The artists Amalia Vekri and Valinia Svoronou (Fellow 2019) create an imaginary environment at P.E.T. Projects, using the Avalon of the Heart as a metaphor for an activated space.
Avalon of the Heart is a book by British occultist and ceremonial magician Dione Fortune. The book refers to Glastonbury as a mythical place of transcendental experiences and spiritual encounters. Discovering where the heart resides, the writer develops a love affair with the landscape and its emotional counterparts.
The viewer travels through narratives of female identifying characters elevating themselves into super heroes through the use of potions, and ritual; while listening to old love songs, they groom as preparation to unveil a mysterious encounter. As a place inhabited by the heart, that is only revealed to its lovers / mystics, the Avalon is not a literal spatial manifestation but rather the nucleus of an ethereal atmosphere; an enchanting experience similar in nature to the ephemeral essence of an extraordinary perfume. The set up of the works alludes to bodily female desires and anxieties, simultaneously longing for spiritual transcendence. Through the interplay of their works, the artists aim to invoke and reconfigure the legendary environment of the Avalon of the Heart, oscillating between references to new age, popular culture, storytelling and the overpowering construct of romanticism in a contemporary technological landscape.
Vekri and Svoronou’s installation comprising of paintings, sculptures, digital prints, sound and light, invites the audience to confront their internal dialogue, where one meets the heart and by extension the internalised lover.
Once the Avalon is activated, your other half is just around the corner.
During the exhibition, a series of participatory performances will take place resembling a blind date, utilizing the installation itself as a working set. These performances will be formed by invited small groups.
P.E.T. TREAT
The 3rd commission on the facade of P.E.T. is presented entitled P.E.T. Treat with a work by Amalia Vekri and Valinia Svoronou. The project serves as an invitation, found meditation, and daily positive affirmation for passers-by on Kerkyras street. Perfumes travel across time and space re-affirming events and evoking memories, sending a message. This message can be a trigger for a long lost encounter or for a new one to begin.
Opening 23rd of June 16:30 – 22:00 (covid 19 measures apply)*
24th of June – 12 October 2020: by appointment only
* Taking into consideration all the safety health measures,
– the number of visitors will be controlled in the entrance
– a 2mt distance is mandatory
– wearing a mask is highly recommended.