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In ex situ
Antonis Vais, in collaboration with 12 performers of the ASFA Laboratory 12 (Professor Poka Yio), reclaim the pier of Gate E8 at the port of Piraeus. In this land’s edge, whose only border is the sea, they wish to reposition corporeality at the core of site-specific research. Seeking ways, situations, and conditions in which the individual, as part of a larger whole and as a unit, relates to the arrival, departure from, and stay in intermediate places of temporary habitation – such as the port – they activate a perpetual movement: that of the multitude, whose function aims to overemphasize the importance of transience.
All dates
In ex situ
Antonis Vais, in collaboration with 12 performers of the ASFA Laboratory 12 (Professor Poka Yio), reclaim the pier of Gate E8 at the port of Piraeus. In this land’s edge, whose only border is the sea, they wish to reposition corporeality at the core of site-specific research. Seeking ways, situations, and conditions in which the individual, as part of a larger whole and as a unit, relates to the arrival, departure from, and stay in intermediate places of temporary habitation – such as the port – they activate a perpetual movement: that of the multitude, whose function aims to overemphasize the importance of transience.
In ex situ
Antonis Vais, in collaboration with 12 performers of the ASFA Laboratory 12 (Professor Poka Yio), reclaim the pier of Gate E8 at the port of Piraeus. In this land’s edge, whose only border is the sea, they wish to reposition corporeality at the core of site-specific research. Seeking ways, situations, and conditions in which the individual, as part of a larger whole and as a unit, relates to the arrival, departure from, and stay in intermediate places of temporary habitation – such as the port – they activate a perpetual movement: that of the multitude, whose function aims to overemphasize the importance of transience.
The site-specific performance "in ex situ" is the third collaboration between creator Adonis Vais and a vibrant group of 30 students/ perfomers of Lab12 led by artist and educator Poka Yio of the Athens School of Fine Arts. In November 2023, they joined forces for the first time in an intensive three-day seminar aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of 'Physicality in Performance', its connection to visual arts, and its practical application in public spaces. A year later, visionary Nadja Argyropoulou, curator of the groundbreaking exhibition "the collective purr," sparked the group's second collaboration with the artist. Site-influenced performance "Maze" was presented in November 2024 in the labyrinthine Nobel building of the municipality of Chalandri, enriching the exhibition's innovative approach with a unique research and co-creation project that expanded through all three levels of the building, to fully emerge in its underground amphitheatre, exploring the concept of diving into the unconscious and the visible or invisible transformations that this may trigger. Fast forward to today and "in ex situ," our exploratory coexistence is guided by the following themes: • intermediate places/ transitional landscapes/ arrival-stay-departure/ habitance • constant movement of a crowd/ the body as a vessel • our connection to a place/ a foreign place/ the human being as a stranger/ the destination • the concept of the ephemeral and its identification in performing arts.
Courtesy of the artist
Courtesy of the artist
When, for which reasons, and in which ways do we visit intermediate places? Are they places of habitance? How does the constant movement of bodies as units compose a collective movement/ cosmic choreography, and how do the three basic functions of arrival, stay, and departure contribute to the creation of a constantly evolving landscape? When, and for which reasons, does a person find themselves outside their place/ space? What does each person consider to be their place/ space and what do we comprehend as a feeling of belonging? When does our society define a person as a stranger? What makes a person want to leave, escape or travel?
Finally, how does the concept of transience seeps through every form of existence, and how it connects to the ephemeral nature of performing arts? Is it the port and the intense movement that surrounds contemporary urban "non-places" the spaces which "present time" surrenders in the achievement of "a future destination"? Are there individuals or social groups who consciously experience a constant transition? Is existence a continuous transformation and how is it reflected, experienced through awareness, connected and expressed through the physical occupation of a landscape?
Adonis Vais was born in Athens, Greece in 1984. His passion for music moved him since childhood. First time he attended a dance class was at the age of 17. In 2006 he got admitted at the Greek State School of Dance where he graduated in 2009, awarded with the Koula Pratsika Foundation Scholarship. During his studies he danced for the Hellenic Dance Company and the choreographer Valasia Simeonidou. He debuted professionally as a performer in ''NOWHERE'' by Dimitris Papaioannou and the Greek National Theatre. He then collaborated with choreographers Konstantinos Rigos-Oktana Dance Theatre, Jukstapoz / Christine Gouzelis & Paul Blackman, Elena Christodoulidou and Machi Dimitriadou Lindahl. At the end of 2010 he moved to the Netherlands where he worked for Dorit Weintal – Dansmakers Amsterdam, to continue later in Berlin, as a member of the cie.Toula Limnaios for the year 2011. From 2012 until 2019 he was creating, touring and performing internationally as a freelance artist with the Sasha Waltz & Guests Company. In 2015 he performed ''Untitled'' (Go-go Dancing Platform) by Felix Gonzales Torres at the Schwules Museum Berlin, and in 2020 ''Bodies & Structure'' by Alexandra Waierstall at the Bauhaus Museum Dessau. Since 2020 he is based in Athens, collaborating with artists Christos Papadopoulos, Ermira Goro, Agni Papadeli Rossetou, Tzeni Argyriou, Alexis Fousekis, Thomas Moschopoulos, Poka Yio, Iria Vrettou and Nadja Argyropoulou. Since 2017 he has created choreographic works, performances and installations for the Athens & Epidaurus Festival, Ufer Studios Berlin, Fabrik Potsdam, Athens Pride Festival, Theaternatur Festival, Athens Video Dance Project and Eleusis 2023 European Capital of Culture.
Courtesy of the artist
Practical information
Address
Port of Piraeus, Gate E8
Accessibility
Dates and times
Friday, October 3, 20:30 to 21:15 Thursday October 9, 2025, 20:15 to 21:00
Safety
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
EXPERIENCES On board
Immersive exhibition "Présentes
Created with the exceptional collaboration of the Musée du Louvre, this exhibition highlights female figures in Mediterranean civilization, thanks to the digitization and modeling of part of the Louvre's collections. A two-stage experience: an introductory film to provide context, followed by an immersive experience in a 16-meter-long tunnel covered by 120 m2 of LED screens.
A sound journey through the Mediterranean
An immersive sound experience designed by Ircam, inviting the public to explore the richness and diversity of the Mediterranean through headphones equipped with spatialized sound.
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© Elisa Von Brockdorff
The artists
Frequently asked questions
Yes, the boat is freely accessible on site. However, you can pre-book your time online on our website.
For reasons of safety and preservation of the boat, high heels and stilettos may not be worn on the boat.
The museum boat is open to all free of charge. To find out on which quay it will be moored, or to pre-book your slot, consult the page dedicated to your town.
Appropriate facilities have been set up on the Festival site for the reception and access of people with reduced mobility. The boat is equipped with a 1m-wide ramp, accessible to people with reduced mobility, but may require the accompaniment of a third party due to its gradient of over 6%. Access to the aft deck and immersive exhibition is possible. However, the upper deck is not accessible. Please inform us in advance of any special accessibility requirements, so that we can make the necessary arrangements.