The 2023 Portokalia Festival opens its doors for this year’s season, hosting the most timely-ever photography exhibition by Giota Efremidou, titled «ANTILIPSIS.» The exhibition is being held as part of the Portokalia Festival 2023 program by the «Portokalia Karava» Cultural Association in collaboration with the «Pavlos Killah P Fyssas.» The exhibition opens on Saturday, August 19, 2023, at 7:00 p.m., in the presence of two of the exhibition’s featured artists, Magda Fyssas and Iason Apostolopoulos, along with other members of the association.
Opening Ceremony Program, August 19
8:00 p.m. Welcome by Giota Efremidou
Welcome from the Portokalia Association of Karava, Kythira
8:15 p.m. Speech by Magda Fyssa
8:45 p.m. Speech by Iason Apostolopoulos
21:15 Screening of the film *Red Hulk*, running time 27′
The exhibition will run through September 3.
Hours: Daily, 7:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. Free admission.
Sponsors: Stavros Kyriakakis, Kanellis Studios, El Sol Hotel
With the support of: Psomoladea, Botzio, Astikon, Kaleris, Amir Alis, and Karava Bakery.
More about the exhibition
The photographer's original idea came to her one September.
Among people with souls, among people who suffer and move forward, who laugh and share. And amid thoughts and ideas, actions followed. And through those actions, a photographic work was born—specifically, a testament of the soul.
«I want to be your voice; I want you to be my support; I want us to move forward together, to feel whatever you feel. Together, I want us to capture what you want to shout out.»
The exhibition space features 30 photographic portraits of volunteers, with each portrait serving as a reference or symbol of a form of violence (racism, femicide, racial or gender-based violence, propaganda, state violence, the refugee crisis).
The portraits have been created in a way that clearly highlights a form of violence as well as the voices of the victims. Each portrait is accompanied by a concise yet descriptive text, written by the volunteers themselves.
Chrysa, Anna, Michalis, Nancy, Dimitris, Christos, and Fotini came together in an embrace, and amid the tears and smiles, the embraces became photographs, and the photographs became voices. Each portrait is an echo of a crime, an injustice, and a struggle that we do not always win, but we fight so as not to lose.
Through this project, Giota Efremidou expresses her deep need and desire to become the voice—the cry of protest—against all forms of violence. With this exhibition, she invites us to connect emotionally with the victims and their families, and to support the just cause of their struggle.
In a society nearly paralyzed by fear and poverty, with a government lacking social structures and welfare programs, let us be the pillar of support for the vulnerable.
The sequence of portraits serves as a series of signals, urging us to confront the beast of violence and raise our voices in this unequal but just struggle.
On the greatness of solidarity.
For those who fell victim to fascism.
For those who continue to fight against him.
For the light that will ultimately prevail.
See you in Karava!
