Theorist Astrida Neimanis in her book “Bodies of Water” (2017), invents the concept of Hydrofeminism, proposing new and unexpected feminist perspectives. According to the term, water, femininities, embodied practices, and ecology are interconnected creating “new” future synergies. Could fluidity and waters in constant flux create a “different” ecological, political and poetic consciousness through a fluid feminist lens? If water is the element from which all organisms derive, how could we possibly return to this remote state of existence, abolishing the limits between evolution, genes, history, culture and nature?

The answer to these questions could be “bridging the gap” between past, present and future, humans and non-human forms, jellyfishes and dogs. As we experience pandemics, wars, ecological catastrophes and energy crises, we could consider post-humanism and water as ethical conditions that encourage us to think outside of the interests of our species; being less egocentric in our conception of the world; and taking the interests and rights of things that are different to us seriously is a necessity. Such an endeavor of connecting Piraeus (GR), Torres Vedras (PT) and Mondaino (IT) through “water paths and water ethics”, proved to be a useful attempt for experimenting with local communities, research and water.

Ichthyolatry -the baby fish of this connection- is a hybrid confessional performance on the elderly, floods, fluids and menopause. Based on community research in rivers, lakes, phreatic zones and female groups, the performance delves into an immersive universe of affective underwater alliances. The eccentric creatures of Ichthyolatry -a warrior, a post-human creature, a female phenomenon and a fish- will inhabit the stage of the Plyfa Industrial Park and that of Teatro Cine for taking a dive in an oneiric ocean of fluid possibilities. Are you ready to swim?

The project was collectively created through an intensive process, including a series of research and creative residencies in Greece, Portugal and Italy, accompanied by local hosting communities.

The director and the creative community jointly developed the dramaturgy and the texts, in such a way that their content is the intellectual co-creation of all participants.

The texts are based on both the confessions of the creative team in Piraeus (GR) and the interviews with individuals of the local community of Torres Vedras (PT) and Mondaino (IT) during the creative residencies.

The additional material of some costumes was produced throughout a creative workshop with the audience of the open rehearsal during the creative residency in Teatro Dimora L’ Arboreto (IT).

Direction and original concept: Eva Giannakopoulou
Creative team/Artistic community: Marianita Karakosta, Eva Koliopantou, Maroula Papanastasi and Evgenia Vacalopoulou
Texts: Eva Giannakopoulou, Marianita Karakosta, Eva Koliopantou, Maroula Papanastasi and Evgenia Vacalopoulou
Lighting design: Nyssos Vasilopoulos
Sound design: Pedro Pascoal
Costumes Design: Eva Giannakopoulou, Marianita Karakosta, Eva Koliopantou, Maroula Papanastasi, Evgenia Vacalopoulou
Costumes Construction: Eva Giannakopoulou, Marianita Karakosta, Eva Koliopantou, Maroula Papanastasi, Evgenia Vacalopoulou
Masks design and construction: Stefanos Chandelis
Makeup: Eva Giannakopoulou, Marianita Karakosta, Eva Koliopantou, Maroula Papanastasi, Evgenia Vacalopoulou
Performing on stage: Marianita Karakosta, Eva Koliopantou, Maroula Papanastasi, Evgenia Vacalopoulou
Production management: Delta Pi
Supported by the Brotherhood of Cefalonians and Ithacians Living in Piraeus and ΤwixtLab.

About PCAI

PCAI is a non-profit, cultural organization founded by Athanasios Polychronopoulos, which primarily aims at raising environmental awareness through an annual programme of commissions, exhibitions, artist residencies, conferences, workshops and events. PCAI realizes its objectives through three areas of activity: its art collection, its cultural and contemporary art projects as well as the support it offers to artists and artistic initiatives with the same vision and concerns. In 2019 Kika Kyriakakou, PCAI artistic director, initiated the PCAI artist-in-residence programme focusing on the interaction between contemporary art, science and environmental consciousness; the first PCAI residency jury consisted of Hans Ulrich Obrist, Serpentine Galleries artistic director, Krist Gruijthuijsen, KW Institute for Contemporary Art director and the PCAI directors. The organization’s innovative contemporary art productions on sustainability and climate crisis, its educational workshops and its partnerships with other cultural institutions have been awarded on many occasions.
Website: pcai.gr

About Stronger Peripheries

Stronger Peripheries is a large cooperation project co-funded by the Creative Europe Culture Programme, gathering eleven arts’ management organizations and three research institutions from ten Southern-European countries. It is the first project to be implemented by the Southern Coalition, an informal network that connects locally anchored cultural practices in a European South, aiming at overcoming isolation and boosting the skills of artists, cultural professionals, and audiences. Stronger Peripheries questions and discusses the notions of “south” and “peripheries” from a socio-political and socio-cultural point of view, providing an opportunity to renegotiate our identities through culture and the empowering confluence of cultural differences.
Website: strongerperipheries.eu