The Mediterranean region lies at the core of the main and parallel programme of the forthcoming 5th Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art, which will be held from June 23 until September 30, 2015, in Thessaloniki, as the last segment of a three part program which began in 2011, under the general title “Old Intersections-Make it New”.

The 5th Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art is funded by the Operational Program Macedonia-Thrace 2007-2013, co-financed by the European Union (European Regional Development Fund) and Greece, it is administered and organized by the State Museum of Contemporary Art, Thessaloniki. General Director of the Biennale is Katerina Koskina.

The Biennale will be inaugurated on Tuesday, June 23, 2015, at 20:00, at the Pavilion 6 (Leof Stratou & 3rd Septemvriou St, TIF-HELEXPO premises), by the Mayor of Thesslaoniki, Yannis Boutaris.

Main Program:

Α) Main Exhibition

“Between the Pessimism of the Intellect and the Optimism of the Will”
44 artists and one artists’ collective group from 25 countries all around the world, will exhibit their artworks, including existing works as well as several new productions commissioned for the occasion by the Biennale.

Duration: 23.06 - 30.09.2015
Venue: Pavilion 6 (Leof. Stratou Ave. & 3 Septemvriou St, TIF-HELEXPO premises)
Curator: Katerina Gregos, Art Historian - Independent Curator.

Participating artists: Carlos Aires (ES), Can Altay & Jeremiah Day (TR/US), Ivan Argote (CO), Marwa Arsanios (US), Bertille Bak (FR), Taysir Batniji (PS), James Beckett (ZA/NL), Adelita Husni Bey (IT), David Brognon & Stéphanie Rollin (BE/LU), Marianna Christofides (CY), Depression Era (GR), Ninar Esber (LB), Mounir Fatmi (MA), Peter Friedl (AT), Mekhitar Garabedian (SY/BE), Ganzeer (EG), Marina Gioti (GR), Piero Gilardi (IT), Hamza Halloubi (MA), Nick Hannes (BE), Sven Johne (DE), Annika Kahrs (DE), Eleni Kamma (GR), Hayv Kahraman (IQ), Mikhail Karikis (GR), Chrysanthi Koumianaki (GR), Erik Van Lieshout (NL), Thomas Locher (DE), Angela Melitopoulos & Angela Anderson (DE/US), Tom Molloy (IE), Nikos Navridis (GR), Qiu Zhijie (CN), Pavel Pepperstein (RU), Antonis Pittas (GR), Theo Prodromidis (GR), Meriç Algün Ringborg (TR), Anila Rubiku (AL), Marinella Senatore (IT), Nedko Solakov (BG), Nikos Tranos (GR), Thomas Weinberger (DE), Olav Westphalen (DE)

B) Exhibitions (in chronological order)

“Earth’s enduring gifts”
The exhibition examines the timeless gifts of the Greek biodiversity from ancient times until today. The connection between man and nature throughout Greece are presented through the artistic creations and the eating habits of the people, who lived on the Greek mainland and the Aegean, and are displayed by historical examples deriving from ancient Macedonia and prehistoric Thera, in order to reach the modern scientific research on Greek biodiversity and its prospects.

Duration: 18.05 - 30.09.2015
Location: Teloglion Foundation of Art, AUTH
Curators: Panagiotis Kourniakos, Christina Tsagkalia
Collaborating Institutions: Teloglion Foundation of Art, AUTH, Museum of Royal Tombs of Aigai, Archaeological Museum of Veria, Institute of Applied Biosciences (INAB) of the Centre of Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH), Museum of Prehistoric Thera, Archaeological Museum of Pella, Museum of Casts and Antiquities, AUTH, Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, Museum of Byzantine Culture, Wine Museum Gerovassiliou, Loulis Museum, Information Technologies Institute (ITI) of CERTH

“Kazimir Malevich and his students. 100 years after the Black Square. Russian avant garde works from the Costakis collection of the SMCA”
Taking as its point of departure the 100th anniversary of the creation of Kazimir Malevich’s “Black Square”, the most emblematic artwork in the history of the Russian avant garde movement, and the appearance of Suprematism, the State Museum of Contemporary Art exhibits artworks and archival material from the Costakis collection, which refer to the historic "Last Futurist Exhibition 0,10", Suprematism itself, Malevich’s students and the educational role of the artist.

Duration: 19.05 - 10.10.2015
Venue: State Museum of Contemporary Art
Curator: Maria Tsantsanoglou, Art Historian, Director of the State Museum of Contemporary Art
Assistant Curators: Angeliki Charistou, Art Historian-SMCA Curator, Dona Gounari, SMCA Curator

“Ident-alter-ity”
Exhibition on the issue of gender and self-determination.
Participating artists: Lynda Benglis (USA), Ursula Biemann (CH), Pauline Boudry & Renate Lorenz (CH-DE / DE), Marianne Darlen Solhaugstrand (NO), Yevgeniy Fiks (RU / USA), Kostis Fokas (GR / UK, Hector de Gregorio (UK), Igor Grubic (HR), David Hockney (UK), Deborah Kelly & Tina Fiveash (AU), Majida Khattari (MA/FR), Carlos Motta (CO / USA), Slava Mogutin (RU/USA), Natasha Papadopoulou (GR), Antonis Protopatsis (GR), Wolfgang Tillmans (DE/UK), Boryana Rossa - Oleg Mavromatti (BG / USA-RU), Milica Tomic (RS)

Duration: 17.06 - 31.07.2015
Venue: Thessaloniki City Hall
Curators “Ident-alter-ity”: Theodore Markoglou, Art Historian - Curator at the State Museum of Contemporary Art, Syrago Tsiara, Art Historian - Director of the Contemporary Art Center of Thessaloniki

Also, in the framework of the exhibition “Ident-alter-ity”:
A) “Identalterity - But still in one piece”
Exhibition in the frame of the international open call by Action Field Kodra.
Participating artists: Katerina Athanasopoulou (GR), Marilena Aligizaki (GR), Angeliki Avgitidou (GR), Chiara Bertin (IT), Eva Vei Geromichalou (GR), Marina Genadieve (GR), Fred Koenig (GR), George Petrou (CY), Trix Rosen (USA), Kelly Skoularioti (GR), Manuel Vason (IT)
Curators “Ident-alter-ity - But still in one piece”: Dimitris Michalaros, Chief Director of Action Field Kodra, Anthi Argyriou-Panagis Koutsokostas, Curators of Action Field Kodra

B) Ident-alter-ity. Gender trouble in contemporary art
A symposium which draws its central keys of reference from the politics of gender representation in art, contemporary theory and activist experience.
Symposium date: June 18, 2015, 16.00 – 21.00,
Venue: multiple uses conference room, Thessaloniki City Hall
Speakers: Yevgeniy Fiks, Marina Galanou, David Getsy, Dimitris Michalaros, Slava Mogutin, Boryana Rossa, Jules Rosskam, Syrago Tsiara, Kostas Yannakopoulos.

Collaborating Institutions: State Museum of Contemporary Art, Contemporary Art Center of Thessaloniki, City of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki Pride, Action Field Kodra-Municipality of Kalamaria

“Relative Motions / Evangelia Kranioti - Julien Prévieux”
This exhibition explores the living aspects of tradition and their redevelopment into modern art. Such distinctive approaches, like the ones in the works of E.Kranioti (GR) and J.Previeux (FR), do face the challenges and the reality of the modern era, using contemporary mediums. Yet, they manage not to be cut off from the Mediterranean tradition, giving it special emotions and dynamics.

Duration: 23.06-30.09.2015 Venue: Contemporary Art Center of Thessaloniki (Warehouse B1, Thessaloniki porta) The exhibition will be open to the public at 23.06, from 17:00. Opening: Wednesday June 24, 12:00 Curator: Katerina Koskina, Art Historian- Director of the 5th Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art Cocurator: Anna Mykoniati, Art Historian-SMCA Curator Collaborating Institutions: Ambassade de France en Grèce-Institut Français en Grèce, Institut Français, Consul Général de France à Thessalonique- Institut Français de Thessalonique

“HEL(L)AS! Everywhere!”
Exhibition of works by Konstantinos Xenakis in a “silent dialogue” with the antiquities in the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki.

Duration: 23.06 - 30.09.2015
Venue: Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki
The exhibition will be open to the public on 23.06, from 18:00
General Coordination: Polyxeni Adam-Veleni, Archaeologist-Theatrologist, Director of the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki.
Curators: Evangelia Tsangaraki, Archaeologist, Head of the Department of the Collections of Metalwork, Sculpture & Minor Artifacts at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, Styliana Galiniki, Archaeologist at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki

"Travelling in the Eastern Mediterranean through the Digital Archive of Greek Culture of Th. Korres (A.U.TH.)"
This temporary -and travelling- photographic exhibition aims to show to the public a series of more or less known places (archaeological sites, settlements, landscapes e.a.) with a strong Greek presence over time. Common characteristic of all these places is their position along the littoral zone of Eastern Mediterranean (Asia Minor, Jordan, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt).

Duration: 23.06 - 13.09.2015
Venue: Museum of Byzantine Culture, wing of temporary exhibitions "Kyriakos Krokos"
Opening: Tuesday June 23, 21:00
Curator: Agathoniki Tsilipakou, Director of the Museum of Byzantine Culture, Archaeologist
Scientific Advisor: Theodoros Korres, Professor Emeritus A.U.TH.
Partners: Museum of Byzantine Culture, Digital Archive of Greek Culture of the Department of History and Archaeology of the Faculty of Philosophy A.U.TH.

C) Other Projects (in chronological order)

Love Difference Table / Michelangelo Pistoletto
This emblematic work and “manifest” by Michelangelo Pistoletto will host all the theoretical projects and events of the Biennale. It will also serve as a mirror, reflecting the events, fermentations and outcomes of the Biennale’s three-day programme about the Mediterranean under the general title “Old Intersections – Make it New”.

Duration: 23.06 - 30.09.2015
Venue: Pavilion 6 ((Leof. Stratou Av. & 3rd Septemvriou St, TIF-HELEXPO premises)
Curator: Katerina Koskina, Art Historian- Director of the 5th Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art

4th Thessaloniki Performance Festival
11 performances from Greek and international artists, two tributes and exhibitions, video performances, workshop, one-day conference and an opening concert.

Duration: 29.06-9.07.2015
Venue: various public and private spaces in the city
Curator – Coordinator: Eirini Papakonstantinou, Art Historian - Curator at the State Museum of Contemporary Art
Artists / Participations: Giorgos Bakalos (workshop, GR), Márcio Carvalho (PT), Harry Elektron & Rosita (concert, GR), Victoria Gray (UK), Leda Papaconstantinou (tribute-GR), Jonas Kocher - Dafni Stefanou - Janosch Perler- Ruedy Schwyn (CH/GR), Mischa Kuball (DE), Carlos Martiel (CU), Medie Megas (GR), Rhiannon Morgan (GR/UK), Surabhi Saraf (IN/USA), SUKA OFF (PL), Ulay (tribute & performance, DE), Cyprus International Performance Art Festival (CY), Videoplay (AR)

5th Young Artists’ Workshop, "Romance"
The Young artists’ Workshop will focus on an alternative approach to the central concept and main theoretical background of this year's event, based on "Letters from Prison" by Antonio Gramsci.

Duration: 10-30.09.2015
Venue: Geni Tzami (Yeni Mosque)
Curator – Coordinator: Areti Leopoulou, Art historian – Curator at the State Museum of Contemporary Art
Head of the workshop: Spyros Staveris, Photographer
Participating artists: Antigoni Theodorou (GR), Akis Karanos (GR), Maria Kriara (GR), Elias Mamaliogkas (GR), Ilan Manouach (GR), Virginia Mastrogiannaki (GR), Nicolas Paradiselo (GR), Sophia Tolika (GR), Original Replica (GR), Nuriddin Rasulov (UZ)

Symposium “The role of the Biennials in Mediterrenean today”
This year’s symposium will try to detect the results of the Biennales and their in role in the current reality of the Mediterranean. Directors, curators and artists will participate from related events around the Mediterranean.

Time: late September
Venue: Pavilion 6 ((Leof. Stratou Av. & 3rd Septemvriou St, TIF-HELEXPO premises)
Coordinator: Katerina Koskina, Art Historian- Director of the 5th Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art, Katerina Mavromichali, Research, Lifelong Learning & Conferences, State Museum of Contemporary Art

Parallel Programme (in chronological order)

Exhibition - Chronis Pechlivanidis - A journey into the world of Sufism
Duration: 22.05 - 20.09.2015. Venue: Alatza Imaret. Curator: Mina Moraitou

Exhibition - Efi Savvides: Transplantation
Duration: 23.06 - 31.08.2015. Venue: Municipal Gallery of Thessaloniki (Casa Bianca). Curator: Thalea Stefanidou, Art Historian. Opening: Tuesday July 21, 20:00. Hosted by: Municipality of Thessaloniki

Exhibition - Anni Kaltsidou: Visual Intersections at Thessaloniki’s Roman Forum
Duration: 24.06 - 16.08.2015. Venue: Roman Forum. Opening: Tuesday June 24, 20:00. Curator: Maria D. Kagiadaki, Art Historian - Ephorate of Antiquities of the City of Thessaloniki

International Symposium - Psychology-Art / 1st International Symposium of Art Therapies “Life and Art as one”
Duration: 18 - 20.09.2015. Venue: Pavilion 6 (Leof. Stratou Av. & 3rd Septemvriou St, TIF-HELEXPO premises). Coordinator: Eleni Tonikidi, Artist, Art-Therapist

Exhibition - Nikos Panayotopoulos, Penelope Petsini: Aufarbeitung: The Wall (2010-14)
Duration: 22.09 - 17.10.2015. Venue: Eirmos Gallery. Curator: Hercules Papaioannou, Photography Researcher

For additional information visit: www.thessalonikibiennale.gr