Alexandria, Egypt is sort of a vacuum in terms of finding any sort of visible art beyond what the Romans left behind. That is unless you count weathered buildings along the corniche, deteriorating street art depicting hope leftover from the 2011 Revolution, the slew of oversized billboards that dot the cityscape. Yes, art does exist here, you just have to look under the rug and/or have a very wide definition of what art is. One might argue the idea of Western art died here when president Nasser kicked out those who made Alexandria a colorful and cosmopolitan place to live. But this is a discussion for another time.
Below is the letter to our parents explaining our trip followed by pictures:
Purpose of trip
Students enrolled in the AP Art course at Schutz American School will have an opportunity to experience art and history outside of the classroom. The students will see and experience art in a historical, modern, and contemporary context. One of the objectives of AP Art is for students to make connections with identity and culture. Historically, Greece and Egypt share cultural commonalities. The proximity of the two have historically influenced each other. I am hoping the students will become aware of these similarities to promote a deeper understanding of the region they live in and their Alexandrian/Egyptian roots.
Art with purpose is the process of reflecting on personal experiences. Art is how we internalize, process, and communicate information on a creative and profound level. Art extends beyond an image and often includes culture, history, and personal expression. The process for creating exceptional AP works of art is the infusion of meaning and purpose. A new setting is an essential ingredient for fostering growth in students.
This will be an opportunity for students to grow in the essential skills of creativity, collaboration and communication. Evidence of these skills is highly valued by universities. The analysis and synthesis of information and experience leads to innovation. Whatever their chosen fields of study, being an “artist” who has innovative, problem-solving skills, will lead to success and satisfaction.
What will students do in Athens
Students will be staying with Mrs. Baker and I at an apartment in central Athens within walking distance to everything we will inquire about and study. We feel that an apartment setting creates a community that will foster synergy among the students. The setting is intentionally intense to cultivate a collaborative atmosphere. We will explore the city together, eat together, prepare group meals, create works of art together, have serious conversations on how to prepare our portfolio, especially our concentration for the AP exam. What students will experience as a collective will not only lead to a more successful AP Art experience, but will hopefully encourage the desire to be life-long learners.
Below is the letter to our parents explaining our trip followed by pictures:
Purpose of trip
Students enrolled in the AP Art course at Schutz American School will have an opportunity to experience art and history outside of the classroom. The students will see and experience art in a historical, modern, and contemporary context. One of the objectives of AP Art is for students to make connections with identity and culture. Historically, Greece and Egypt share cultural commonalities. The proximity of the two have historically influenced each other. I am hoping the students will become aware of these similarities to promote a deeper understanding of the region they live in and their Alexandrian/Egyptian roots.
Art with purpose is the process of reflecting on personal experiences. Art is how we internalize, process, and communicate information on a creative and profound level. Art extends beyond an image and often includes culture, history, and personal expression. The process for creating exceptional AP works of art is the infusion of meaning and purpose. A new setting is an essential ingredient for fostering growth in students.
This will be an opportunity for students to grow in the essential skills of creativity, collaboration and communication. Evidence of these skills is highly valued by universities. The analysis and synthesis of information and experience leads to innovation. Whatever their chosen fields of study, being an “artist” who has innovative, problem-solving skills, will lead to success and satisfaction.
What will students do in Athens
Students will be staying with Mrs. Baker and I at an apartment in central Athens within walking distance to everything we will inquire about and study. We feel that an apartment setting creates a community that will foster synergy among the students. The setting is intentionally intense to cultivate a collaborative atmosphere. We will explore the city together, eat together, prepare group meals, create works of art together, have serious conversations on how to prepare our portfolio, especially our concentration for the AP exam. What students will experience as a collective will not only lead to a more successful AP Art experience, but will hopefully encourage the desire to be life-long learners.
Waiting in line to board our plane only to sit on the tarmac for two additional hours. Once we landed, vegan food for dinner it was. We embarked on a lot of "firsts." |
It was an early morning start at the Acropolis. |
Obligatory group shot. |
The old temple of Athena. |
A view of Temple of Olympian Zeus and beyond. |
A view of Mount Lycabettus and the streets below. |
We had a guest visit from our former math teacher Mr. Ropke. |
The Acropolis Museum was also on our list. |
There are sections of the Acropolis Museum where you aren't allowed to photograph. Here is a museum guard telling me not to take this picture of the see through floor below. |
Alas, there was a few items we could photograph. |
One of our students checking out the pottery. Photo By Ms. Salli. |
Tools made from paper pulp. |
We walked towards Exarcheia, regarded as the anarchist neighborhood in Athens. |
Exarcheia has quite a bit of street art, anarchy, and a great punk rock club (An Club) and record store (Rhythm Records). We didn't quite make it to any punk concerts but we did go to the Plissken Festival to see live underground/experimental music. Students were so intrigued by one of the band's name, several bought shirts...though not at all school appropriate (hint-see last pict. of the blog) |
A stroll along the tiny streets behind the Acropolis. |
We ventured into a thrift store in Monastiraki (Flea Market area). Yours truly with a student that shall not be named. |
Another student being creative with a mannequin head. |
We have tried in vein to grab dessert at the Little Kook in Monastiraki. |
Sunday morning started with the Benaki Museum. |
The Benaki collection is quite varied: from Islamic art to this 18th century painting depicting the Last Judgment. |
5th Century linen and woolen curtain representing a praying couple from Egypt. |
I like the cut away mountain technique. It answers the burning question of, "What goes on inside of mountains and hills?" |
The Breeder Gallery and an art colleague Dimitris said we needed to head over to the Athens Conservatoire for the NEON exhibit: Flying Over the Abyss. This is a drawing outside the Conservatoire with the caption: "It could be better." |
The exhibit had five rooms/themes. Room 1: Genesis/Trauma, Room 2: Life Struggle: An Affirmation, Room 3: Creativity Into Eternity, Room 4: Touching The Other, Room 5: Return To The Abyss. |
One of the docents explaining Sherrie Levine's After Corbet 1-18 2009. |
Gilbert & George Coming 1975 (detail) |
Ioanna Pantazopoulou R.E. Reconfigured Etiquette 2012 This might have been the scene in several homes in the USA this past Thanksgiving while discussing the recent elections. |
Savvas Chrsitodoulides' Ladders Joined Together depicts a relation of support, |
Before hitting the newly reopened National Museum of Contemporary Art, we stopped for a bite. |
The National Museum of Contemporary Art is currently showing: Urgent Conversations: Athens-Antwerp. Pictured above: lmagul Menlibayeva Portrait of my Daughter 2, 2010. |
Panamarenko Prova Car 1967 and Jan Henderikse Houten groentekisten [Wooden Vegetable Crates] 1962. |
Costas Tsoclis Sky 1971 |
Johanna Kandl Ohne titel (Who's got the big picture?) 2006. |
Anne-Mie Van Kerckhoven Nursing Activities 1995-98. |
Eleni Mylonas Untitled #2 2013 This in the next image made me think of the protesters in Tahir Square at the onset of the Egyptian Revolution in 2011. |
Eleni Mylonas Box Man 2011. |
Vladislav (Vlad) Monroe StarZ 2005 |
Cady Noland Oozewald 1989. |
Dimitris Alithinos 201 Concealments 1981-2016. |
The Chapel of St. George at the top of Mount Lycabettus. |
We thought we were going to be all fancy by having dinner on the top of Mount Lycabettus and take in the sunset. Overcast skies spoiled our plans, but the views were impressive. |
We had the restaurant all to ourselves. One of the benefits of being early bird diners. |
We hiked to the Ancient Agora on our final morning. |
Our students were engaged with their sketchbooks for about an hour. Some make sketched of statues in the Stda of Attalos. |
Photo: by Ms. Salli. |
Spreading out. |
Temple of Hephaistos in the background. Of course the sun come out on our last day. |
Drawing the Nymphaion/The Church of the Holy Apostles |
We made a last minute appointment at the CAN Christina Androulidaki gallery to catch The Life of Things: Four reflections on precarious objects exhibit. Pictured: Giorgos Gerontides Untitled Collection of Objects 2016 |
Christina explanations and observations about the work by the four featured artists were intriguing. Pictured: Petros Efstathiadis Untitled #2 (from the Eggs series) 2010 |