Venue: Paxos island, Greece
Opening: 2 June 2024
Duration: 2 June – 6 October 2024
Artistic direction: Marina Tomacelli Filomarino
Curator: THE KRANK
Participating Artists: more than 100 artists based in Europe, Asia, America, Australia and Africa
Peggy Kliafa participates with the artwork “OLIVE TREE – PHARMAKON” which is exhibited at Maria Kagka’s pharmacy in Magazia village of Paxos island and is courtesy of the artist herself and Zoumboulakis Galleries.
OLIVE TREE – PHARMAKON
2024, Aluminum foil from pills blisters on canvas, acrylic colours and pencil,
40 x 30 cm
An assemblage representing an olive branch consisting of aluminum foil from pills blisters. Through this artwork Peggy Kliafa glorifies the olive tree as a medicinal plant with powerful health benefits, while at the same time touching on the current situation, where the outbreak of a pathogenic bacterium threatens olive trees with extinction. In order to survive, olive trees need to be protected with medicines. The olive tree as medicine but also in urgent need of medicine. The dual nature of medicines that has always been central to Peggy Kliafa’s work is emphasized once again through this artwork.
Learn more about the Paxos Biennale 2024 here
CATALOGUE EXCERPT
Paxos Biennale, under the theme of MANIFESTO OF MEMORY presents artworks beyond the sterile confines of traditional gallery spaces, instead showcasing them in the old and traditional shops scattered across the island. By knitting art with the rich tapestry of Paxos’ heritage, each shop owner becomes a guardian of unique art pieces, in warm and vibrant spaces where humanity takes center stage.
This approach not only celebrates the memory and cultural heritage of Paxos but also underscores the vital role of the island’s inhabitants in weaving the fabric of life. It is the people of Paxos, with their stories and traditions, who breathe life into these artworks, creating an unprecedented experience that transcends the boundaries of conventional exhibitions.
THE CURATOR’S TEXT
In the realm of Greek cultural discourse, the olive tree emerges as a symbol of profound significance. Its introduction to Paxos by the ancient Greeks, and following by the Venetians approximately four centuries ago marked a significant juncture in its cultural narrative and image of the island. Notably, the manifestation of the olive tree in this context diverges substantially from our canonical understanding, characterized by towering statures of up to five meters, a rugged morphology, and unimpeded growth devoid of anthropogenic intervention. Functioning as an emblem of fortitude and resilience, the olive tree epitomizes endurance amidst adverse environmental conditions, exhibiting a remarkable capacity for regeneration following periods of adversity.
Within traditional frameworks, it frequently serves as a metaphor for spiritual development, intellectual enlightenment, and philosophical sagacity, thereby underscore the intrinsic value accorded to perpetual evolution and introspective exploration.
Across Mediterranean geographies, a recent surge of Xylella, a bacterium pathogenic to olive trees, has precipitated widespread devastation, leading to the demise of countless trees. Notably, several of these venerable olive trees, having stood the test of time, now confront the danger of annihilation, thereby elucidating the precarious nature of the surrounding ecosystem and the perilous potential for pathogen dissemination to contiguous territories, Greece included.
Such a scenario underscores both the vulnerability inherent within ecological systems and the tangible risk associated with the erosion of this emblematic icon of peace and affluence.
Against this backdrop, the current iteration of the Paxos Biennale interrogates the intricate interplay between the olive tree and its conceptual entanglements with notions of decay and obliteration. In doing so, it endeavors to illuminate the imperative of safeguarding collective memory and cultural heritage, serving as a poignant reminder that no element of our cultural patrimony can be considered immune to the ravages of time and circumstance.
THE KRANK