Mystery 1 CLOSING: OPENING, A Ceremony
project
Description
Mystery 1 CLOSING: OPENING, A Ceremony was the Closing Ceremony of 2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture, under the conceptualization of the General Artistic Director Michail Marmarinos and the General Artistic Direction, held as a three-day city celebration on December 15, 16 and 17, 2023.
The conclusion of Elefsina’s title year as European Capital of Culture was crowned with a festive three-day celebration filled with unprecedented actions, projects and events throughout the city. Each day was dedicated to one of the three thematic axes of the 2023 Eleusis artistic programme. Alongside the inauguration of artistic works and legacy actions, 10 sites were opened, having been restored, renovated or generally repurposed within the framework of the 2023 Eleusis programme, in order to become a Legacy for the future of Elefsina as a Cultural Destination.
The axis PEOPLE | SOCIETY featured the five-day IN SITU REALITIES: Eleusis Documentary Festival, hosted at the renovated cine Eleusis. The festival opened with the premiere of Filippos Koutsaftis’s documentary, presenting a portrait of an Elefsina that transcends its geographical boundaries. Simultaneously, the Warehouses at the Old Oil Mill Factory were opened with the exhibition Mystery 87 I My Sea Journey, I My Land Claim by the artist Stefania Strouza.
The second day, dedicated to the second axis of the programme, the ENVIRONMENT, was handed over to the youth of the city, for an all-day celebration at the newly completed ARKOPOLIS. The day also featured the inauguration of the region’s first Skatepark, created as an exclusive donation to the Municipality of Elefsina by the Onassis Foundation. The curtain fell with a grand DJ party that marked the official opening of the renovated Eleourgiki Industrial Complex.
The theme of the last day, LABOUR, with Juan Sandoval’s imposing exhibition Mystery 111 Eleusis Terracotta Army, inaugurated the former IRIS Factory. One hundred and fifty residents of Elefsina participated in Mystery 125 Elefsina Community Orchestra and Choir, led by Aleksandar Carić, in an unexpected parade that began at Iroon Square and concluded with a grand concert at the Eleourgiki Industrial Complex.
The three-day events came to a close on Sunday evening with the action Immersion: an unexpected set, held in front of the also newly inaugurated Canteen art hub, bringing the curtain down on the actions of Elefsina’s title year as European Capital of Culture. The cycle had come full circle. Persephone returned to the Underworld.
Alongside these core actions, a parallel programme unfolded, which included a series of projects.
Archival Research
Artists
2023 Ελευσίς – Γενική Καλλιτεχνική Διεύθυνση (2023 Eleusis - General Artistic Directorate)
Stages of Implementation
Three-day celebration: 15-12-2023 to 17-12-2023
Partners
Tickets Policy
Free admission to the events except for the IN SITU REALITIES: Eleusis Documentary Festival screenings at Cine Eleusis
Axes
CC-License
Main Categories
Files to download
