10/05 – 07/04, 2023, Old Town Hall of Elefsina, Elefsina, Athens
Døcumatism at the exhibition Mystery 188: THE LIGHT, dedicated to the Educational and Cultural Association of Eleusis and activist doctor Thanasis Leventis
During the Greekies project, filmmaker Eva Stefani introduced the Døcumatism collective to 90-year-old doctor and activist Thanasis Leventis, who founded the Educational and Cultural Association of Eleusis, an initiative that left a lasting mark on the city’s cultural life and paved the way for its cultural activities today.
The interview conducted with him became the starting point for an exhibition in the city, a gathering of his former comrades, and the archiving of the surviving artefacts from an initiative that eventually led to the establishment of the Aeschylia Festival and, decades later, to Elefsina becoming the European Capital of Culture.
From 10 March to 7 April, 2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture presented Mystery 188: THE LIGHT at the Old Town Hall, an exhibition dedicated to the Educational and Cultural Association of Eleusis, seen through the perspective of Thanasis Leventis, one of its founding members and a distinctive, multifaceted personality deeply connected to the city. The exhibition was curated by Olga Hatzidaki.
The exhibition presented a significant part of Thanasis Leventis’ personal archive, including issues of TO FOS (THE LIGHT), the monthly magazine published by the Association, photographs documenting artistic events and memorable moments, as well as numerous other documents and artefacts belonging to Eleusina’s first cultural association. This material was complemented by the cinematic perspective of filmmaker and Døcumatism collective member Menelaos Karamaghiolis, through a video installation exploring the life and work of Thanasis Leventis and the history of the Association.
Despite the emotional weight carried by its materials, Mystery 188: THE LIGHT was not conceived as a museum exhibition. On the contrary, its character was deliberately dynamic and forward-looking, serving as a critical reminder of a system of values that although may appear to have definitively passed, remains at stake in every contemporary society.
The exhibition opened with a public discussion featuring Thanasis Leventis, the Artistic Director of 2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture Michail Marmarinos, and residents of Elefsina.
