Artists Adrian Paci has been commissioned by Counterpoints Arts in partnership with Victoria Square Project (VSP) in Athens to produce new public work as part of our Across Borders programme. Born in Albania and now living in Italy, Adrian is an artist whose work has been exhibited internationally including at the Venice Biennale His commission will engage with the neighbourhood of Victoria Square, leading to a public installation/intervention in the Square itself in Autumn 2021. It will form part of VSP’s ongoing enquiry: Who Is The Contemporary Athenian? with an associated residency programme for emerging artists.

Commissioning partner Victoria Square Project (VSP) is an evolving social sculpture. It was created by the artists Rick Lowe and Maria Papadimitriou in the framework of documenta 14, in Athens, in 2017. It now operates as a contemporary art space focused on the empowerment and inspiration of the residents of Victoria. VSP aims to be a catalyst for highlighting the importance of culture, art and creativity in order to build a more humane society.

The commission will be part of VSP’s programme: Who Is The Contemporary Athenian? This question is posed as an attempt to identify concretely the elements that define an inclusive Athenian society today beyond labels like immigrant, refugee, first or second generation, Greek etc, but under the common ground of the neighbours and co-citizens.

A residency programme, Station One, will also form part of this programme, with Counterpoints as one of the partners. Focusing on socially engaged artistic practices, Station One Residency for emerging artists aims to promote the dialogue amongst the Greek artistic scene on a wide range of community engaged practices.

A range of other partners across the arts and NGO sectors will also be involved in the programme including Solidarity Now, who will be leading a photography project with young people in Athens. Image by Adrian Paci : Centro di Permanenza Temporanea (2007)