2023 /// SITE SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE ///I_LEFT TRILOGY /// ELEUSIS 2023 //EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE
The 2023 Εleusis European Capital of Culture presented, for the first time together, the artistic projects of the trilogy Mystery 13 I_LEFT, conceived and directed by Yolanda Markopoulou, completing a multi-year long artistic research, focused on refugee, uprooting and starting over at a new place. Admission is free.
Three different historical and geographical routes, two site-specific performances, I_LEFT Asia Minor at the area of Synoikismos of Upper Elefsina and I_LEFT PONTOS at the OASIS Former Campsite, as well as the multimedia installation I_LEFT at the Old Canteen, each one of them with its own legacy come alive together through first-person narrations.
Persecutions, refugee and forced relocations form the core of the trilogy, a result of artistic research and creation in the city of Elefsina, started in 2014. The experiences of the participants in each performance are reshaped and presented through different artistic media.
The trilogy distilled a century of refugee stories, from the Asia Minor refugees and the Pontians to today’s refugees and immigrants from Asia. Elefsina is the locus, the point of reception of the displaced, and the space where the audience partakes in a unique experience.
The performance I_LEFT Asia Minor is a distinctive chronicle of the history of the Asia Minor refugees of Upper Elefsina, with their descendants as the protagonists. The bits of the narratives comprise the palimpsest of the performance, guiding the audience in the shacks and alleyways of Synoikismos.
There, a new version of the story is revealed and presented in the form of an event combing performing arts with fine arts and digital technology. The performance has already been presented five times and the occasion marks the final celebratory presentation in Elefsina.
I_LEFT Pontos shines a light on a forgotten period of Greek history. The narrations, unfolding with tearful eyes but also with humour, reflect on the cross-generational trauma caused by the genocide of the people of Pontos, costing thousand of lives.
The unpredictable mash-up of narration balances testimonies, memories and dreams and unravels under the big trees of OASIS former campsite, at Upper Elefsina, a neighborhood built by the Pontians.
The trilogy is completed by the multimedia installation presented by Yolanda Markopoulou and Station Athens theatre group. A new version of the performance I _LEFT which was presented in 2018 in the area of Synoikismos of Upper Elefsina precipitated the research and the two performances that followed.
Video material of the performance will be presented in an innovative multimedia installation featuring the actors of Station Athens group from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
I_LEFT TRILOGY, directed by Yolanda Markopoulou was presented as part of 2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture, between 4-7/10/2023.
I_LEFT Asia Minor
Concept & Direction: Yolanda Markopoulou
Dramaturgy: Ioanna Valsamidou
Collaboration in Dramaturgy: Thanos Tsakalidis
Video Design: Erato Tzavara & Yolanda Markopoulou
Music Composition: dorόs
Costume Design: Paris Mexis
Research: The Group
Technical Direction: Nikos Charalampidis
Production Direction: Vicky Strataki
Performance Photographs: Elina Giounanli
Production: POLYPLANITY Productions
Performers: Ifigeneia Karamitrou, Thanos Tsakalidis
Live Music: dorόs – Nikolas Angelopoulos (lute, lavta), Dimitris Brendas (clarinet, ney, kaval), Alexis Nonis (darbuka, bendir, stamna, cajon, kalimba), Nikos Skafidas (violin), Christos Syngelos (oud)
With the participation of the following members of the Asia Minor Association of Elefsina: Eleni Apostolou,Grigoris Asimakopoulos, Voula Gemela-Kalaskani, Georgia GIagtzoglou-Antoniadou, Marina Daskalou, Froso Karakitsou, Maria Lioura, Maritsa Michailou, Periklis Michailos, Aimilia Mpersi Kaiti Saritzioti, Vaso Sfika, Vaggelis Tsakiroglou, Evgenia Tsolaki
and the late Archondo Gemela-Marouga
With the support of the Eleusis Museum of Asia Minor and mind the fact.
I_LEFT Multimedia Installation
Concept- Creation: Yolanda Markopoulou
Artistic Direction of the Installation: Paris Mexis
Artistic Collaborator: Margarita Papadopoulou
Technical Coordinator: Nikos Charalampidis
Executive Production: POLYPLANITY Productions/ Vicky Strataki
With: Chalil Alizada, Hossein Amiri, Ramzan Mohammad, Reza Mohammadi, Aidim Joymal
I_LEFT Pontos
Concept – Direction: Yolanda Markopoulou
Research Collaborator – Community Coordinator: Constantina Georgiou
Video Design: Mavra Gidia & Yolanda Markopoulou
Technical and Lighting Design: Konstantina Evangelou, Vassilios Ntovros
Musical Supervision: Ilias Yfantidis
Sound Design: Manolis Manoussakis
Dance Instructor: Sofia Savvoulidou
Stage Manager: Ioanna Valsamidou
Photographer: Elina Giounanli
Technical Manager: Nikos Charalampidis
Translation / English Surtitles: Melissanthi Giannousi
Production Manager: Vicky Strataki
Executive Production: POLYPLANITY Productions
Participants (in alphabetical order):
Angela Adjamalidou, Yiannis Anthopoulos, Efstathia Athanasiadou, Anastasia Bayramidou, Spyridoula Dioleti, Paris Dioletis, Despina Efthymiadou, Maria Eliadi, Elias Fotiadis, Veronica Gregorian, Olga Ionidou, Maria Karakasidi, Nikos Kosmidis, Sofia Kosmidi-Pantelidi, Stella Kosmidi, Yorgos Lachanas, Margarita Louka, Nefeli Maria Christina Louka, Demosthenis Loukas, Margarita Pantelidi-Louka, Parthena Pantelidi, Christos Pantelidis, Konstantinos Pantelidis, Pavlos Pantelidis, Victoras Pantelidis, Philippos Parcharidis, Ourania Semertzidi, Zenovia Sidiropoulou, Yorgos Stefanidis, Anastasios Symeonidis, Haris Symeonidis, Valanto Thanopoulou, Ilias Yfantidis
With the support of the Pontian Association of Elefsina «New Trebizond» and mind the fact.
With the active participation of the «New Trebizond» Pontian Association of Elefsina.
