The performance was presented in the context of TAPETAS / ΤΑΠΗΤΑΣ curated and organized by COMOTIRIO (Naira Stergiou and Eryphili Veneri) in collaboration with the Municipality of Athens.

The performance “Between a Rock and a Hard Place” draws on Greek mythology, centering on lesser-known female water deities. Ceto and her daughters—Echidna, Scylla, the Graeae, the Gorgons, and the Hesperides—symbolize the perils of the sea and are linked to its formidable creatures, including sea monsters, whales, and dolphins. These figures are portrayed as zoomorphic women who, because of their so-called “monstrous” forms, have been demonized; their unique features—especially their hair—are frequently depicted as unusual or unsettling.

By presenting two of these hybrid beings in Omonia Square, near the fountain, the artists explore stereotypes about women’s lived experiences and the biological transformation of the body.

During the performance, a boat sculpture depicting a body bearing features of the aforementioned female deities was ritually carried around Omonia Square. Its hair resembled seaweed, while its limbs evoked marine animals. The soundscape of the performance featured a soprano aria based on personal texts by the two artists, reflecting on the experience of the female body before and after childbirth.

At the end of the performance, the boat was offered as a votive object to the installation of Pektries, who were the priestesses of the evening.