Island retreat: Sterna Art Project 2016 takes over Nisyros, Greece

Sterna Art Project 2016 presents ’Experimental Education Protocol’ at the Baths of Mandraki on Nisyros Island, inviting nine international artists and curators to participate.

This summer, Sterna Art Project presents ‘Experimental Education Protocol’, inviting nine artists and curators to partake in a new creative process, producing and exhibiting the results. Curated by Athens-based artist Angelo Plessas, it will take place at the Baths of Mandraki, on the island of Nisyros, Greece.

Sterna Art Project is designed as an active space for artists to converge via residency programs and exhibitions. Sterna is an interdisciplinary non-profit organisation set up by business- and marketing-trained photograper Greg Haji Joannides in 2014, which aims to foster and nurture the creative expression of artists while challenging the contemporary visual culture.

This year’s project and exhibition marks the second time the historical baths have become a meeting point of creativity for participating artists, with the previous Sterna Art Project also utilising this space. This year, ‘Experimental Education Protocol’ centres on a new alternative education model based on joint experiential learning. This method brings together and explores different views, personalities, approaches and empirical research from the participants in order for them to learn from one another and produce work – while steering clear of any rules, hierarchy or academic approach. This process is not confined to just the participating artist, but open to the public to visit and contribute.

Contributing figures this year include educator and curator Sepake Angiama, who has worked with with the Hayward Gallery, London, and Manifesta 10 in St Petersburg; as well as Greek architect-artist Andreas Angelidakis; American poet, critic and editor Quinn Latimer; musician-artist Paolo Thorsen-Nagel; and CEO of Swedish architecture firm DAPgroup Mia Lundström, who is also involved in urban development welfare.

The official opening of ‘Experimental Education Protocol’ took place yesterday, 21 July; with an exhibition showcasing work produced throughout the previous ten days. The exhibition will be accompanied by a publication featuring the works produced for the project, as well as theoretical texts by the participating artists.

This method brings together and explores different views, personalities, approaches and empirical research from the participants in order for them to learn from one another and produce work – while steering clear of any rules, hierarchy or academic approach.

While the previous Sterna Art Project explored and activated the eerie character and site of the Baths, this year’s iteration focuses on an experimental process of joint experiential learning and creation.

Sterna is an interdisciplinary non-profit organisation set up by Greg Haji Joannides in 2014, which aims to foster and nurture the creative expression of artists while challenging contemporary visual culture.

INFORMATION

Sterna Art Project 2016 will be on view until 20 August. For more information, visit the Sterna website

ADDRESS

Baths of Mandraki,
Nisyros 85303

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