspalas. The melodious adventure of madness, music, and love through the songs of Greek and foreign composers (Hadjidakis, Tsitsanis, Kalantzopoulos, Piovani, Waits, Lennon, e.t.c.). Piano, Stavros Lantsias.
One of the foremost artists of the Greek “fine-singing” scene, the great performer sustains pure elements of European culture, while her New York education provides her with an outstanding technique and efficiency to express current musical trends.




Mon. 28/7

21:30   First performance
“La vague de la folie” (Τhe Wave of Madness) theatrical performance. There has been an uncanny turn in the infatuation of as of lately. The infatuation of the public with Camille Claudel has lately been undisputable to ignore.  Even though her story seemed tend towards to oblivion, plenty of people have been entranced by the discord in her psyche, a split between her dream for ineffable love and her crave for sculpture. Performed by the great French actress Jany Gastaldi. Dramaturgical procession, Michel Archimbaud. Direction, Sophie Loucachevsky. Video, Fred Koenig. Under the aegis of French Embassy and the support of the French Institute of Athens.





Thur. 31/7

21:30
Recital by Elena Frolova, voice-guitar. Madness in Russian Poetry and Music. Elena Frolova has set to music 46 Russian and foreign poets such as Marina Tsvetaeva, Anna Akhmatova, Joseph Brodsky, Federico G.Lorca, Constantine Cavafis, Paul Verlaine. Apart from guitar, she plays the gusli, an old Russian instrument that dates back to the 10th century. The past  few years her fame has spread to the howl world because apart from her concerts in Russia Ukraine, she has sang also in France ,Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Israel, U.S.A., Mexico . It will be her first show in Greece.




Sun. 3 & Mon. 4/8

21:30
«Shreber’s Nervous Illness» by Caryl Churchill. A play based on the memoirs of Judge Shreber, which were used by Sigmund Freud in his theory on paranoia. A theatrical performance that explores the scenic representations of mental disease through the use of corporeal codes and experiential practices beyond stereotypes, introducing an innovative theatrical language “approaching dream and the event”. Dramaturgical procession-direction: Stelios Krassanakis. Decor-costumes: Nickos Alexiou. Staring: Kostas Zaharakis, John Kourkoumelis. Translated by Αdonis Galeos. Sound designer: Spyros Aravositas. At the role of judge the voice of Vassilis Papavassiliou.  Voices of rays: group 6. A production of Naxos Festival.




Thur. 7/8

21:30
Recital by the internationally renowned pianist George Emannuel Lazarides, on works by Robert Schumann.
Lazarides, apart from being an excellent virtuoso pianist, is also a mature, despite his young age, composer. For the thematic axis of the Naxos Festival he has chosen to perform works by the German romantic composer Robert Schumann (1810-1856), whose mental collapse untimely extinguished his creative talent. Introduction-conversation by the international, avant-garde composer, George Koumentakis.




Sat. 9/8

20:30 “Come to meet the music” this is a night for our little friends, with the indigenous musician from Naxos Alexandros Kalogeras. Participation Evanthia Kourmouli actress, Iwona Glinka, flute, Dimitris Margaritis, violin, Kathleen Kalogera, viola, Mamolis Epitropakis, violoncello, Alexandros Kalogeras, piano, presentation.




Sun. 10 & Mon. 11/8

“January 3, 1889” A postscript to Symphony n.4, opus 59 by Philippos Tsalahouris, on the last days of “logic” in the life of the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzche. Musical Theatre performance, based on the diaries, the notebooks and the correspondence, along with other references to the events that plunged this eloquent-versatile and sparkling mind in the darkness of silence. Piano, Philippos Tsalahouris. Computer, Giorgis Sakelariou. Performed by the actors: Akis Liris, Evanthia Kourmouli.






Tue. 12/8

21:30
«The Deep Purple Sky» by Loula Anagnostakis. Theatrical performance. Acted by Reni Pittaki. Directed by: Nikos Hatzopoulos. Costumes: Aggelos Mentis. Production of “Athens Festival”.
The remote, utopian, ironic heroine of Loula Anagnostakis gazes from atop her own personal story as it interweaves with History on the borderline between of two centuries. In a meta-dramatic landscape, incarcerated in the State Prison of Korydallos, among the oppositional pair of the dead communist husband and the son, she narrates her “wonderful. And somewhat dangerous” days, in black, even if distorted due to alcohol, humour. Two great ladies of the Greek theatre, Loula Anagnostakis and Reni Pittaki after their meeting for the Athens Festival travel to Naxos.




Sat. 16/8

21:30
Gig, with “Heimerinous Kolimvites” (The Winter Swimmers). The Lost One, a taunting and subversive comment by the popular music group, in perfect accord to the climate of the festival. Αrgiris Bakirtzis (song), Κostas Vomvolos (accordion, kanun) Mihalis Siganides (contrabass, mandolin, voice), Theodore Relos (saxophone, clarinet), Κostas Sideris (guitar, tzuras, voice), George Tamkatzoglou (guitar, voice), Haris Papadopoulos (bouzouki).




Fri. 22/8

21:30
“Exercices of promptitude” Direction - chorographie Petros Gallias. Performers: Panagiotis Argiropoulos, Pavlos Stathakis, Nondas Damopoulos, and Petros Gallias. The show is dedicated to the great dancer of the 20th century Vaslav Nijinsky (1889-1950), who managed to give a modern perception to the art of dance, although his short and gusty course, Before he sank into his manic-depression.




Sun. 24/8

21:30
The theatrical play “Stories with echo”, from «Playback Psy» team. Interactive theatrical play which is “written” by the audience each time performed and thus differs. It’s about rendering spectators’ simple stories into theatrical action, a function based on the reciprocal mental deposit of the spectators and the artists of team. Direction modulation: Lambros Giotis, Music : Katerina Elositou, actors: Meletis Ilias, Chris Theoharopoulos, Antony Iordanou, Vera Lardi.




Ticket sales:

  • Bazeos Tower, 12th km. Chora-Ayiassos road, tel. 22850 31402
  • Cafe Citron, Chora, paralia, tel. 22850 22227
  • Distillery Vallindras, Chalki, tel. 22850 31220

Production: Αeon Cultural Non-Profit Organization.
72 Pratinou street, 11634 Athens. Email: aeongr@otenet.gr
Tel.+33 210 7258741, fax +33 210 7258766
Art director: Stelios Krassanakis. Production executive: Mario Vazaios.
Communication: Elli –Anna Peristeraki.

Supported by: Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Mercantile Marine, the Aegean and Island Policy and the Greek Organization of Tourism.

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