The National Theatre of Greece & the Cyprus Theatre Organisation present: SPECTATORS IN A GHOST CITY
28.11.2023
The Cyprus Theatre Organisation and the National Theatre of Greece,
in partnership with the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus and
the House of Cyprus, present the art installation “Spectators in a ghost city”, for which Cyprus was awarded the world-renowned Golden Triga, in Athens.
The award of the highly prestigious Golden Triga at the 2023 Prague Quadrennial for the installation “Spectators in a Ghost City” is a great honour for Cyprus, sparking excitement and elation for the country’s creators, the curators of this year’s entry, and the Cyprus Theatre Organisation (Thoc).
The original concept for Cyprus’s entry at this year's (15th) International Exhibition of Performance Design and Space in Prague, based on the fenced-off city of Famagusta, came from its curator, Marina Maleni, with Melita Couta as the artistic researcher and designer of the installation, and the collaboration of technical consultant Harris Kafkarides. The Golden Triga, bestowed by an international jury of distinguished experts, is the most important accolade in the field of performing arts design.
At 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 5 December 2023, a special event in the Hall of the Ziller Building, the award-winning visual work will be presented by the Cyprus Theatre Organisation and the National Theatre of Greece, in partnership with the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus and the House of Cyprus.
Presentation schedule
Welcoming speeches
Antigoni Papafilippou, President of Thoc’s Board of Directors
Yannis Moschos, Artistic Director of the National Theatre of Greece
Stavros Avgoustides, Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus
Talk
The Curator of “Spectators in a Ghost City”, Marina Maleni, will talk about the conception, creation and methodology of the award-winning installation.
The award-winning work will be exhibited in the foyer of the Nikos Kourkoulos New Stage from 29 November to 17 December 2023 during the hours when the building is open for performances.
The presentation and exhibition take place under the auspices of the Deputy Minister of Culture of the Republic of Cyprus, Dr. Vasiliki Kassianidou.
The award citation of the international jury of the Prague Quadrennial:
“This elegant and many layered exhibit demonstrates how scenography can interrogate and negotiate local themes of memory, absence and presence that resonate universally. It self-critically invites visitors to question their own position as viewers of real or reproduced sites of conflict and trauma. By looking at the past, present and possible futures of the site glimpsed through the narrow square openings of buildings, the exhibit provokes feelings of anguish while suggesting the RARE potential for hope.”
At each Prague Quadrennial, the Golden Triga is awarded to one installation from among the national exhibits. Over the years, it has travelled to Europe, Asia, and North and South America. This year's festival welcomed almost a hundred creative and curatorial teams from 59 countries and regions to the two main exhibitions, hosting around 2,000 artists.
Curator/original concept: Marina Maleni
Artistic Researcher and Installation Designer: Melita Couta
Collaborating Technical Advisor: Harris Kafkarides
Art and Technology collaborator for AudioVisual / New Media Support: Giorgos Lazoglou
Video Performance Artists: Pascal Caron and Melita Couta
Graphic design and website design: Philippos Vassiliades
Technical support in Prague: Doros Tsolakis23
Technical support in Nicosia: Thoc technical services
Latest updated: 30/11/2023