one piece of cloth – an “invented” emblem

algorithmic design archive tradition

The project one piece of cloth – an “invented” emblem is the result of artistic research around the design and production of a flag. It refers to the creation of Greek national identity, as it unfolds through a series of invented traditions. 

 

How do we commemorate the past, real or imaginary?

How does memory acquire materiality?

How does costume bring together and reproduce our national identity?

 

The research begins with the National Historical Museum’s collection “Flags of Liberty”. Once gathered, the symbols depicted on the various improvised revolutionary flags, the common points on all the flags are located algorithmically. These points provide statistical data to create a new independent motif, which is quantitatively formed and formalistically influenced by all the preceding motifs.

The new gold-embroidered symbol will be incorporated into a cloth made of pieces of fabric, remnants of costumes that were found in the archive of the Wardrobe of the Museum of   the history of the Greek Costume of Lyceum Club of Hellenic Women. These costumes (fustanella and the costume of Amalia)  became known as national costumes and functioned as unifying elements of the new Greek state.

Through the materials and the symbols that are sewn together, we can see how cultural symbols become part of the creation of national identity and how their power to recall memory, to declare unity and to indicate cultural continuity brings the experiences of the past into the present.

Artistic research, texts, video editing: Maria Varela

Narration: Yiota Argyropoulou

Camerawork, Photography: Aggeliki Hatzi

Music: Vassilis Moschas (Polygrains)

Sound recording: Nikolas Konstantinou

English subtitles: Penny Saccopoulou-Valtazanou

 

The project was a commission of the Museum of   the history of the Greek Costume – Lykeion ton Hellinidon.

photographs: Studio Kominis

 

Revolting Bodies II exhibition photos: Panos Kokkinias, © ATOPOS cvc

  • dimensions

    1,70 cm x 1,20 cm, 14 min

  • technical specifications

    Flag , Video essay

  • exhibition

    1821-2021. ΜΥΡΙΑ ΟΣΑ [γ]ραμμένα εν πανίον // Revolting Bodies II

  • curator

    Tania Veliskou // Alexis Fidetzis

  • production

    Museum of the history of the Greek Costume - Lykeion ton Hellinidon.

  • venue

    Museum of the history of the Greek Costume - Lykeion ton Hellinidon // Atopos CVC

  • year

    2020

  • acknowledgements

    National Historical Museum Athens Greece, Traditional Costume Workshop Megara Angelos Theodossiou Nikos Sotiriou, Zoe Kona, Thanos Eleftherakos

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