Communities Between Islands: Woven By the Currents
The interdisciplinary arts-based research program Communities Between Islands (CBI) announces the launch of its second chapter, titled “Woven By the Currents.” Following the warm reception of the first cycle curated by Archipelago Network, which took place in autumn 2023, this chapter continues the program’s mission to encourage collaboration and interaction among international artists with the local communities of Corsica, Sardinia, and Syros through participatory workshops and public programs.
For Chapter #02: Woven By the Currents, Providenza has invited artists Sarah-Anaïs Desbenoit (1992, France), Dania Shihab (1982, Iraq), and Amalia Vargas (1994, Colombia) to explore the interconnectedness of landscapes, narratives, and traditions across these three Mediterranean islands, resulting in projects resonating with these island cultures, utilizing different expressive mediums: sound, video, and photography respectively.
From May 7 to May 16, 2024, the artists visit Syros for the first part of their research, during which they will host a series of workshops open to the public. If you are interested in participating, you may sign up until Friday, May 3 by completing the registration form here. Registrations are confirmed on a first come, first served basis.
WORKSHOP by Dania Shihab
Friday May 10, 5pm, Hermoupolis (location to be announced upon signup)
Participants: up to 15 persons
Duration: approx. 2 hours
Working language: English
Reserve your spot here by May 3
Shihab’s workshop involves the creation of a collective sound piece through audio recording and looping technologies. For the first part of the workshop participants will participate in a listening session, followed by a sound walking tour in Ermoupolis and a group composition exercise.
About Dania Shihab’s project, titled Object – Land
By drawing parallels between the bodily displacement of the migrant experience and the geographic displacement of island life, Dania Shihab examines how these realities inform the evolution of new melodic motifs and modes, and how they impact the preservation of traditional music. This process involves collecting field recordings and exploring the topographies of the three Mediterranean islands, focusing on how music practices in both native and immigrant communities are influenced by contemporary culture and the surrounding landscape. After compiling this information, Shihab will use her findings to create a long-form composition.
WORKSHOP by Amalia Vargas
Saturday May 11, 12pm, Hermoupolis (location to be announced upon signup)
Participants: up to 8 persons
Duration: approx. 4 hours
Working language: English
Reserve your spot here by May 3
Vargas proposes a photographic experience of capturing outdoors spaces in Syros with a pinhole camera. The workshop will be carried out in three stages: firstly, the construction of the camera, then the outdoor shots, and finally the development of the images. Vargas is interested in traditional and typical architecture that represents the island, with the aim of compiling a glossary of images that will inspire the sculptures she imagines to create during her residency.
About Amalia Vargas’s project, titled Écume des flux
For her residency project, Vargas delves into the interplay of ancient and modern influences across the islands of Syros, Sardinia, and Corsica. Each island’s landscape serves as a source of inspiration for sculptural forms that emerge from objects found on their shores. During her voyage, she meticulously collects such found objects, drawing inspiration from architectural motifs such as caryatids and balusters. Through this process, her work aims to construct an archaeology, an archive of our time—a testament to the enduring dialogue between humanity and the natural environment, inviting the audience to reconsider their relationship with the landscapes and cultural heritage of the Mediterranean islands.
WORKSHOP by Sarah-Anaïs Desbenoit
Tuesday May 14, 5pm, Hermoupolis (location to be announced upon signup)
Participants: up to 15 persons
Duration: approx. 2 hours
Working language: English
Reserve your spot here by May 3
For her workshop, Desbenoit proposes the creation of a collective work through DV captures and sound recordings. After a brief presentation of her research and recording methodologies, the group takes a walk in various locations, making use of video and sound equipment provided. The resulting DV cassettes are then digitized and edited into a collaborative artwork.
About Sarah-Anaïs Desbenoit’s project, titled Mermaid Melody
During the residency, Desbenoit investigates local myths relating to women across the islands of Syros, Sardinia, and Corsica. Through a blend of video and sound elements, she explores the beliefs and narratives shaped by the landscapes of these Mediterranean islands. Symbolism embedded within the territories helps to unearth a rich tapestry of myths and legends passed down through generations. Employing a combination of documentary and fictional approaches, Desbenoit aims to stage these recollections, offering audiences a unique perspective on the relationship between humanity and nature in these island landscapes.
“Communities Between Islands” is a collaborative initiative involving Providenza in Corsica, France; Cherimus in Sardinia, Italy; and Archipelago Network in Syros, Greece. From September 2023 to the end of 2024, these three Mediterranean organizations host nine international artists who collaborate with local communities through residencies and workshops, creating novel artistic commissions inspired by local thematics and concerns. The participating artists will present the outcome of the residencies in collaboration with local art institutions (FRAC Corsica, Museo Nivola in Sardinia, and the Syros International Film Festival) and the municipalities of Bastia, Perdaxius, and Syros-Ermoupolis on each respective island.
Communities Between Islands is a Creative Europe project funded by the European Commission, and realized with the support of the Goethe-Institut Athen and the J.F. Costopoulos Foundation.