Elli Leventaki
Elli Leventaki is an art historian, curator, and researcher. She is currently a PhD candidate at the Department of Theory and History of Art of the Athens School of Fine Arts, and is also involved in different art projects and initiatives. She is interested in contesting historically dominant narratives and stereotypic notions, especially those deriving from national and/or patriarchal contexts, while aspiring to advocate for gender equality through culture and engage in discourses on art-based labour.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Art History and Art Theory, and a Master’s degree in Art History and Curating, both from the Fine Arts Department of the University of Ioannina, Greece, as well as a diploma in Adult and Continuous Education from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
Elli has years of experience as an art professional, having collaborated with various institutions, cultural spaces, festivals, and art programs. She has been writing art-related texts for exhibition catalogues and scientific purposes for some time now and regularly participates in conferences and lectures in Greece and abroad. She is a member of the Association of Greek Art Historians, AICA, ICOM, and the ELHN Working Group on Feminist Labour History and Precarious Labour.
Address: Athens, Greece
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Art History and Art Theory, and a Master’s degree in Art History and Curating, both from the Fine Arts Department of the University of Ioannina, Greece, as well as a diploma in Adult and Continuous Education from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
Elli has years of experience as an art professional, having collaborated with various institutions, cultural spaces, festivals, and art programs. She has been writing art-related texts for exhibition catalogues and scientific purposes for some time now and regularly participates in conferences and lectures in Greece and abroad. She is a member of the Association of Greek Art Historians, AICA, ICOM, and the ELHN Working Group on Feminist Labour History and Precarious Labour.
Address: Athens, Greece
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Videos by Elli Leventaki
EHLN-WORCK Conference (30 August – 3 September 2021), University of Vienna
Feminist Labour History: Women as Workers, Peasants, and Property Owners in 19th Century Rural Europe (working group)
Conference Presentations by Elli Leventaki
https://archaiologikoidialogoi2024.wordpress.com/%cf%84%cf%8c%ce%bc%ce%bf%cf%82-%cf%80%ce%b5%cf%81%ce%b9%ce%bb%ce%ae%cf%88%ce%b5%cf%89%ce%bd/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1YE3VFM54mLgiL0Ve-5jxtzfQxVrnnESdtGDZqoWOhmTd8ffsRoImgzSE_aem_AZDBVvc-g85XdHZZY0xGJXXW1gPdRA_4SEi_961cT9RRrwY9ca71OtLO1qTtKcu0oozX__6VTEnhDQ_7Xs6htkgE
ART CRITICISM AND THE INSTITUTIONALISATION OF ART
55th AICA CONGRESS
KRAKÓW, POLAND
NOVEMBER 13-17, 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jMi8I0HZ-8&ab_channel=AVUPKrak%C3%B3w
Decentering art and design history: research, practice, education
University of Nicosia, 15−17 June 2023
Research Project Desnortadas: Gender Territories in Contemporary Artistic Creation (PID2020-115157GB-I00) ) [Universidad de Málaga, Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea]
Historical Materialism Athens Conference
State in/And Crisis: Theory and Movement in a Dangerous World
20-23 April 2023, Panteion University
[Programme]
Διημερίδα Νέων Ερευνητών Ιστορίας της Τέχνης "Νέες Τάσεις και Προσεγγίσεις στην Ιστορία της Τέχνης στην Ελλάδα",
2 Ιουνίου 2022,
Πανεπιστήμιο Ιωαννίνων
Επιστημονική και οργανωτική επιτροπή: Αρετή Αδαμοπούλου, Άρης Σαραφιανός, Άνη Κοντογιώργη, Αλέξανδρος Τενεκετζής
Story of Patriarchy (May 19 | Session 2)
AIWAC_1st Annual International Women in Arts Conference: Women in Arts, Architecture and Literature. Heritage, Legacy and Digital Perspectives, University of Arkansas Rome, Rome Oct 20 - Oct 22, 2021
Museums deal with the past too. Their majority is attributed to important, local or national, events, and they present a certain viewpoint of history. When it comes to death, things tend to get more complicated and collective memory more sensitive.
The National September 11 Memorial Museum (USA), as well as The Museum of Memory and Human Rights (Chile), have both used photography as their main tool for representing and dealing with national painful circumstances. Collective mourning or collective remembrance can constitute two different approaches though, as the interpretation depends on the way photographs are presented within a certain context.
Distance or empathy? Light or darkness? Familiarity or awe? Attitudes when facing death vary.
-Robert Schuman
The village Tsamantas is in Thesprotia, a geographical department at the northwest tip of Epirus. It is located right in the foothills of the mountain Mourgana, just a few kilometers away from the Greek-Albanian borders. Its long term history was shaped by this unreasonable human construction, which created uncertainty, division, and changed the relations between the two countries forever. The consequences of this dichotomy are more than evident today, and reveal the catastrophic effects of nationalism.
A former resident of the village recalls oral disseminated stories from the past, and draws us a picture of the local everyday life, before and after the appearance of the border. Through his narration we conceptualize the direct and dramatic influences of this separation, and we see how a friend or a neighbor became the Other, the enemy. Just an imaginary line managed to cause depopulation of the area, alienation between the people, and led to nothing but decay.
Through the years, rebetiko changed so many times, and in so many ways, that supposedly it ceased to exist at some point. However, due to these alterations taking place within the society by which it was produced, it never disappeared completely, but instead it evolved. The melodies and the lyrics always survived, only the songs were played differently. This gender seems to be capable of readjusting in each new social context and has the ability to express the problems and worries of every generation, because it is approachable, clear and true.
Today rebetiko has suddenly started to attract the attention of young people again, who conceptualize it as a fragment of an idealistic period in the past. They play and listen to this music, even though new songs cannot be produced, as we no longer live under the circumstances that created this gender. Strangely, this generation is somehow able to identify with songs written almost a century ago. So why do they choose rebetiko, especially now that there are so many options? Can we talk about a revival, or is it another result of the current sociopolitical conditions? Is it because of the “crisis”? Is it a postmodern need that occurred due to globalization, and is used in today’s search for identity? Is just tradition à la mode?
This time the answer is hidden in our very roots.
Thesis Chapters by Elli Leventaki
Με την έννοια του θεσμού να μεταβάλλεται συνεχώς όμως, αν μελετήσουμε τι συνιστά θεσμική κριτική σε διαφορετικό τόπο και χρόνο, θα διαπιστώσουμε ότι τα ευρήματά μας διαφέρουν σημαντικά. Έτσι, τίθεται το ζήτημα του αν θα μπορούσαμε να μιλάμε για θεσμική κριτική στην Ελλάδα, και αν ναι με τι μορφή, επιδιώξεις και αποτελέσματα.
Στην προκειμένη περίπτωση, το δικτατορικό καθεστώς έβγαλε από κάθε καλλιτέχνη τον επαναστάτη που έκρυβε μέσα του. Την ίδια στιγμή, και συμπτωματικά ίσως, μια κοινωνικά ομάδα δραστηριοποιείται έντονα εκείνον τον καιρό, ερχόμενη αντιμέτωπη με την υπάρχουσα καταπιεστική κατάσταση, αλλά και με μια άλλη η οποία, για ένα μεγάλο κομμάτι του πληθυσμού, προϋπήρχε. Έτσι, όταν οι γυναίκες εικαστικοί της εποχής μίλησαν με το έργο τους κριτικά απέναντι στην κοινωνία, σχολίασαν (συνειδητά ή όχι) ένα ολόκληρο θεσμικό πλαίσιο.
Papers by Elli Leventaki
Curator: Elli Leventaki
Space: Amphicar, Ekatis 7, 11146, Galatsi, Athens, Greece
Duration: 25 May – 2 June 2024
EHLN-WORCK Conference (30 August – 3 September 2021), University of Vienna
Feminist Labour History: Women as Workers, Peasants, and Property Owners in 19th Century Rural Europe (working group)
https://archaiologikoidialogoi2024.wordpress.com/%cf%84%cf%8c%ce%bc%ce%bf%cf%82-%cf%80%ce%b5%cf%81%ce%b9%ce%bb%ce%ae%cf%88%ce%b5%cf%89%ce%bd/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1YE3VFM54mLgiL0Ve-5jxtzfQxVrnnESdtGDZqoWOhmTd8ffsRoImgzSE_aem_AZDBVvc-g85XdHZZY0xGJXXW1gPdRA_4SEi_961cT9RRrwY9ca71OtLO1qTtKcu0oozX__6VTEnhDQ_7Xs6htkgE
ART CRITICISM AND THE INSTITUTIONALISATION OF ART
55th AICA CONGRESS
KRAKÓW, POLAND
NOVEMBER 13-17, 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jMi8I0HZ-8&ab_channel=AVUPKrak%C3%B3w
Decentering art and design history: research, practice, education
University of Nicosia, 15−17 June 2023
Research Project Desnortadas: Gender Territories in Contemporary Artistic Creation (PID2020-115157GB-I00) ) [Universidad de Málaga, Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea]
Historical Materialism Athens Conference
State in/And Crisis: Theory and Movement in a Dangerous World
20-23 April 2023, Panteion University
[Programme]
Διημερίδα Νέων Ερευνητών Ιστορίας της Τέχνης "Νέες Τάσεις και Προσεγγίσεις στην Ιστορία της Τέχνης στην Ελλάδα",
2 Ιουνίου 2022,
Πανεπιστήμιο Ιωαννίνων
Επιστημονική και οργανωτική επιτροπή: Αρετή Αδαμοπούλου, Άρης Σαραφιανός, Άνη Κοντογιώργη, Αλέξανδρος Τενεκετζής
Story of Patriarchy (May 19 | Session 2)
AIWAC_1st Annual International Women in Arts Conference: Women in Arts, Architecture and Literature. Heritage, Legacy and Digital Perspectives, University of Arkansas Rome, Rome Oct 20 - Oct 22, 2021
Museums deal with the past too. Their majority is attributed to important, local or national, events, and they present a certain viewpoint of history. When it comes to death, things tend to get more complicated and collective memory more sensitive.
The National September 11 Memorial Museum (USA), as well as The Museum of Memory and Human Rights (Chile), have both used photography as their main tool for representing and dealing with national painful circumstances. Collective mourning or collective remembrance can constitute two different approaches though, as the interpretation depends on the way photographs are presented within a certain context.
Distance or empathy? Light or darkness? Familiarity or awe? Attitudes when facing death vary.
-Robert Schuman
The village Tsamantas is in Thesprotia, a geographical department at the northwest tip of Epirus. It is located right in the foothills of the mountain Mourgana, just a few kilometers away from the Greek-Albanian borders. Its long term history was shaped by this unreasonable human construction, which created uncertainty, division, and changed the relations between the two countries forever. The consequences of this dichotomy are more than evident today, and reveal the catastrophic effects of nationalism.
A former resident of the village recalls oral disseminated stories from the past, and draws us a picture of the local everyday life, before and after the appearance of the border. Through his narration we conceptualize the direct and dramatic influences of this separation, and we see how a friend or a neighbor became the Other, the enemy. Just an imaginary line managed to cause depopulation of the area, alienation between the people, and led to nothing but decay.
Through the years, rebetiko changed so many times, and in so many ways, that supposedly it ceased to exist at some point. However, due to these alterations taking place within the society by which it was produced, it never disappeared completely, but instead it evolved. The melodies and the lyrics always survived, only the songs were played differently. This gender seems to be capable of readjusting in each new social context and has the ability to express the problems and worries of every generation, because it is approachable, clear and true.
Today rebetiko has suddenly started to attract the attention of young people again, who conceptualize it as a fragment of an idealistic period in the past. They play and listen to this music, even though new songs cannot be produced, as we no longer live under the circumstances that created this gender. Strangely, this generation is somehow able to identify with songs written almost a century ago. So why do they choose rebetiko, especially now that there are so many options? Can we talk about a revival, or is it another result of the current sociopolitical conditions? Is it because of the “crisis”? Is it a postmodern need that occurred due to globalization, and is used in today’s search for identity? Is just tradition à la mode?
This time the answer is hidden in our very roots.
Με την έννοια του θεσμού να μεταβάλλεται συνεχώς όμως, αν μελετήσουμε τι συνιστά θεσμική κριτική σε διαφορετικό τόπο και χρόνο, θα διαπιστώσουμε ότι τα ευρήματά μας διαφέρουν σημαντικά. Έτσι, τίθεται το ζήτημα του αν θα μπορούσαμε να μιλάμε για θεσμική κριτική στην Ελλάδα, και αν ναι με τι μορφή, επιδιώξεις και αποτελέσματα.
Στην προκειμένη περίπτωση, το δικτατορικό καθεστώς έβγαλε από κάθε καλλιτέχνη τον επαναστάτη που έκρυβε μέσα του. Την ίδια στιγμή, και συμπτωματικά ίσως, μια κοινωνικά ομάδα δραστηριοποιείται έντονα εκείνον τον καιρό, ερχόμενη αντιμέτωπη με την υπάρχουσα καταπιεστική κατάσταση, αλλά και με μια άλλη η οποία, για ένα μεγάλο κομμάτι του πληθυσμού, προϋπήρχε. Έτσι, όταν οι γυναίκες εικαστικοί της εποχής μίλησαν με το έργο τους κριτικά απέναντι στην κοινωνία, σχολίασαν (συνειδητά ή όχι) ένα ολόκληρο θεσμικό πλαίσιο.
Curator: Elli Leventaki
Space: Amphicar, Ekatis 7, 11146, Galatsi, Athens, Greece
Duration: 25 May – 2 June 2024
Curator: Elli Leventaki
Artists: Vasilis Galanis, Markellos Kolofotias, Konstantinos Kontogeorgos, Dimitris Kontodimos, Athina Pavlou-Benazi, Fiona-Elli Spathopoulou, Dimitris Tampakis, Kleopatra Tsali
Place: Kyan Athens
Time: 27.04 - 27.05.2023
https://www.kyanathens.com/exhibitions/cornucopia
https://youtu.be/UWrDOL71_jk
Museums are the primary institutions that deal with the past, by creating different narratives depending on their strategy. The majority of them are attributed to important, local or national, events, each of them presenting another viewpoint of history. When it comes to commemorating tragedy and human loss, however, representations can get more complicated and less objective, due to people’s sensitive stance on the subject.
In this paper, the comparative case study between two contemporary museums that used photographs as a structural tool, aims to showcase the diverse results in memory shaping, through two seemingly similar approaches. The National September 11 Memorial Museum (USA) and The Museum of Memory and Human Rights (Chile), have selected alike methods of representing national painful circumstances, by employing vast amounts of photographs. However, the appliance of the same museological tool does not necessarily imply the production of the same type of memory.
While trying to identify the different types of memory that could potentially occur in the long-term, the French-Bulgarian historian Tzvetan Todorov introduced the dipole of ‘literal’ and ‘exemplary’ memory, which is affected by the way memories are handled in the short-term. Hence, the interpretation of a photograph is highly subjected to the context in which it is presented and the narrative it wishes to support. When it comes to commemorating difficult aspects of the past with the use of photography, museums may need to re-evaluate what is presented as ‘unique’, in order for future generations to be able to deal with their history and better understand its multifaceted nature.
Keywords: museum, commemoration, human loss, photography, memory, narratives
https://eeit.org/e-books/
https://online.ucpress.edu/afterimage/issue/47/4
For the proposed new definition of museum, see p.23
For the exhibition review "The Mirror", see p. 135
More issues of the Museological Review are available here: https://le.ac.uk/museum-studies/about/journals/museological-review