MARIA NYMFIADI

Site-specific installation

Korai 4 Street, Site of Historical Memory, was an anti-aircraft shelter used by the German Commandatur as a Detention centre during the occupation of Athens, 1941-1944.

Carving Sweet Dreams was a process-based artwork. At some point, the title “Carving Sweet Dreams” came up as a possible exhibition title. We rejected it later, but while discussing it, I carved the title on a wall to see how it felt to scratch words as the prisoners of the basement in Korai 4 str. did.

The final artwork has two components: a video documenting myself scratching the name of Konst/nos Papazachariou 30-07-44, a prisoner who left this mark on the wall inside the prison. The remaining sand from my scratching was positioned underneath the initial scratching of the wall inside the prison.

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Greek island* exhibition 27/04-16/07/2011

Ethniki Insurance Mansion, Site of Historical Memory 1941-1944, Athens

Curated by the group of artists participating in the show

*code name of the secret bunker built to shelter the United States Congress members