ATHENS, Greece – Walking along Ermou, a main street in Athens, Greece, I turn onto what looks like an alley with closed shops. I walk along until my GPS says I’m here, but I don’t see anything that looks like the location for an art exhibition. Ducking my head, I step into a low building made of exposed stone, a rarity in the concrete jungle of Athens. As I step into the exhibit, it feels like stepping back in time, to the Athens of our ancestors. It was the perfect atmosphere for an art installation teaching the folk traditions of Greece.
Hosted by Strovilos, the project of Renata Kotsafti, The mission of Strovilos is to blend nature, art, and tradition to share the secret wisdom of ancient times in Greece. Renata explains that “the goal of the exhibitions is to give magic to anyone who approaches us. The rituals of every season are the forgotten secrets of humanity. We want to share the knowledge and the feelings of every season.”
Strovilos Logo
This is part two of a series on each turn of the wheel, following a successful exhibition on Imbolc in February. ‘The wheel of the year brings us closer to the movement of nature, the change of seasons that occurs outside and inside us,’ Renata explains. ‘The seasonal exhibitions are based on the three phases that each season has: the preparation, the beginning, and the climax. Preparation [explores] traditions about enthusiasm and realizing the veil of dark winter. Aversion, ecstasy, and exorcism of the energy that weighs us down.’ Moving into the next cycle of beginning, songs are honored, in the way birds honor us with their songs in spring. At the climax of the exhibition, as in the climax of spring, the colorful flowers are celebrated as “an explosion of earth power.”
Many of the exhibit’s traditions were focused around the Hellenic holidays and Greek pantheon of gods, such as Adonis, the dichotomy of Dionysus & Apollo and the Fallforia parade for the former, Mithras, Flora (Lupercus) and the holiday of Lupercalia, the Lesser Mysteries of Eleusis celebrating Persephone and Demeter, the prehistoric story of Attis and Cybele, and the origins of modern Greek holidays like Easter and Carnival, or Apokries.
Many exhibit details stood out, from the tradition of mask-wearing festivals around the coming of spring to the explanations of the Martis bracelets of protection worn until the first sighting of a swallow. But one tradition Renata personally looks forward to the most each year is now celebrated as part of the Orthodox church’s Easter service.
“This tradition has deep symbolism and quite mysterious, ancient origins: the transfer of the flame. It starts from the priest, and reaches hand by hand all over the world and finally, it is carried to every house. The light multiplies no matter how much of it we share. The light is the heart of the mysteries of man, unites the connection with the sacred, and symbolizes the inner spiritual resurrection of man. A new birth of light is united with Spring’s insatiable will to live!” This powerful depth of symbolism was a beautiful theme of the exhibit.
Strovilos aims to give audiences the opportunity to explore “harmonization with the rhythms of nature in its eternal cycle”, Renata shares. “Approaching art as an expression of the inner identity of humans through a revival of traditions that build the dance of Life with the footsteps of our culture.” The next event will celebrate the summer solstice, and they are also celebrating the autumn equinox later in the year. Strovilos’ dreams and plans for the future embrace an umbrella of activities, including tours, workshops, exhibitions, seasonal celebrations and festivals, publications, activities with children, dance, the revival of classic crafts, and more to “bring back the myth in daily life.”
As Strovilos grows, they’re always looking for volunteers. “We are a small team for now and open for anyone who wants to participate. We want to grow as much as it could be and as much the people want to do events together!” To get involved, and to have updates on the upcoming exhibitions, follow Renata Kotsafti on Instagram @strovilosfestivals and Facebook @Strovilos – Στρόβιλος. The festival welcomes exploring volunteering or other opportunities. They can be reached via email at strovilosfestivals@gmail.com +30 697-813-1284
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