Mosaics: A haptic Art

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Please note that access will not be permitted 15 minutes after the start of the event.

This event will be held in English.

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The sense of touch allows us to approach, to familiarize with, and to connect with our environment through a network of recognition that is organically connected to our preconscious perceptual field, that is, in a more existential way. Still, as we move into the post-human era, tactile sensitivity atrophies, just as the handmade works and objects that surround us are gradually withdrawn.

What implications will this have on the formation of our ethics, on our contact with ourselves and with other people, on the sustainability of our natural environment?

Through my project, I am interested in investigating the concept of material transformation and the experience of wear highlighting the rich variety of information received through the haptic sense.

My talk attempts to highlight the creation of mosaics, as a unique experience stimulating multiple senses while providing an opportunity of introspection. It will be accompanied by an experimental installation, and some short films, documenting audio-visually the creation and installation of large-scale mosaics.

Christina Nakou is a visual artist specialising in mosaics. Her work focuses on notions of time and physicality, and creates spaces of interrelation between solid matter, water, and light, inviting the audience to engage with her installations through diverse senses. She was a Visiting Artist in the American Academy in Rome and her work has been presented at the 18th Venice Architecture Biennale, at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, the Gardens of the Embassy of Italy, and the Archaeological Site of Ancient Messini, in Greece, among others. She has collaborated with museums and institutions, highlighting creativity through handmade processes.

This event will take place in Reid Hall’s Grande Salle Ginsberg-LeClerc, built in 1912 and extensively renovated in 2023 thanks to the generous support of Judith Ginsberg and Paul LeClerc.

The Rendez-Vous de l’Institut Series is generously supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.

This event will be recorded and may be broadcast as part of our SNF Rendez-vous de l’Institut podcast series. By participating and asking questions, you consent to the use of your voice in this context.