“Zoe” is an ancient Greek term and means life – the simple fact of life that is common to all living beings. According to Plato, “Zoe” is also tied to Fate which can be lived well or badly. However, it is not always in our hands whether our life is peaceful or whether it is suppressed and persecuted because certain aspects are not considered compliant by religious or political authorities.
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Queer interpretations of ancient Greek mythology and society are the focus of the photographic project ZOE by German artist Maik Gräf. A series of photographs taken during the artist’s art residency in Athens in 2021 will be presented at Romantso Gallery.
The exhibition is curated by Konstantinos Menelaou and Maik Gräf and produced by the art platform and gallery The Queer Archive.
ZOE by MAIK GRÄF
20-27 April 2023
Romantso Gallery, Anaxagora str. 3-5, 10552, Athens
Opening: Thursday 20th April, 7pm-11pm
DJ set by Clubkid 8pm-11pm
Exhibition: 21-26 April, 5-9pm
Closing: Thursday 27th April 5pm-11pm
In conversation with Maik Gräf – 7pm-8pm
DJ set 8pm-11pm
Ancient Greek sculptures embody ideals that are thousands of years old and speak of special sensitivity. The bare marble of the ancient statues, depicted in an intimate, emotional and abstract way is a recurring theme of Gräf’s photographic work, who believes that Greek spiritual heritage offers a promise of a queer future and is traced in the contemplation of ancient representations of the human body.
During his time in Athens, Gräf closely engaged with the local queer community and further explored his ongoing passion and curiosity for ancient, as well as contemporary Greek culture.
In ZOE, marble sculptures are juxtaposed with recent portraits of members of the queer community of Athens. Gräf personally interviewed members of the community and this fruitful interaction informed him about the current state of queer living in Athens. Discrimination, violence, and injustice, but also newly acquired freedoms, solidarity and love have balanced the view of history with the present political and social state of society.
The exhibition will feature analogue, black-and-white and colour photographs.
The riso-printed photo book ZOE will also be on display.
About Maik Gräf
Maik Gräf‘s work deals with queer theory and history and formulates questions about queer subjectivity. His photographs address topics of bodily and emotional perception. His aim is to evoke emotions in viewers while conveying the aspect of vulnerability through the use of the material. Based on the understanding of photography as a sensitive medium, the sensitive surfaces of analogue photography form the working basis, which resembles the vulnerability of human skin.
Maik Gräf (*1986) studied at the Bauhaus University Weimar and the Academy of Fine Arts in Hamburg, where he graduated with a Master of Fine Arts in 2018. Among other awards, he received a working scholarship from the Stiftung Kunstfonds in 2023, the stART.up scholarship from the Claussen-Simon Foundation in 2021/22 and the Hamburg Future Scholarship in 2021. His work has been shown among others at the Museum für Photo- graphic Braunschweig, Kunsthaus Hamburg, Frappant Galerie Hamburg, MOM ART SPACE Hamburg, f2 Fotofestival Dortmund, and during the triannual der Photographie Hamburg. In addition, he publishes his work in artist books. His last artist‘s book »ZOE« was published in 2022.
About The Queer Archive
The Queer Archive is an art platform and gallery that supports and enhances the development and production of all forms of queer art and culture, promoting a variety of artistic practices arising from different issues and aspects of queer life and experience, created by both local and international, artists. The Queer Archive often organises special events such as lectures, workshops, Q & A’s with artists and special guests while also taking on film production.
Since 2020, its team curates and produces The Queer Archive Festival, which takes place in various locations in the centre of Athens with the support of the Onassis Stegi. The Queer Archive Festival has become a cultural meeting point for the creative community, an opportunity to exchange ideas, collaborate, and communicate.
In September 2021 Queer Archive launched ARTSHOP, an online art gallery which features works by well-known and emerging queer artists, thus providing a global platform for promoting and distributing queer art.
