Outis | A self-monument in Point Nemo
Work in progress, 2017-
‘Our exhibition never wanted to represent the Athenian art scene. Others are supposed to do that. If people do not feel so represented here, then they should think about why they are not heard.’
Excerpt from an interview with the artistic director of documenta 14 (Deutschlandfunk Kultur, May 14, 2017).
‘Panos Sklavenitis. 1977, Ithaca, GR. Lives and works in Athens, GR’. An ocean buoy-monument placed in Point Nemo. The oceanic pole of inaccessibility (48°52.6?S 123°23.6?W) is the point in the ocean that is farthest from land. ‘Point Nemo’, Latin for ‘No One’ and also a reference to Jules Verne’s ‘Captain Nemo’ lies in the South Pacific Ocean, more than 1,400 nautical miles from the nearest land. ‘Nemo’ is the Latin equivalent of Ancient Greek ‘Outis’. ‘
Outis’, (transliteration of Ancient Greek Ουτις, in capitals ΟΥΤΙΣ, from ουτις “nobody” or “no one”), is often used as a pseudonym by artists, writers and others who wish to hide their identity. “Ουτις”, is how the Homeric hero Odysseus introduced himself to the Cyclops Polyphemus. When then Odysseus attempted to blind him in an attempt to escape, Polyphemus screamed out in pain to the other Cyclopes that “Nobody” was trying to kill him and so, no one came to his rescue.
Odysseus was the legendary Greek King of Ithaca, the island where I was born and grew up.
The monument consists of a polyethylene ocean buoy (2.6mtr diameter & 4mtr height), a metal rob (4mtr height), two 2-ply polyester flags (1mtr x 3mtr and 1mtr x 4mtr), a plastic sphere (2.6mtr diameter), a chain and an anchor.
Presentation:
Panos Sklavenitis ‘How to be seen at Point Nemo’ MEME, Kerameikou 28, 104 36, Athens, Greece, 22/11/17. In the context of Open form, curated by Denise Araouzou.