Isternia Tinos/ Zig Zag Festival 2021 | Beseelter Marmor/ living marble

Revisiting History and Nature through Contemporary Art

Isternia Tinos/ Zig Zag Festival 2021:
Beseelter Marmor/ living marble

Forty Greek and international artists meet at the at the traditional village of Isternia on the island of Tinos, for the first edition of Zig Zag Festival. The festival revists Tinian history through Contemporary Art, with focus on connecting artists, local residents and the public and visitors through a collaborative exhibition and event program themed, «Living marble/ Beseelter Marmor».

Much like the artist's struggle to create a whole world out of nothing, so can a lifeless stone can be transformed into a work of art. Man’s relationship to stone - a humble building material and at the same time the raw element used in creating masterpieces in art, is the key motivation for "Living Marble". The humility of the material and the rugged landscape are a source of inspiration for the artists who in various ways, interpret the struggle to tame the stone.

«Living marble/ Beseelter Marmor»

July 19 - 25, 2021
Group exhibition, Old Medical Center, Isternia

Outdoor exhibition, interventions and public space-installations in various locations within Isternia

The exhibition "Living Marble" was designed for Isternia which together with the village of Pirgos, are the center of marble in Tinos. 40 artists and curators from Greece and abroad retrace their relationship with material and matter, in a rough yet unexpectedly hospitable natural landscape. Whether the artist’s approach is given with humor, or boldly illustrated, insight is given on a condition that is seemingly familiar, yet at the same time unknown and uninterpreted: The process of transforming lifeless stone into “live marble” is that which allows chaos to translate into a work of art. "Living Marble” expands further than the exhibition space of the Old Medical Center of Isternia to create an unexpected art walk, in and around the Isternian pathways. The viewer has the unique opportunity to explore the art and the surroundings – the arches, lintels and the unique traditional architecture. "Living marble / Beseelter Marmor " is the exhibition part of Isternia Tinos/ Zig Zag Festival 2021.

Participating artists:

Panagiota Antonopoulou, Dimosthenis Bogiatzis, Katerina Botsari, Frantzeska Boutsi, One Bran, Dimitris Christidis, Marilia Colibri, / Maro Fasouli, Nikos Graikos, George Harvalias, Dimitris Lembesis, Alexandros Maganiotis, Eleni Mouzakiti curated by Efi Michalarou, / Marion Fischer, Sotiris Fokeas, Thanos Fountas, Vasilis Galanis, Eleni Glini, Orestis Karalis, Marializa Kambi, Dimitris Kontodimos, Theodora Malamou, Maria Eleni Mpouka, Fiona Mouzakiti, Niklas Athanasopoulos, Despoina Pantazi, Giorgos Prentzas, / Dimitris Prokopiou curated by Konstantinos Argianas, / Bassment Rats, Elio Samara, Giannis Skaltsas, Barbara Sturm, Kleopatra Tsali, Eleni Tsamadia, Michael Tzetzias, Andreas Vembos, Dimitri Yin.

2022 Cultural Events and Tours

Nights of Classical and Contemporary Music:

Marc Vogel and Lukas Schiemer, Voice, percussion, saxophone

Petros Christidis, Classical violin recital

Guided Tours:

«The course of stone: from the quarry to the Museum»
Special tour to the Museum of Marble Crafts in Pirgos with Anna Kallinikidou, Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation, and live demonstration by Petros Marmarinos local marble craftsman.

Tinian sculptor Onoufrios Despiris demonstrates the tradition of marble sculpture at his studio.

Historical Researcher Kostas Danoussis guides us to the unknown features of Tinian cultural heritage.

Isternia Tinos/ Zig Zag Festival 2021 | Beseelter Marmor/ living marble

Program Directors: Georg Georgakopoulos, Elina Dallas, Fotini Kapiris
Organized by: CHEAPART

Coordination of artists and curators: Stafanis Despoina Michalilidi
Photography, Video: Kalliopi Oikonomakou

Supported by/ Under the auspices of: Hellenic Republic, Ministry of Culture and Sports
Sponsor of Isternia Tinos /Zig Zag Festival 2021: National Bank of Greece
The festival is under the auspices of the Municipality of Tinos
Supported by: The Austrian Embassy in Athens
Donation of Maintenance and Repair of exhibition space: PICAR
Supporting organization: The Museum of Marble Crafts
Coordinated by: APART
Transportation sponsor: Golden Star Ferries
Athenian Brewery, sponsor with Mamos beer and Ioli water
Breakfast sponsor: Vlachakis Eggs
Internet connectivity sponsor: Vodafone
Communication sponsor: Athens Voice

Discovering Isternia at the Island of Tinos

Isternia, in recent years, has emerged as an establishment for musicians, visual artists and writers from Greece and abroad. The white village perched on the mountain at an altitude of 310 meters, is located in the western part of the island, known in Tinos as “Exo Meria”. It is situated 25 km from the port of Tinos and 2 km from Pyrgos, birthplace of Giannoulis Halepas (Yannoulis Chalepas, 1851 – 1938, Greek sculptor and significant representative of Modern Greek art). Isternia was the second most important center of marble sculpture in Tinos after Pyrgos, from which many great marble sculptors emerged (G & I. Vitalis, L. Sohos, L. Lameras).