Mystery 200 Mythological Gardens

Brian Michaels; Σωζήτα Γκουντούνα(Sozita Goudouna); Peter Pretscher; Ανδρέας Κωνσταντίνου(Andreas Konstantinou); Nisren Faour; Tillman Pretcher; Kate Peila

Mystery 200 Mythological Gardens

project

Description

Mystery 200 Mythological Gardens transformed an empty and desolate space into a fertile place and garden, where the revival of narratives of ancient Eleusis and ancient Greece was attempted, as well as their interconnection with the recent and modern history of the city. In an open space within the IRIS residential complex, a blooming ecological microcosm was created with the aim of directing the attention of residents and visitors of the city toward the Demetrian gardens and their healing energies—serving as a counterpoint to the escalating environmental crisis and degradation. The garden was the core of the project but was enriched through actions that sought to interpret aspects of both the ancient and modern world. The Inauguration of the Mythological Gardens took place on September 16, 2023, through a site-specific walking performance by Brian Michaels and Andreas Konstantinou. The two performers hosted and guided visitors through the IRIS space, speaking in Greek and English. Guests were taken on a mythological mystery tour through the stories of our gardens. It was not a botanical excursion, but a meeting with the narrative framework of transformation inspired by our ancient seeds. Slowly, step by step, the visitors witnessed the emergence of new old worlds. The space was transformed through plants, flowers, scents, sounds, voices, dance, texts, and visual projections, and visitors were invited to observe, listen, and contribute—perhaps by writing their own short stories or sharing their photos at the end of the tour. This tangible transformation was accompanied by artistic interventions: the interpretation of Cassandra by Daria Fain, and Medea, embodied by Palestinian actress Nisren Faour. The goal was for art and science to interweave in an exemplary manner, thus creating a new (C)hronology for Elefsina. Following that, Live Acts were presented, including soundscapes, performances, screenings, and guided tours by international and local artists, curated by Brian Michaels, Sozita Goudouna, and Kate Peila. First among them was the liminal, dreamy, and ironic performance “A Crack” by Anna Furse, presented on October 1, 2023. “A Crack” was a new Anglo-Greek theatrical work tackling urgent issues of our time. Ironic, surreal, dark, and humorous, in this physically charged dialogue, the duo shared their anxiety, despair, and hope. “A Crack” spoke of destruction—a world tilting on its axis. It stared unflinchingly into the abyss while imagining utopia. It expressed a quest for meaning, renewal, and a journey toward the future. The text hovered somewhere between the banality and urgency of social media and the philosophical discourse of Greek tragedy. The performers voiced their dreams, their panic, their thirst for change. “A Crack” was co-created and performed by two women artists, each residing in different and new worlds post-Brexit: they are three decades apart in age, one a mother, the other a grandmother. Supported by the Unity Theatre Trust and Arts Council England

Artists