Bios

Maria Sarri is an independent artist, born and living in Athens. She studied cultural studies at the Bilgi University of Istanbul, fine arts at Athens School of Fine Arts and conservation of antiquities at Athen’s Technological Institution. She currently works at the Ministry of Culture. Her work focuses on social issues such as nationalism, gender, urbanization, immigration, and post-colonialism. She uses mixed media such as research archives, video, photography, installations, and performances. She has participated in many exhibitions and projects.

 

Maria Sarri cv

Born in Athens in 1975

Studies

1994- 2001      Technical school of conservation of Antiquities and Art objects

2004- 2009       Athens School of Fine Arts. Studied painting, video art,

installations, photography, under professors Rena Papaspyrou, Marios Spiliopoulos and

Zafos Xagoraris

2009 -2011   Istanbul Bilgi University, Master degree Cultural studies (uncomplet)

Group Exhibitions-Projects

2016

– “Archeological conversations”, congress, Lesvos, performance, “Scanned point 325”, in collaboration with Tina Kotsi and Persefoni Mirtsou.

2015

-“Nationless”, participatory project in Balkans (Macedonia-Greece- Serbia-Albania-Kosovo), video, “Romeo&Juliet@freeland”

S.O.M.A project, open space exhibition at Keratea by Hariklia Hari, video, “excavation at the pillows”

2014  

-Enjoy (y)our State of Emergency, (Art and activist strategies in times of Crisis
lectures, performances, discussions, screenings) 3 – 7 December 2014, short video documentary, “Cats on the roof”

–  4daysstand, queer festival,Embros theater, performance, “The blonde grape and the purple plum or Mοses and his Ethiopian wife

-“ΚΑΤΑΠΙΣΤΕΥΜΑ”(trust), 10-16 April, text- instalation, “An afternoon with Libby Sacer”

2013     

–  4daysstand, queer festival, lecture performance, “To write to be written and the editing”, Embros theater.

2011

Reactivation of Empros Theater, one day artistic residency, performance, “Lottery for the salvation of the homeland”

2010      

– “*υπόμνημα”, group exhibition, Municipality Gallery of Mithimna, Lesvos island, curating by Gely Grintaki, Christina Sgouromyti, video, “Who pays the ferryman”

2009      

– “Direct Democracy”, group exhibition, “Factory” Athens School of fine Arts.

2008  

– “The un-build of Elaionas”  action at Elaionas area in Athens for the

project “Un-build” – Athens Byzantine Museum, with Network: Nomadic

Architecture.

2007    

–  “The transformation of the ground”

(territorial situations- actions in Gazochori), Network Nomadic Architecture,

Architecture biennale of Sao Paulo.

-“The transformation of the ground” group exhibition at the Gazi area in

Athens, Network: Nomadic Architecture.

-“Place”, group exhibition at the cultural center of catholic cathedral

of  naxos.

-“Construction site”, group exhibition at the offices of technical

company: AKTOR.

-“5 rooms” Five curators are suggesting young artists,

Kappatos Gallery, Athens.

-“Public Screen” biennale: 1, Thessaloniki, with the team Pro-rata

(Maria Sarri -Yota Ioannidu)

2006  

-“Attitude” video festival, Cultural Center “Magazza”,

organizer: Center for   Contemporary Public Arts Elementi,

Bitola/ FYROM Macedonia.

-“What Remains is Future”,   group project, “Patra-Ancona and v.v.”, Patra, old Arsakeion, school

-“britishness” participatory project in public spaces in Manchester.

-“An empty building-ground becomes the motive for dialogue, construction,and activation”, group exhibition with the Network: Nomadic Architecture.

-“The people’s Choice”, group exhibition at Isola art Center, Milan, with the Network: Nomadic Architecture.

Workshops- congresses

2016  Archeological conversations, congress, Lesvos

2014    Enjoy (y)stay of emergency, congress at NgbK, Berlin

2014    4daysstand, Queer festival organization team, Empros theater.

2013    4daysstand, Queer festival, organization team member, Empros theater.

2006    “Open Door”, Pac Multimedia Center, Stip/ FYROM

Macedonia, Balcan workshop of music,

Performance, Public Art, participation as a trainer

at Public Art section : Mov-it out.

2005      4rth Summer Workshop of Architecture and Visual arts in situ – Theory

and Practice – Chania – Centre of Mediterranean Architecture.

 

an artistic statement

The artist is a story teller. Α narration wonders through the city, its history and its remains.  My stories, my family’s stories, neighbors’ stories, the other’s stories and the official history all unfold and take place, cross each other’s path and co –exist in the same construction – installation of mixed media works that combine photographs, video- performances, sketches and texts.

Sometimes a city’s landscape is the motive for my works.  Distracting fragments of the continuous random urban view underlines incidents, highlights hidden stories or creates new events through performance, interventions, and installations.

The Balkans and the Ottoman Empire, Greece’s glorious past and today’s crises, new identities of gender and race that arise beside class dichotomies, history and its remains, deviations such as East and West, center and its periphery are some of my subjects.

My two last works go to different directions on the same axis as “Strange fruit” is an artistic performance that introduces theatrical elements in my work, while “Cats on the roof” is a lecture performance with the projection of a short documentary film that follows the same personal method but is getting into new practices such as live presentation, documentary film, interviews, live discussion and interaction.

The internet society and its interaction is also a story, another story. Narrations that unfold through comments, posts, images and videos. The world of social media as Facebook, YouTube, twitter and other construct a parallel virtual world that exists, talk, feel and offer material for artistic interpretation. Balkans and Romeo&Juliet@freeland are two works that deal with these elements.

My work develops into more concrete forms enriching the narration and clarifying the expression style without losing its decentered and open in progress character.