Queerupting the Youth

What is the mutual link between the death sentence of the Athenian philosopher Socrates and the condemnation of the witches in the early modern period? What do these historical events have in common with the Queer issue and the vilification of queer subjects?

The transdisciplinary art project “Queerupting the Youth” , through an art exhibition, lectures and workshops, seeks to address the status of queer people in contemporary societies. To do so, itchallenges and questions the foundations of repressive heteronormativity, by encouraging aculture of caring. Considering caring as an enduring social capacity and practice involving thenurturing of all queer subjects.

The exhibition raises questions about the rise of political injustice, the alt-right, patriarchy overequity, accelerating capitalism, the exploitation of queer trauma, queer body politics, the need forefficient safe spaces and unity within and outside of the community. “Queerupting the Youth”intends to reinforce the foundations of queer education including *all subjects -and not only theyouth- as at the same time it considers everyone as new to the process of understanding thecollective queer experience.

Queer artists from Greece are called to take part in the discussion through performance, films,installations, photography etc. The radicalization of both the Queer and the #metoomovement in Greece, as well as the lack of accessibility/visibility for Queer subjects in the Artsand cultural domain in general, makes the invitation of queer related artists an imperative need.We aim to emphasize on queer experience, by encouraging the artists to explore Queernessthrough their art, as well as their shared and non-shared experience.

HGW STD. and Symbiosis host and produce the project, transforming their physical space in
Kallithea, to a safe space for every queer identity, thusly aiming to create an inclusive and transdisciplinary dialogue.

Participating Artists: Anna-Maria Papagiannakou, Aphrodite HGW, Calli Copela,
Chris Tsiampakaris (Fruitgillette), Demetris Papazachos, Melina Xenakis, Melissanthe,
Nikos Papavasiliou, Socrates, Yannis Apostolopoulos

Participating with a collective art installation the queer refugee team: Sonia, Benz, Candy, Atish, Lionel, Lambert, Franck, Augustine, Olaf

Production: HGW STD. & Symbiosis

Graphic Designs: Valia Mikromastora

Art mediating team: Alex Iakovidis, Atish Mehrdad, Daphne Irene Patayas, Natasha Sidera, Nelly Evangelidou, Roberta Spadone, Theodora Karra

*The photos are provided by the artists