some masks @ SAM

Photos: Dimitris Papanikolaou

museum sketches: SAM

The Spiral

The Spiral for the Emancipated (Freed) Spectator

The Spiral is a temporary open-air structure for public events that suggests the blurring of the dichotomy between stage and auditorium. Inspired by Jacques Rancière’s “The Emancipated Spectator,” the project proposes a flexible spatial configuration that dissolves the distance between performers and audience. Instead of creating an auditorium based on (usual) concentric circles, the Spiral utilizes a spiral arrangement in which the “space for the audience” is not differentiated by that of the “space for performance;” instead a series of multi-level platforms are proposed that can create multiple relationships among multiple performances and multiple audiences. The Spiral is a modular structure that consists of three different sizes of triangular palettes that can be stored, moved, and (dis)assembled easily and quickly. It can be arranged in various configurations depending the needs of performance and the conditions of location.

Drink & Draw

While in Seattle, I participated in "Drink & Draw" event where every person had the possibility to draw a live model in a bar. A great initiative! For more information visit the link.

PINK

*A poem by Maria Toloudi
 

How much pink fits in this world? Maria Toloudi, 2014

She picked it up,

she carefully wrapped it around her neck,

a French finesse and silky smoothness,

and just like with the rest,

she wanted to tell a lie.

To accept pink truths,

to narrate pink stories,

to touch a pink cheek,

to send a pink rose,

to receive pink letters,

to withdraw into a pink dream.

Suddenly a strong wind blew

and freed up her neck.

She traveled into the heavens, and everybody

rushed to see the pink cloud.

It has been indeed confirmed

by official sources.

More of Maria Toloudi's writings visit her website [link]

1:10

Testing construction method for the The Architecture of Public Space, my 3rd design-build workshop at HAEF. To learn more about the workshop visit the HAEF website [link].

B-Z @ 51st IMCL

On June 11th, I presented my research on Public Space & Architectural Activism at 51st International Making Cities Livable (IMCL) Conference in Portland. My presentation was part of Innovative Ways to Reclaim Public Spaces moderated by Lamine Mahdjoubi. For more information about the presentations and our panel, please visit the IMCL website [link].

digital storytelling with paper robot

On June 7th, we participated in animatronics workshop at Microsoft led by former Disney's imagineer Paul H. Dietz. DZLAB (Dimitris and myself) created a duo paper robotic puppet Cro-co to address symbiosis between a vegan crocodile and a fly. To read Cro-co's monologue visit this B-Z link.

vegan crocodile and fly (monologue)

I am Cro-co, a handsome, cool gentleman, and very modest crocodile!
I know you came to admire my kind character and my shiny metal skin!

Yeah it acts as a perfect kaleidoscope in the water,
mirroring the most beautiful patterns you have ever seen in the water.

You see the contrast with the tropical forest?
Natural beauty!!!
Well not really, it requires a lot of works and ethics!
Because I am vegetarian.

Cro-co, the first and only, veggie crocodile.
My peers are gross.
They eat fish, reptiles, mammals, and even cannibalize other crocodiles.
Their skin is thick and smelly, no other creature can hang around them.
Not even their family.
Very unfriendly,
No tolerance to others, definitely not to weak little animals.
True barbarians.


Just stay away from them!

Hey what is this noise?
Are you a fly? An actual insect?
A meat animal?
Get out of my way!


You are not supposed to touch my delicate skin with your dirty wings!!!
Don't touch me!


Stop trying to enter my mouth! I just did Listerine!!!
You are going to pollute it.
And I cannot even imagine touching meat with my tongue, even if it is alive...
Leave me alone!!!


This is disturbing.


What you want to become friends? No way!!! What a handsome aristocratic crocodile can do with an ugly, dirty, fly like you? No way!!!

What? You have something to offer to me? A beauty product for my skin? A special pollen that I can use as a powder after my morning bath?

Wow, sounds exciting.
You stole it from the bee-ground just to gift it to me?
I am flattered!

Well maybe we can hang around after all.
Wait a minute did I introduce my self?
I am Cro-co, a handsome, cool gentleman, and very modest crocodile!