“Pool”: a performance of the exhibition “Scattering of Salts” by Kontantina Barkouli

Kontantina Barkouli’s dance performance, a new production for the exhibition, titled “Pool,” takes a reservoir for water as a point of departure, embodying notions of accumulation, stability, and the convergence of diverse elements within a shared space. In her response to the “Scattering of Salts” group show, Barkouli delves into the materiality of salt, evoking associations with idyllic summer scenes and moments of leisure. However, she deliberately selects the swimming pool as the central symbol for the physical evolution of her work, highlighting its role as a human-made container typically devoid of salt. A melodic song interweaves with the soundscape, accompanied by fragments of dialogue from the film “The Way We Were,” evoking an atmosphere of nostalgia while simultaneously challenging it. Exploring themes of memory, the past, and their processing, Barkouli incorporates salt as a defining space and movement material, with qualities of preservation and dissolution, also connected to pleasure—shaping the trajectory of motion. The spatial data, visual materials, architectural elements, and artworks coalesce, and become embodied. As the performance unfolds, a swimmer engages in warm-up exercises, setting the stage for what lies ahead.

Konstantina Barkouli (b. 1994, Athens) graduated from the National School of Dance in Athens and the American College of Greece (2021), where she acquired her BA in Communication and Film Studies with the support of a Harvey C. Krentzman scholarship. As a dancer, she has collaborated with many artists and dance companies. She has performed in several international festivals, including: International Contemporary Dance Festival of the Canary Islands, Athens Biennale, Aerowaves Festival, Athens & Epidaurus Festival, Fast Forward Festival, Ramallah Contemporary Dance Festival and Dance Days Chania. As part of her SNF ARTWORKS fellowship, she showcased her first solo work-in-progress titled ‘Nobody Wants Your Dance’.

More info about the exhibition