Nexus

Art, research, social engagement and documentation in one interwoven structure.

Cartography is mostly regarded as an objective representation, while in fact maps are loaded with subjective views or interpretations. Nexus is an attempt to creatively explore a landscape and a community, it is a way to map my physical and mental journey in which I create real and imaginary trails to evoke and share a sense of place. Nexus has no end.

I approach the project as a field of possibilities, a multileveled (learning) experience and an ongoing opportunity. Central to my actions is exploring the relationship between the natural and the cultural, exploring the notion of borderlines and boundaries and taking into account the concept of the open work, both as ephemeral and unfinished. I reflect on key questions such as, how much do I interfere with the natural environment and to what extent I relate myself to the place and the local community. The relationship between the unit/individual and the whole/collective also concerns me and my practice. Like a mosaic, every little piece is part of and contributes to the whole.

The dynamicist theory, cognitive function suggests that “the parts are able to relate or connect to any other in multiple, nonlinear ways” (Sullivan, 2005, p.121). Departing from the idea of the rhizome and the nexus and taking into account the digital presentation of the project, I created an interactive map documenting ideas, sensations, conversations, processes and interventions. A map is not linear and so is the development of the project. The different elements correlate one to another, they develop and spread in various directions like the stems of a rhizomatic plant.

Interaction forms experience

Our planet lies at a critical juncture. Our world is struggling with interconnected crises and multitudes of threats to its integrity. Central to this is understanding our interdependence. Nowadays, we are engaging simultaneously in the reappraisal of the environment. Development can only be achieved within certain environmental qualities. We have to understand complex interrelations between energy provision, material and food production, and the process of urbanisation. Both at a local and international level, it is necessary to meet our needs within a sustainable environmental framework.

For the “Turning the Tide” project, I have chosen to work in the region of the Lelantine plain, a fertile region, named after the river Lilas, which is situated in central Evia, between Chalkida and Eretria. In 2009 and in 2020 after heavy rain in the mountains the region experienced sudan floods as the banks of the river couldn’t hold and gently stream such big amounts of water, alluvium and other materials were carried away and ended up across Evia island, hence the cost of Oropos, where I live.

My inquiry began based on the basic idea of interaction “Because every experience is constructed by interaction…between self and its world…” (Dewey, 2005, p.256). I felt the urge to explore, feel and learn about this landscape, the river, generally the region and its people.My interest expanded from people’s experience of the specific incident of the flood, to how they relate themselves to the river and the Lelantine region. The relationship between people and their environment creates a way of life.

This interaction of human activity in the environment needs constant observation in order to develop a better understanding of the impact of human activity on the planet. Through my practice, I seek ways of expression and creation in a relational framework, in which human relationships shape the aspects of our lives within the eternal process of becoming. With the support and participation of my family, I embarked on a journey to develop ideas, to unfold new relationships and to open up for further collaborations.