Restoring Closeness, the AfroGreeks live – All-day events with Afro-Greek artists all over Athens and live-streaming on Greek Public Television (ERT)
21/03/2021 Athens, Greece
Sunday 21/03/2021, by its very nature, affirms equality in practice, as day and night are of equal length. It became the starting point for a dialogue on the ways one can manage the difficulties of the pandemic: whether as an artist or as a spectator.
The protagonists of the AfroGreeks made Athens a stage by “canceling” the health restrictions on the spring equinox, on Sunday 21/3/21, a day dedicated to poetry and the elimination of racial discrimination. The empty city became the setting that housed the collective project -in progress- the AfroGreeks that organized a day-long action honoring the important messages of the day and respecting all the protective measures for Covid-19.
The 6 actions were shown in a live streaming broadcast on Greek Public Television (ERT) and the social networks of ERT and Døcumatism.
The protagonists of the project were the heroes who carried out short actions in open spaces all over the city, marking demands, needs, shortages, visions, meetings and new connections. Creating alternative and interactive connections that made the confined Athenians (and all Greeks) participate in the mass celebration of the day as if they could roam freely in the city participating in musical events and discussions.
Moving from one event to the other using drone shots, gave viewers the sense of freely moving through the city, at a time when they had no freedom of movement due to the pandemic
The artists-performers of the actions stubbornly and creatively claimed what they dreamed of: what the protagonists of the AfroGreeks are looking for every day so that the end of restrictions can find everyone more free, liberated from stereotypes and prejudices, ready to surrender to poetry and acceptance of diversity.
At the end of that day, the protagonists of the actions, as the restrictive measures in the city were starting, created an online discussion on zoom with the participation of the viewers, many questions and a large number of publications and laudatory online comments.
The actions of the day:
– 9.30 Pedion tou Areos
Theatre play with poems and music from Africa and Thrace by actor Samuel Akinola, actress & director Eleni Mavridou, musician George Mavridis and 6 young Afro-Greek students from Kypseli schools.
– 11.30 Athens Town Hall
Gospels and songs with musician Stephen Anderindo playing piano and singing.
– 13.00 Monastiraki Square
Street dance by dancers Mikel Ergar and Kofi Yadom.
The poem “Where I Exist” by Marcelino Dos Santos or Kalungano from Mozambique performed by Grace Nwoke.
– 15.00 Zappeion Pavilion
Oral poetry, body percussion and afrobeats dance by a group of 4 Afro-Greek women (Jessica Anosike, Grace Nwoke, Demelza Okoji, Maria Shakey) and dance anthropologist Natasha Martin.
– 16.30 Terrace of Literature House bookshop in Kypseli
Musical event with songs and poetry by musician and composer McYinka.
– 18.00 Benaki Museum Terrace
Unpredictable encounters & songs with actress Eleni Nzanga, anthropologist & artist Grace Nwoke, musician Steven Anderindo and musician and composer McYinka.
– 20.00
Online discussion with project artists and audience on the topic of the life and difficulties of artists in the age of Covid19 restrictions.
