The Athens Biennial and Papasotiriou bookstores are pleased to invite you to an open discussion on the visual arts scene in Athens, as it has been developing in recent years. The discussion will consider the position and role of local institutions (museums, foundations, large-scale periodic exhibitions/biennials, group exhibitions of young Greek artists), and comment on the mobility of artists and curators, the activity of galleries, the emergence of new publications, etc.

Participants are:

The discussion will be moderated by Xenia Kalpaktsoglou (co-director, Athens Biennial and curator).

Wednesday 7 May, 19.00
Papasotiriou bookstore
37 Panepistimiou & Korai street, Athens

Τhe Athens Biennial and “TA NEA” newspaper cordially invite you to the presentation of “The List”, a project by Banu Cennetoglu and Huib Haye van der Werf, with which they participate in the 1st Athens Biennial 2007 Destroy Athens.

“The List” is the catalogue of the 8.855 substantiated deaths of immigrants who tried to illegally cross the European Union borders, during the period 1993 – 2007.

The presentation will be held on Tuesday 25th September, at 19.00, in the E.S.I.E.A. auditorium. 

The work will be presented by Banu Cennetoglu, Michalis Mitsos, journalist in “TA NEA” newspaper, Xenia Kalpaktsoglou, Poka-Yio and Augustine Zenakos, curators of the 1st Athens Biennial. Representatives of the United Nations High Commission and Amnesty International will also attend the event.

The project will be published in its complete form in “TA NEA” newspaper, on the 28th September.

The presentation is open to the public. Entrance is free.

Tuesday 25th September, 19.00
E.S.I.E.A. Auditorium, 20 Akadimias Street, Athens
For further information: +30 210 5232222

For over 25 years, Deutsche Bank has been carrying out pioneering work through its commitment to contemporary art. Its program comprises the largest corporate collection in the world with over 50,000 works of art, the Deutsche Guggenheim exhibition space in Berlin and a highly varied program of exhibitions, commissioned art works and art sponsorship activities. In 2007 Deutsche Bank is not only the main sponsor of the German Pavilion at the Venice Biennial, but also the main sponsor of the 1st Athens Biennial. Deutsche Bank’s support for this exceptional premiere Destroy Athens, reflects its ongoing international commitment to art. Furthermore artists such as Charles Avery, John Bock, Peter Dreher, Olaf Nicolai, and Julian Rosefeldt, who participate in the first Biennial, are represented with their works in the Deutsche Bank Collection. Further information on Deutsche Bank Art is available at www.deutsche-bank-art.com

The Athens Biennial is pleased to invite you to the discussion entitled ‘Biennials in dialogue’ in the Art Lobby Program, at Art 38 Basel. The panel includes Thierry Raspail (artistic director, Lyon Biennial), Celenk Bafra (director, Istanbul Biennial), Poka-Yio, Augustine Zenakos (co-curators, with Xenia Kalpaktsoglou, 1st Athens Biennial), and Nicolas Bourriaud (curator, Tate Triennial). The discussion will be moderated by Jean-Max Colard (art critic, ‘Les Inrockuptibles’, Paris).

Art Lobby, Art Unlimited, Hall 1 – Messe Basel
Thursday 14.06.2007, 16.00-17.00

As part of the ‘tres bienn’ collaboration, the curators of the Athens, Istanbul and Lyon Biennials gave a joint public presentation during the opening days of the 52nd Venice Biennale. The discussion, entitled "The biennial is dead. Long live the biennial", included presentations by Poka-Yio & Augustine Zenakos (co-curators, with Xenia Kalpaktsoglou, 1st Athens Biennial), Hou Hanru (curator, 10th Istanbul Biennial), and Hans Ulrich Obrist & Stephanie Moisdon (curators, 9th Lyon Biennial), and was moderated by Rafal Niemojewski. The presentation took place on June 8th at Teatro Piccolo Arsenale.

The Athens Biennial, the Istanbul Biennial and the Lyon Biennial jointly hosted their closest friends on a 'tres bienn' boat reception in Venice on June 7th at St Elena shore, close to the Giardini. Those present had the opportunity to informally discuss the prospects of the collaboration of the three biennials, and celebrate together with the organisers and curators the launch of this initiative. More information on the ‘tres bienn’ collaboration here.

The Athens Biennial is pleased to invite you to a Press Conference, which will take place on Tuesday 5th June 2007, at 12.00. The curators of the 1st Athens Biennial 2007, Destroy Athens, will present the main themes of the exhibition, as well as the parallel events, and will announce the participating artists.

Technopolis of the Municipality of Athens
Room D6
Tuesday 05.06.2007, 12.00

ArtwaveRadio, the new Athens-based internet radio station for contemporary art, will begin broadcasting on Monday 23rd April 2007, at 13.00 (Athens time). Reminiscent of the first days of pirate radio stations, it uploads one two to three hour broadcast per week. The broadcast is repeated daily. Broadcasting times, as well as programme information, are available at the ArtwaveRadio website www.artwaveradio.net. They will also be e-mailed monthly to the Athens Biennial mailing list.

ArtwaveRadio provides an audio arena for the creation and promotion of original artwork, while among others includes rare recordings, interviews, DJs and mp3 streamings. It is directed by artists Kostas Bassanos and Dimitris Foutris and it maintains an open call for proposals by all interested in contributing to the programme.

ArtwaveRadio is an AB Project, implemented by the Athens Biennial, and alongside its regular broadcasting schedule, will also cover the events and activities of the 1st Athens Biennial 2007 exhibition Destroy Athens.

For more information or submission of proposals please e-mail us at: info@artwaveradio.net.

The 1st Athens Biennial 2007 Destroy Athens will open for the public on 10 September 2007 and will last until 18 November 2007.

The exhibition will take place in one main venue, as well as several side venues in central Athens. The main venue is Technopolis, a complex of buildings that covers an area of approximately 30 acres, administered as a cultural venue by the Municipality of Athens. Technopolis constitutes an industrial museum of incomparable architecture, one of the most interesting in Europe. It is located in the old Gas factory of Athens, known as "Gazi", next to Keramikos and close to the Acropolis, and it constitutes one of the basic elements composing the contemporary image of the city of Athens.

More information on side venues will be announced shortly.

1st Athens Biennial 2007
Destroy Athens
Preview: 9th September 2007
Public Opening: 10th September 2007

The 1st Athens Biennial 2007 Conference is titled Prayer for (Passive?) Resistance. It will be held on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th February 2007. The Conference will investigate the premise suggested by the concept of the 1st Athens Biennial 2007 exhibition, Destroy Athens. It will take place in the main chamber of the Old Parliament, now the National Historical Museum, in central Athens. It is open to the public. 

The Conference will include presentations by Catherine David, independent curator, and co-curator of the 1st Contemporary Art Biennale of Thessaloniki; Per Hasselberg, artist and Director of Konsthall C, Stockholm; Evelyne Jouanno, independent curator and art critic; Maria Theodorou, architect; Viktor Misiano, independent curator, art critic, and curator of the parallel program of the invited country (Russia) in art athina 2007; Neil Mulholland, Αcting Director of the Centre for Visual & Cultural Studies, Edinburgh College of Art;  Panayis Panayiotopoulos, lecturer at the Department of Political Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki; Kostis Stafylakis, artist, doctoral candidate at Panteion University, Athens; Yiannis Stavrakakis, Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Theoretical Studies, University of Essex, and tutor at the Department of Political Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki; Jeremy Valentine, Senior Lecturer at Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh.

Old Parliament - National Historical Museum, 13 Stadiou Street, Athens | Time: 11.00 | Simultaneous translation | Εntrance to the Conference is free of charge | For more information please contact the Athens Biennial

The first companion publication for the 1st Athens Biennial 2007 Destroy Athens is now available. Titled Suggestions for the Destruction of Athens – A Handbook, it is a conceptual guide for the process leading up to the Destroy Athens exhibition, in September 2007. It is published by the Athens Biennial and Futura Publications in two versions, one in Greek and one in English.

You can order it directly from Futura Publications (15, Victoros Ougo Street, GR 104 32, Athens, Greece | T: +30 210 5226361 | E: futura@ath.forthnet.gr) or find it in selected bookstores.

The Athens Biennial will accept a number of interns in the coming months, to contribute towards the 1st Athens Biennial 2007 Destroy Athens. Some internships will begin later in the year and some after January 2007. Those interested are requested to send a brief note of interest, as well as a cv, to the Athens Biennial Project Coordinator Nicky Tsianti, by e-mail, fax or land-mail (please see below for contact details). 

The Athens Biennial team has moved to a new office space. Therefore, all inquiries or feedback should from now on be addressed to:
Athens Biennial
8 Acharnon Street
GR – 10432
Athens
Greece
T: +30 210 5232222
F: +30 210 5232202
E: contact@athensbiennial.org

The Athens Biennial is happy to announce that the international media sponsor for the 1st Athens Biennial International Contemporary Αrt Εxhibition Destroy Athens is e-flux. e-flux (electronic flux corporation) is a New York-based information service dedicated to world wide distribution of information on contemporary visual arts via the Internet. Established in 1999, e-flux has already built a readership of more than 33,000 international visual arts professionals (42% North America, 47% Europe, and 11% other) and provides services for leading museums, cultural centres, publishers, art fairs, biennials, and periodicals world wide.

May 2006 | The Athens Biennial at Art Lobby

The curators of Destroy Athens, the 1st Athens Biennial Contemporary Art Exhibition, will participate in the Art Lobby program at this year's Art Basel. In their presentation, Xenia Kalpaktsoglou, Poka-Yio, and Augustine Zenakos will focus on the context within which the Athens Biennial was initiated, the unorthodox methods which were necessary for its founding, its intended tactics towards both the local and the international systems of distribution, as well as its aspirations for its upcoming projects, events and activities. The presentation will take place on 14th June (14:30 - 15:00), in Hall 1, Messe Basel. The full program is available at www.artbasel.com. Everyone is invited.

artwaveradio is an artist-run internet art radio station, broadcasting live from Athens, Greece. Please visit:www.artwaveradio.net. This is a call for proposals by people who wish to contribute to the broadcasting of artwaveradio. This project aims to provide a live audio arena for original audio artwork, rare recordings, interviews, talks, sound projects, and, of course, DJs and mp3 stream of music. artwaveradio will also be at the forthcoming 1st Athens Biennial International Contemporary Art Exhibition, in September 2007, streaming on a daily basis via internet, and covering the most important events. For submission of proposals, or further information, please e-mail us at artwaveradio@yahoo.gr

The 1st Athens Biennial International Contemporary Art Exhibition, titled Destroy Athens aims to attack stereotyping, so it is inviting artists to a celebration of dissent, which will employ the heretical treatment of the universal and timeless symbol of Athens as a pretext or as a metaphor for an assertion of self-determination.