Abstract

“Zeugma” is a New Media Art Project, inspired from the ancient twin city Zeugma, now covered by the river of Euphrates, because of the construction of a dam.

In Greek, «Zeugma» means «link». so,  «Zeugma» may be called any place where foreign and strange between them elements meet, co-exist, are bridged over, harmonize.  Thus, six Greek New Media Artists, traveled to the closest to Zeugma twin city,  Istanbul, looking for the «Zeugma»  of Ancient and Modern times, the «Zeugma» of cultures through time, the intercultural node of east and west.

The works of the six artists, permeates key-notions that transcribe to forms as: twin elements, vis-a-vis in a mutual axis, contra positions, nodal points, passages, joints, sacred and profane in a dialogue…

They used contemporary techniques and media: installations and constructions out of metal, rope, electric light, plexiglass and readymade objects, video installations, interactive multimedia installation, and video performance.

Their intention was to experience the meaning of «zeugma» and to implement it in contemporary art works. They investigated also a plastic glossary that may be a link among all kind of cultural diversities, without undermining the autonomy of each one, but conversely building a horizontal network, without any hierarchy, a kind of cultural rhizome. Perhaps this is the bet of the 21st century?

Finally, we would say that the proposal of the six artists applies not only for the lost city Zeugma, and for modern Istanbul, but for the Mediterranean sea as well,  that liquid –zeugma among Asia, Africa and Europe.

• Anna Hatziyiannaki is an Independent curator, researcher, teacher and writer in New Media Art. She was educated in Paris I (DEA) and Paris VIII (DEA), and she deals since 1994 with New Media Art and since 2004 with Bio Art. She lives and works in Athens, Greece. Together with Dimitris Skoufis (1953-2007) created the first Greek online art magazine ARTOPOS.ORG(1995-2006), still online. She was the organizer and the curator of the first International Bio-Art show in Greece (2006), titled “In Vivo-In Vitro”. Since 2010, she works on Posthumanism issues and on Stelarc’s case. Since January 2011 is Municipal Councillor and member of the Board of the Cultural Organization of City of Athens. She is member of the Journalists’ Association of Athens Daily Newspapers (ESIEA), of AICA (International Association of Art Critics) and member of the Greek department of AICA. BOOKS Hatziyiannaki Anna “Costas Varostos” (gr) ed TA NEA, 2009, ISBN: 960-469-496-0. Hatziyiannaki Anna “Theofilos”, (gr) ed K. Adam Ekdotiki, 2008, ISBN 960-7771-16-8. “Art in the Age of Biotechnological Revolution” (eng, gr)Hatziyiannaki Anna (intro and analysis), papers by: Critical Art Ensemble, Beatriz da Costa, Daniel Lee, Helen Ferry, Eduardo Kac, Steve Tomasula, Sterarc, Karl Sims, Eva Sutton, Susan Alexjander, Polona Tratnik, Joe Davis. ed Futura 2007, ISBN 960-6654-11-7. SELECTED WORKS “From Science Fiction to Reality” A two-day-event with special guests Stelarc and Bruce Sterling where we examined the relation between the human body and technology as a medium of artistic creation and experimentation, 2007. “In Vivo- In Vitro”, International Group Bio Art Project in Athens’ Fine Art School Show Room with CAE, Eduardo Kac, Stelarc, Karl Sims, Joe Davis, Daniel Lee, Eva Sutton, Susan Alexjander, Polona Tratnic, Feb-March, 2006. “Athina by Art”, Group project for an Open Air Art Exhibition in Athens Public Spaces on the occasion of the Olympics 2004 in Athens,Aug-Sept 2004. “Gates”, Guest curator in the Planetary Project, dedicated to Pierre Restany, Chief Curator, Caterina Davinio, 2003. “Interactiva 03”, Participation with RRF (2002) in the Biennale for New Media Art, July-September 2003, organized by the Museum of Contemporary Art, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. Guest curator in the group project RRF (2002) Chief curator Wilefried Agricola de Cologne. “E-Magic”,Co-organizer together with Dimitris Skoufis and Nikos Giannopoulos,of the 1st E-Magic Festival,a cyber media event with streaming media,in the frame of the 43th Thessaloniki International Film Festival, November 2002. International Festival “Art for Human Rights” in charge of the visual arts program of the festival,organized by the NGO “Open Horizons” under the auspices of the Council of Europe and the European Cultural Foundation, 2001. Athens’Daily Newspapers Syndicate,in charge of the New Media Section, 1997- 2003. ART TOPOS non-profit Art & Technology Society, co-founder with Dimitris Skoufis (1953-2007)and curator of its website http://www.artopos.org, operational in internet from 1996 to 2005 (still online). Journalist and columnist for Greek newspapers and magazines,1982-1997. STUDIES 1974-1981 Studied in Paris and received her honors degree in Art Methodology. She completed her postgraduate studies (DEA) in Ethnoesthetics – Anthropology of Art (ParisI ) and in Aesthetics (Paris VIII). She attended also cinema and theater classes at the Paris VIII University. 1973-1974 Diploma of Interior Architecture,” Dimitrelis”, Thessaloniki, Greece. Bio Art Event In Vivo In Vitro

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