PARALLEL PROJECTS

Residency of emerging artists, Ioanna Lykou and Alexandros Zilos, presented by Little Islands Festival in partnership with Foca Film Days and Travel Fest Albania

About

As part of the EFFEA “discovery” residency program 2023/24, Little Islands Festival produced an inter -disciplinary residency program exploring storytelling, memory, communication and thesocial function of narrative.

Departing from the Aegean Sea, the selected artists experiment around the concept of “Homonarrans”. An audiovisual research project with an anthropological character that aims tobe a testimony to human storytelling and the power of stories to activate and challenge people’s collective memory and act as a source of knowledge about the particular characteristics that define life. Important contributors in this mission are the synergies of Foça Film Days and Travel Fest Albania which actively participate in the exchange of knowledge and artistic practices.The curator and cultural researcher, Ioanna Lykou and the photographer/videographer, Alexandros Zilos, experiment with different methods of recording and narration in order to create a series of works on the border between documentary and multimedia narration focusing on the countless versions of stories and images that are pervasive in everyday vision and thought.

Residency Activities

The first stage of Homonarrans was set in Greece. From March to August, the artists developed a series of field expeditions, research activities and opentalks with local citizens, students and artists aiming to highlight human stories that can inspire, evoke emotions and encourage self-reflection.

After, Ioanna Lykou and Alexandros Zilos completed a 9-day artistic residencyin Turkey (Foca) as part of Foça Film Days, where they led a “site-specificvisual storytelling” workshop and presented the video “Social Rituals” to the public. They have also conducted interviews with the local community to broaden the exploration of the concept “Homonarrans”.

The project has entered new phases. In November, it commenced itsproduction process, involving 3 weeks of creative research residencies. Moving into December, Homonarrans is scheduled to be in Albania to meet Travel Fest Albania

Outcomes

During the residency in Turkey in collaboration with Foça Film Day, the duo Ioanna Lykou and Alexandros Zilos invited the public to participate in an experiential workshop, exploring the art of visual storytelling and how we can transform our ideas and practices into artwork that tells a story outside its borders that shapes itself-image. The workshop gave participants the opportunity to produce a visual narrative inspiring from the area, present their work, discuss and share with the audience how they developed their idea.

Alongside, in the public space, the artists presented to the audience the experimental film “Social Rituals’ ‘. An artwork resulting via a series of research journeys, capturing collective narratives through social rituals.

An anthropocentric document exploring the notion of collectivity, co-creation and interaction while opening a dialogue about the diverseways people share stories.

Project Focus

The Homonarrans project has been actively engaging with local residents, particularly those from seaside areas, with a primary focus on the senior population. Through a series of creative interviews, the project has successfully captured a plethora of narratives that vividly depict the rich cultural tapestry of the region.

As the project unfolds, it stands at the intersection of documentary and multimedia storytelling, aiming to create acompelling series of works that transcend conventional boundaries. These narratives not only serve as a testament to the unique stories of the individuals involved but also contribute to abroader exploration of the cultural nuances and historical richness inherent in the coastal communities.

In its ongoing journey, Homonarrans is committed to weaving together the threads of personal experiences and collective memories, creating a tapestry that not only reflects the past but also resonates with the present. The multi-media approach adds an immersive layer that allows audiences to connect with these stories on a deep and emotional level, fostering a deeper understanding of the human experience within perspective onthe cultural fabric of the coastal regions.

Creative Interviews

Şevki, generously shared insights into his life as a fisherman and his background as an art photographer. He also narrated captivating stories from the maritime boundaries between Greece and Turkey, providingt houghtful reflections on the cultural and geographical intersection of these two nations.

Hayriye, is a professional singer, who captured us with her performance of traditional Turkish songs during a music event in Foça. After that, we extended an invitation for her to share insights into her life. Hayriye shared songs and stories from her childhood and experiences as a female artist inTurkey during the 1980s.

Kostas, from the small cycladic island of Sikinos, has dedicated most of his life to theart of woodworking. Yet his true passion is crafting musical instruments. In the quiet confines of a small workshop in the basement of his home, Kostas begins a daily ritual, descending at 5am to immerse himself in the fascinating world of instrument making.

In the midst of the rhythmic symphony of his craft, Kostas generously shared stories of how a simple gathering turned into a spontaneous celebration with instruments and the whole village dancing. Practices that have been forgotten over the years and there are only a few people left to remember them.

Katerina, was born and raised in Sikinos island, but chose to leave the island to start a new life and become financially independent. Now she only visits the island in the summers. At our meeting, she described the social life on the island when she was a permanent resident, and unrolled stories of the “vegeres”(women’s gatherings) that usually occurred spontaneously after the day’s work. During these gatherings, women would knit, prepare handmade dishes, tell jokes, sing and share little secrets..

At the age of 93, Mrs Despina lives on the island of Folegandros In a house full of history. Her house used to be a grocery store, a café shop, even a post office for a period. It holds the distinction of being the first house on the island to have a telephone and a television. Mrs.Despina is well-known for her kindness, having a history of offering bread to those in need. Eventually, she and her husband decided to open the first bakery in Ano Meria.
She shared stories about growing up on the island, navigating work, marriage, and life throughout the last century. The verses she has written and continues to write have been woven into the fabric of every event on the island. Mrs. Despina now lives alone, accompaniedby the company of neighbors and tourists.

Nikos, “the fat “ as his friends call him – has lived in Folegandros almost all his life. Born inAthens in 1944, with a Folegandrite father and a Cretan mother, he tells us that those years were difficult to live in the capital. “They ate the olives at noon and the pits at night,” he says jokingly, so they moved to the island as a family. Still a newborn, he tells us that a bullet passed over his body on his way out of the maternity hospital. It was the day that the city would experience the bloodiest period of its modern history. The Dekemvriana.
Fire, woman and sea is his life. When he was young, he worked at Parian boats until he got his own named “Ntina” and remained a professional fisherman until he retired. At noon hesits in the yard of his house in Ano Meria and faces the sea.

Theodoris, fell in love and married Irene from Sikinos in Athens in the1970s, and then followed his love for Sikinos. With his photographic lens, he captured with respect and a discerning eye people and scenes from the social and agricultural life of the island from the 1970s to the presentday. His narratives emanate from his own experiences but are also infused with stories he heard from older storytellers, keeping them precious in his memory.

Dimitris, a farmer deeply bound to the Cycladic land of Folegandros,shared with us stories from his life, a life closely connected to nature. He recounted his thoughts on the abandonment of the treasure of agricultural wisdom and the advent of tourism.

Dolorosa, whose name means “sorrowful,” remains one of the few catholic women on the island of Tinos who interprets the lament of the Virgin Mary in the martyrdom procession of Christ towards the crucifixion, during the Good Friday service. This is a tradition of the Catholic Christian faith that encourages ordinary people to embody roles from the cycle of Christ’s Passions. In the village of Komi, we encountered Dolorosa, who invited us to the interior of the Catholicchurch of Agios Ioannis – which was closed to the public on that day – and narrated to us through an improvised and profoundly moving performance an old and well-known story, uniquely revitalized in that moment. *It is note worthy that the Catholic element is particularly pronounced on the island and constitutes an integral part of the heritage of Tinos.

The unique and enduring orthodox religious custom of the Aegean is the celebration of the Entry of theVirgin Mary ( Theotokos) in Sikinos.

According to the custom, the island’s priest maintains a list of people who have expressed a desire to host the old byzantine icon in their home for an entire year, following a prioritized order (a wait that can last foryears). The person hosting the icon, known as the “panigiras” takes care of the icon and is obligated to keep their home open throughout the year for anyone who wishes to worship and pray. They also bear the costs of the celebration on 21 November, which marks the end of the cohabitation cycle with the icon identifiedas the “Lady of Sikinos”.

After the evening ritual, the community engages in fishing and cooking fish soup in large cauldrons. Duringthe preparations, small fish are fried and offered to the public. On the day of the celebration, everything isready, and after the morning service, people gather for the celebration. Throughout the custom, Jimis, who was this year’s “panigiras”, and the people who helped in the preparation of the feast, shared with us stories and narratives filled with emotions and memories.