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Thursday 2nd of June 2011
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Day Program |
Breakfast Open workshop Preparing for conference on Saturday: film, performance, presentations, workshops Draft of Memorandum of Understanding
Delegation to press conference in the City of Rhodes with Katerina Anghelaki-Rooke Anna Arvanitaki Haroula Hadjinicolaou Nikos Kasseris Insa Winkler
18.00 Start of special literary evening Katerina Anghelaki-Rooke Reading from her poems about ‘water’ and ‘nature’ Hatto Fischer A selection of poetry about water, river and nature: Anjan Sen, David Haley and own prose poetry Haroula Hadjinicolaou Reading from the book “Maria explores the City of Water” by Nikos Kasdaglis 21.00 Dinner |
Breakfast
Stroll through Lindos
Acropolis of Lindos
Passage in Lindos
View from main square in Lindos to bay below the Acropolis
Katerina Anghelaki Rooke
Destiny also flows - Katerina Anghelaki Rooke
In her poem 'destiny flows', there appears the term 'imperishable water'. Haroula Hadjinicolaou felt so much inspired by this particular poem, that she made it into the motto for the entire action in Rhodes.
The poem begins with the following lines:
At dawn the sea turns green like a meadow
and you can see how the imperishable water
views the grass
From there Katerina Anghelaki Rooke continues to the concept of roots, but in being only a small partiality of life, such a concept does take on the significance of being a bondage, not of any but one of a fruit. She continues then to describe what hour it is: of the forest, of a leave in the water, of what we plant in our minds when thinking of those we love!
Always her poetry is written in the most beautiful Greek language. This poem is one of the rare ones which she translated herself into English. It makes her poetry into a special turn-around of philosophy because here the poetess discusses the concept of none other but life itself.
'Imperishable water' is a significant metaphor that can say a lot in an age clinging with vague promises to do something about the destruction man causes to nature by referring constantly to 'sustainable development'. Water does not need that additional rhetoric of man's political gambit with nature, for it is the very characteristic of water to be resilient.
Katerina Anghelaki Rooke in Lindos
Katerina Anghelaki Rooke joined the group on this day, a Thursday. Her physical condition does not allow her to go on extensive excursions but Haroula wanted her to be a part of the workshop. And besides her poetry, she loves to participate in the discussions. She made throughout those days Thursday until Sunday, the day of departure, tremendous intellectual contributions. One was linked to the notion of compromise, the other about how we become all members of the same family, a family of fear once we realize not only we human beings are not going to be around for ever, but earth as well is in jeopardy in terms of existence if mankind continues along this path of destruction.
Katerina Anghelaki Rooke, Phivos Kollias
It is always amazing to see her vitality come across in an atmosphere she loves so much, namely that of being amongst people who do not mind her shouting for some more beer or ouzo, but who know as well to engage her in a debate about how meaningful is life. She convinces through her strong character and booming voice revealing an intellectual honesty. At the same time, she is very careful when taking a position on any subject. When asked about her opinion as to any particular subject, Katerina Anghelaki Rooke seems to navigate through all invisible dangers and never traps herself in some obtruse statement. She is more than just aware of the paradoxes in life. It is something which never ceases to amaze her. That is the philosophical springing point in her poetry insofar as no concept can ever be abstract when it 'weeps' and, therefore, reveals the ever presence of grief. Linked to that is the water which flows. It is a force in need to be reckoned with.
For example, she is amazed that the 'imperishable water' shows two very distinct and different qualities, namely while understanding its basic principle "of that which while standing still hits me / while being absolute, flows: / instantly the fleeting / face of love is created". She returns to that concept which has been planted in the mind, and calls it the 'weeping concept.'
She continues in her poem how nature constantly asks of human beings to confirm the invisible while pushing nevertheless everything outside the form. Now in philosophy form is the prerequisite for something to exist. Ernst Bloch would say in his 'lessons of the matter', that water has only meaning if you say river or lake. The form matters as it gives everything a concrete existence. Now comes the significance of the poem about the 'imperishable water'. Katerina gives still further meaning insofar water which 'flows' goes beyond form. That can suggest that other forms for further reflections are needed. In the meantime, the flow of water out of grief tells the story that while she emerges out of sorrows, she is reminded of the fact that "under his nameless / skin it is he alone who moves." Is it earth or what else to be called the mover?
HF 14.8.2012
Discussion
Anna Arvanitaki (at back), Iakovos Xenakis, Maria Bakari
Topics, once touched upon, never fly away again unless like birds they are scared by something, by something unexpected happening. Often that may be a loud noise or as Iakovos Xenakis would write one week after the workshop was over, that some carried with them 'silent surprises'. They made audible the water: 'tap, tap'. He sums up very well what these discussions involving evaluation of what happened during the day as a 'gathering of materials' with prospect of future, as proven, for example, by publishing the catalogue.
Katerina Anghelaki Rooke, Haroula Hadjinicolaou, Maria Corsini Foka, Anna Arvanitaki
Evaluation by Iakovos Xenakis
Iakovos Xenakis, artist
Iakovos Xenakis, when referring to 'water', then as a metaphor standing for an all encompassing embrace of life. Repeatedly he would state that without water, there will be no life. The art of staying fluid comes close to the flow of ideas describing this encompassing element as a belief in nature, but without this becoming an organized religion. To this Katerina Anghelaki Rooke responded by stating but "an adoration of nature is a religion."
Phivos Kollias and Alexandra Zanne
Teaming up to do the work together meant also the creation of new works. The two inspired each other as much as there was mutual appreciation in what their respective work meant for the entire group. Since they were assembling either footages or noises, it meant they had already some projection of their final outcome into the future. To that extent they represent a mental kind of time horizon.
Alexandra Zanne's prime motive was to try to understand what the group was intending to do, and she usually took shots from the periphery or a low angle as if lying on the ground, her inflitration into the group was hardly noticable. She did it with such sensitivity and forthcoming nature that the group hardly if ever took really notice of her filming all the time. It was hard work.
Evening presentation by Phivos Kollias
Dinner
Maria Corsini, Maria Bakari, Anna Arvanitaki, Insa Winkler
Haroula Hadjinicolaou, Katerina Anghelaki Rooke, Boudewijn Payens
Nikolas Anastasopoulos, Haroula Hadjinicolaou
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