
Nikolas Ventourakis, 442, 2016, C-print mounted on Dibond, 75x100cm, Ed.5+2a.p.
A trip to the US inspired the French philosopher Jean Baudrillard to write in 1986, "AMERIQUE" an insightful text that describes America as the only realized utopia. The author’s interest is not to provide us with a social and cultural portrait of America but rather to present us with what he described as "Astral America", the America of speed, deserts, motels and mineral surfaces. In his text, Baudrillard talks about people, films, technology and, above all, the desert, just where he detects this country’s "primal scene", the taproot of its culture, politics and even its sexuality.



Nikolas Ventourakis, Untitled (Coins), 2016, C-print mounted on Dibond, 50,8x40,64cm, Ed.5+2a.p.
Nikolas Ventourakis, Untitled (Two Cowboys), 2016, C-print mounted on Dibond, 60,96x50,8cm, Ed.5+2a.p.
Antonis Theodoridis, Untitled (Newspaper from the American West series), 2014, Inkjet print on Hahnemulle Photosilk Baryta fine-art paper, 135x108cm, Ed.5+1a.p.
30 years later, CAN Christina Androulidaki gallery, has invited six young and established Greek photographers to present "their own” version of America exhibiting images captured in the 90s until today. As Baudrillard himself admits “this may be just the crazy notion of a European, fascinated by an unreal America”, a mixture of photographic clichés and spot-on descriptions that illustrate what the French philosopher described as "the only primitive society we are left with" - a society that is driven towards pure simulation, is exempt from the burden of the meaning of things and is therefore immune to the disease of old Europe.
Dimitra Lazaridou, Untitled (Air Chicago series), 1996, Photographic Print on Fuji multigrade paper, 28x28cm, Ed.1 of 6.
Panos Kokkinias, New York 1992, 1992, Lambda print, 57,5x41,5cm, Ed.1-5.
Panos Kokkinias, New York 1993, 1993, Lambda print, 61x41,5cm.
Yiorgos Kordakis, "10KAM #41 (from the 10.000 American Movies series)", 2010, inkjet print on fine art paper, mounted on aluminum with UV filter non reflective glass, 112x150cm, Ed. 1 of 7.
Participating artists: Panos Kokkinias, Yiorgos Kordakis, Dimitra Lazaridou, Antonis Theodoridis, Nikolas Ventourakis, Yiorgis Yerolymbos. The exhibition is part of the Athens Photo Festival, APhF:16
Credits
Words
CAN Christina Androulidaki Gallery
Images
Courtesy of the Gallery
Cover Photo
Yiorgis Yerolymbos

Tell us what you think...