The Argonautic Expedition - Call for Mail Art

"THE ARGONAUTIC EXPEDITION- the ARGONAUTS" call for mail art
The Argonauts In 1200 B.C., in the end of the Copper Age and the begining of the Iron Age, 52 heroes of the Ancient Greece embarked on “Argo”, the biggest and most famous ship of the ancient times, and traveled from the port of Colhis (ancient Iolkos) to an eastern shore of the Euxine (Black) Sea, knomn nowadays as the city of Tosis (Former Russian Republic of Georgia). The purpose of the journey was to bring back to the King of Colhis, Pelias, and the Golden Fleece, which was guarded by a dragon. Acording to the ancient legend the owner of the Fleece gained immortality. The journey hided extreme danger and surprise for the Argonautes, as they had to confront nature, hostile nations and as well as the range of some of the Gods. In our days, everyone travels on a ship, our own Argo, chasing an utopia, a dream, crossing the Symplegades (Clashing Islands), the difficulties in life. Some may return to Colhis, as others may lost their way and experience only the joy of the effort. What counts is the journey, the struggle and the dream. We invite you to experience this journey together. The revival of the ancient Greek myth is a fact, as on June 2007 a detailed copy of Argo with 52 rowers will embark from the port of Volos (Ancient Iolkos), following the same route with the ancient Argo. The Cultural Club “Xarta of Culture”, supporting the expedition has already produced a great musical play titled “Argonautes”, performed by the internatinaly famous singer Nena Venetsanou, on the music of Giannis Tantsis and the lyrices of Giorgos Tsitroulis. We are inviting you to participate with a painting of your choice and inspiration (a landscape on A4 canvas) to symbolize the sail of the ship, which will be attached to a pre-sketched ship of the same dimensions, or creates something of the fable in paper or cardboard A4 Your paintings will be exposed in the premises of the music halls where the concerts of the “Argonautes” will take place, in different parts of the planet, as a form of “moving expedition”. Forty (40) of those paintings, sellected by the Artistic Committee of “Xarta” will be included in the flyer of the cd “Argonauts” (distributed on 2007 – 2008). Title: Argonauts. Material: painting, drawing artist stamp in cloth or on paper with any media Size: A4 or 9h10cm in cloth All work will be exhibited. No Jury, no returns, no fee. Documentations to all. On line documentation: http://mailart-greece-argo.blogspot.com/ Deadline until 1 June 2007 Exhibition art director & curator Thomai Kontou, painter- mail artist For info: thomaikontou@gmail.com Send your work to: Thomai Kontou Xanthou 9 40200 Elassona Greece Please draw, paint, or stick the flag of your country on the envelope. If you draw the Argo put the flag of your country on her. Please send your work by post not by e-mail. Write your name, address and your e-mail clearly. XARTA: http://www.xarta.gr/ For the support of Exhibition was created an artistic committee from Greeks mail artists: Thomai Kontou, Regas Makropoulos, Ioanna Papachristou, Aristotelis Triantis, Anna Filini, Efi Bizou Chlorokosta, Galatos Stavros, Helen Baziotou, Thomas Liolios, Nikos Delis, Christos Papanikolaou, Charis Xatzina- Tsekoura, Gioula Gathi, Kostas Varnas, Vasilis Prappas, Kostas Evaggelatos, Nikos Kelesis.