Johnny Karanicolas Phd Thesis Art and Crisis Nov 2019 Complete
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Art and Crisis on the Streets of Athens Johnny Damien Karanicolas Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Faculty of Arts School of Social Sciences Discipline of Anthropology The University of Adelaide November 2019 Contents Abstract………………………………………………..........………………………………….....1 Declaration………………………………………………..........…………………………………3 Acknowledgments………………………………………………..........………………….......…4 List of Figures…………………………………………………..........……………………….......5 Chapter 1 Introduction: Art and Crisis…………..........…………………………………..........….........8 1.1 Thesis Focus: Athens is the New Athens…………..........………………………...........12 1.2 Theorising Art and the Urban Experience…………..........……………………..............16 1.3 Expanding Upon Art and Agency: Networks of Human and Material Agencies….......17 1.4 Symbols as Mediums of Agency: Acting Through Zones of Distortion….......….......…27 1.5 Symbols of Domination and Resistance….......….......….......….......….......….............30 1.6 The Centrality of Urban Space in the Athens Art Scene….......….......….......….......…33 1.7 Temporality: The Political and Social Dimensions of Time….......….......….......…......37 1.8 Thesis Outline….......….......….......….......….......….......…….......….......….......…......46 Chapter 2 Methodology and Context….......….......….......….......….......….......….......….......…......51 2.1 The Precarious Task of Defining Art….......….......….......….......….......….......….........52 2.2 Primary and Secondary Research Participants….......……………...….......….......…...55 2.3 Gaining Access to Participants….......….......….......….......….......….......….......….......57 2.4 Qualitative Methodology….......….......….......….......….......….......….......….......…......62 2.5 The Difficulties of Conducting Urban Ethnography….......….......….......….......….........65 2.6 Research Context: The Crisis in Athens….......….......….......….......….......….......…...70 2.7 Arrival in Field: 2015 Greek Bailout Referendum.......….......….......….......….........…...79 2.8 Conclusion.......….......….......….......….......….......…... .......….......….......….......….....87 Chapter 3 Graffiti and Street Art in Athens.......….......….......….......….......….......……..............….88 3.1 The Ancestry of Graffiti and the Birth of the Modern Art Gallery.......….......….......…....89 3.2 Graffiti: From New York to Athens.......….......….......….......….......….......……….........94 3.3 From Graffiti to Street Art......….......….......….......….......….......…………………...... 100 3.4 Contested Legitimacy: The Slippery Slope Between Art and Vandalism......…..........119 3.5 “Knowledge speaks – Wisdom listens” Lessons from the Owl......….......….......….....126 3.6 Conclusion......….......….......….......….......….......……………………......….......….....129 Chapter 4 The Spatial Composition of a Street Art Paradise......….......….......….......…..............130 4.1 The Historical Production of Contested Space......….......….......….......….......….......132 4.2 Examining the Primacy of Social Space in the Fringes of Homogeny......….......….....143 4.3 Giving Voice to The Spirits of Decaying Urbanity Through Art......….......….......….....154 4.4 Conclusion......….......….......….......….......….......…………………….........…….........166 Chapter 5 Symbolism, Space and Art......….......….......….......….......….......………...............…...168 5.1 Public Space, Symbols and Distortion: The Case of Phylax......…………............…...169 5.2 Harnessing the Symbolic Potential of the Urban Context......….......…..............….....181 5.3 Symbolic Battles Within the City......….......….......….......….......….......………….......188 5.4 The Symbolic Function of Art as Socio-Political Commentary......….......….......….....202 5.5 Conclusion.……………………………………………………………………………........211 Chapter 6 Bridging the Past and the Present Through Art......….......….......….......….......…......212 6.1 Using the Tragic Past to Interpret the Crisis......….......….......….......….......……........213 6.2 The Greek Spirit of Resistance......….......….......….......….......….......……….............221 6.3 Conclusion......….......….......….......….......….......…………….........….......…….........230 Chapter 7 Institutions, Experimentation and Discord......….......….......….......….......……..........232 7.1 Exploring the Athens Art-Scape......….......….......….......….......….......………………233 7.2 The Sfendoni Movement: Resistance and Experiments in Self-Organisation……….252 7.3 The Arrival and Departure of Documenta 14 “Learning from Athens” ………………...262 7.4 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………….273 Chapter 8 Conclusion........……...………………………………………………….........................…..275 References……………………………………………………………………………………..282 Abstract This thesis is an examination of the complex composition of the subversive counter-institutional art scene which has developed in Athens, Greece throughout a time of crisis. With the emergence of the economic crisis in 2009 and the intensification of the refugee crisis between 2015 and 2016, images of suffering, anarchy, indignation and violence have become synonymous with Athens. Developing in parallel with this has been a cultural revolution led by the city’s fast changing arts sector. The thriving art scene has attracted the attention of the international art world leading some to proclaim Athens as ‘the new Berlin’. I explore the extent to which times of crisis can be culturally productive by analysing the distinctive spatial, temporal and socio-political conditions that have facilitated the vibrant art scene. This analysis is used to frame the fierce resistance and enduring suspicion directed towards the arrival of major international art institutions within wider perceptions of exploitation and domination at the hands of hegemonic Global Powers. Qualitative data for this project was collected during a year of ethnographic fieldwork in Athens between July 2015 to July 2016, with two short follow-up visits in July 2017 and February 2019. Research included participant observation and interviews with a range of street artists, performance artists, curators and gallery owners. Throughout the crisis, funding and resources available to the arts have become scarce. In response to these limitations, artists have experimented with alternative and novel ways to produce and present their work. One of the most significant developments has been the move from traditional gallery spaces and art institutions to the more democratic, collaborative and often-chaotic city streets. Key urban spaces in Athens have historically been the sites of occupations, executions, revolutions and political violence which invests them with powerful communicative and political potentialities. Through artistic means, the symbolic content inherent in these spaces is evoked by artists to make sense of, and resist the current crisis. The interconnectedness of urban space, history, symbols, art objects, artists and the public is shown to be central to the development of the unique and 1 meaningful counter-institutional art scene. By expanding on Gell’s (1998) analysis of the social context of art, I explore the way the socio-political, spatial and temporal context of art in Athens actively influences its form, meaning and function. At the same time the creativity and agency of artists is highlighted through their capacity to actively manipulate and engage with their urban and socio-political environment. Ultimately, through the voices of those involved, this thesis portrays the complexity and dynamism of a radical, experimental and heterogeneous art scene during a time of crisis. 2 Thesis Declaration I certify that this work contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma in my name, in any university or other tertiary institution and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, contains no material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference has been made in the text. In addition, I certify that no part of this work will, in the future, be used in a submission in my name, for any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution without the prior approval of the University of Adelaide and where applicable, any partner institution responsible for the joint-award of this degree. I give permission for the digital version of my thesis to be made available on the web, via the University’s digital research repository, the Library Search and also through web search engines, unless permission has been granted by the University to restrict access for a period of time. I acknowledge the support I have received for my research through the provision of an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship Johnny Damien Karanicolas 3 Acknowledgments I would like to acknowledge the resilience and unceasing determination of those who against all odds continue to create. I thank everyone who helped inform this project and am grateful for their insights into a truly special art world. I am extremely appreciative of the opportunities granted to me in Athens and the enduring friendships that were forged throughout the course of fieldwork. A big thank you to my supervisors Professor Andrew Skuse and Doctor Dianne Rodger who provided all the guidance that I needed to navigate the PhD process. Their constructive criticism and instruction has been extremely helpful. Along with this I would also like to thank my past supervisor Richard Vokes