Tribute to the Memory of Kallimartyres of Yesterday and Today
About the background photo of the poster:
The photo-shoot was done a few months ago, with the aim of making this photo the cover of Christina Tzialla's new book, entitled "oÚi- Tropaia ApoTropaia", which is to be published in 2023. In the photo she is posing herself. The performance and direction is signed by Stefanos Papazapraidis, who was inspired by her work.
Some samples from different versions of the portraits,
until the selection of 17 models for the final photo shoot.
Photoed by Nikos Dalezios
Directed by Christina Tzialla
Jewelry made from silver colored candy. The jewelry was created by visual artist Vassiliki Kateri, based on an innovative idea by Christina I. Tzialla, for the purpose of Kalliergon's Pamvotis Lake Project. The "silver" jewel refers to the famous silversmiths of Ioannina. The silver candy is used traditionally to decorate the offerings at memorial services. The parallelism is obvious.
* The most models are volunteers from Drosochori village and e few from Ioannina city.
* The photos of the little girls have been posted on our page after signed parental permission.
Special thanks to all
Starring Pamvotis Lake, this project aims to move, to attract interest, to rekindle human consciousness, to invoke the respect of human rights and, in general, to contribute – even in the slightest – so that our world can manage to move in an increasingly healthy orbit.
The first part of this project was dedicated to the women who drowned along with Κyra Frosini, known as "kallimartyres", according to the official term awarded to them by the Church. It was a way to emphasize on the perpetual claim and maintenance of the position of women in the upper and upper layers of society and not at its bottom. That part of the project was also dedicated to "Kallimartyres" of today, as a comment on gender violence, femicides... And the history that is lost in the depths of the centuries, repeats itself, in other ways and on other occasions.
May the legends that will be written in the future have only a joyful aura, so that those who have shaken its waters can sleep quietly!
January, 21 & 22 2023
A tribute to the memory of the "kallimartyres" of yesterday and today
A prelude to "Pamvotis Lake Project"
Organized by Kalliergon and the Cultural Association of Drosochori
on the occasion of the drowning of 17 women, together with Kyra Frosini, in Pamvotis Lake of Ioannina, 222 years later, on January 11, 1801.
Under the auspices of the Municipality of Ioannina
Action coordinators: Vasiliki Kateri & Konstantinos Staikos
Voluntary Participation: Club of Pogoni Polyphonic Song
The musicians Nikos Chalkias (clarinet) and Miltos Diamantis (accordion) also voluntary participate
The digital recording is done, voluntarily, by Konstantinos Markou. Also, special thanks to Vasso Miliou and Nikos Konstantuleas for their photo picks.
Saturday, January 21, 2023 | 19.00 – 21.00 | Hall of the Cultural Association of Drosohori
Sunday, January 22, 2023 | 12.00 – 13.30 | meeting point: Mavili Square
special note: A jewel made of candies in silver color is been exhibited, permanently, at the Ali Pasha Museum, in the chamber "Κyra Frosini".
Special thanks to the sponsors and supporter! We are especially honored by this support !
Click on the images below and follow the links.
DETAILS ABOUT THE TWO DAYS TRIBUTE
On Saturday, January 21, 2023, from 19.00 to 21.00, in the hall of the Cultural Association of Drosochori, the Photographic Exhibition of Women's Portraits titled: "Kallimartyres" was inaugurated, curated by Vasiliki Kateri.
Village women posed for this purpose. The photography was done by Nikos Dalezios, directed by Christina Tzialla. A common feature in all the portraits was the silver cupped jewelry worn by these women.
Their construction is signed by Vasiliki Kateri, based on an idea by Christina Tzialla.
* A jewel made of silver cups is permanently exhibited in the Museum of Ali Pasha and the Revolutionary Period, on the island of Ioannina, in the "Kyra Frosini" room.
Women and men "embroidered" splashes with silver cups. These cookies were a kind offer of the local family business "Meligiotis" and were offered as a "forgiveness" to those attending the following day's action. The dough was from a traditional Ioannina bagel recipe.
On Sunday, January 22: An open invitation to the meeting at 12.00 noon Mavili Square, next to Lake Pamvotis. Those present witnessed a shocking event, a unique, original ritual!
The purpose of an Epirotian obituary by the master clarinetist Nikos Chalkias, with accordion accompaniment by the also master Miltos Diamantis.
A boatman in a wooden fishing boat (Aris Lioubos, Chairman of Pamvotis Island Community), approached the quay and placed in the hands of a man, dressed in a traditional Epirotian costume (Anastasios Vassiliou, Chairman of the Cultural Association of Drosochori), a piece of cloth that referred to the water of the lake, where in a "Kallimartyr" was "hiding".
At that time, the fateful "Margiola" by the members of the Club of Pogoni Polyphonic Song, followed the sounds of the clarinet, spreading shivers of emotion, and bringing tears to the eyes of many!
The man, with respect and awe, moved with slow steps to a plane tree at the edge of the square and deposited the cloth at its root. Another man was waiting for him there, also dressed in traditional Epirotian costume (Konstantinos Staikos, Vice President of the Cultural Association of Drosochori). Both of them together helped the "Kallimartyr" to emerge from the "water".
The interaction of the oversized project with nature was the catalyst for the atmosphere the organizers wanted to create.
Everyone received a imperceptible invitation that "floated" in the atmosphere, "Come to my place", where the title of the action.
A challenge from this Woman - Kallimartyr of yesterday?... of today?... of always?... Food for thought, for reflection, for internal dialogue...
Two boys (Christophoros Staikos and Raphael Viltaniotis) and a girl (Kleopatra Theochari) left a few wild flowers, glaucanths , at the base of the portrait and then threw the rest they were holding in their little hands into the lake, for them, in their memory . At the same time, the embroidered with silver cuffs to all those present, as a "forgiveness"...
The portrait was then paraded around the square and among the attendees, giving an even more emotional atmosphere to the whole atmosphere. Particular emphasis and appeal to emotion was given, again, by the clarinet through the purpose of epirotic obituary.
Afterwards, Popi Stefanidi recited a poem by Anna Dereka from her poetry collection entitled "Water Veins", published in 2000 by the Prefectural Self-Government of Ioannina, dedicated to the memory of those unknown women, the "Kallimartyres". Musical carpet, again, the mournful purpose of the clarinet.
In the aftermath of the two-day event: The two-day event was extremely impressive, as was the aftermath of the tribute! The goal was achieved, exceeding all expectations, justifying the organizers and those who envisioned it, leaving the best omens for what will follow.
Special thanks to photographer Konstantinos Markou and the cameraman Charis Petridis. Warmly thanks to all those who supported, each in their own way, so that this tribute could be realized with absolute success, as well as all the mass media that helped to spread such an event and the timeless messages of.
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"Imagine you are ME"
Model: Mikela Tsontzou
Photoed by Nikos Dalezios
Directed by Christina Tzialla
Scenography and Exhibition Curation: Vasiliki Kateri
