A wave in the Athenian center brings Greece closer to Israel
Monday 11 October 2021, 00:00
The Sunday weather in Athens was beneficial and was not in the official first of one … graffiti! The reason for a new monumental mural in the heart of the capital. The facade of a building on 24 Lekka Street, opposite the Stoa Dimitriou Zerbinis, was “dressed” in the colors of blue and white. The graffiti that gave life and color again to the old HEDNO building, was welcomed yesterday at noon with all formality by the Mayor of Athens Costas Bakogiannis and the Ambassador of Israel Yossi Amrani. The original visual effect is the result of a collaboration between the Municipality of Athens and the Israeli Embassy.
The Mayor of Athens Costas Bakoyannis, the Ambassador of Israel Yossi Amrani and the Anti-Jospe who signs the project “Waves”
Photo: George Mylonas
The mural entitled “Waves” is signed by the young artist adioshpe (Adi Ioshpe). Her work “Waves” was proposed after an open competition for Israeli artists on “Israel – Greece, common values”. Adioshpe was born in 1998 and is studying at the Bezalel Academy of Fine Arts in Jerusalem. For her, her street art proposal in the Athenian center replaces the perpetual traffic. “It’s the waves of history. The shades of blue and white are the colors of the sea that unites us and the colors on the flags of Greece and Israel “.
Anti Iospe in front of her work that gives color to the facade of the old HEDNO building on Lekka Street 24
Photo: George Mylonas
The common color in the national symbols reflects, on a symbolic level, the strong ties of the two countries. “We are two ancient civilizations that share a common history,” said Mr. Bakoyannis in his greeting. “And culture is the ideal means of communication. It breaks down walls and is the best answer to bigotry and intolerance. The waves are a condition of the times, they are the movement, the flow but also the colors of our flags “. He also spoke warmly about the President of the Israeli Community of Athens, Mr. Alberto Taraboulous, saying that “we are proud of you”.
The project was selected by a joint committee of the Municipality of Athens, the Embassy of Israel and the owners of the building, among dozens of different proposals. Organized and with absolute respect in the public space, the Municipality of Athens has started in recent years an innovative graffiti program in the public space. In collaboration with the Urban Act team and the participation of artists from street art, specific spaces are available for creating graffiti. Already, at the junction of Larissis and Panormou streets (at the 104th Primary School of Athens), we rejoice in Erotokritos and Aretousa, an adaptation of a well-known work by Theofilos, by the Greek street artist Kez.
The above show that the collaboration of the Municipality of Athens with artistic groups can form a new cultural environment for the afflicted Athenians, offering a modern artistic look for the inhabitants and their people in the city. In fact, when such collaborations become a “step” of strengthening our relations with the Mediterranean countries, in this difficult position for the place of historical conjuncture, then they also had substance on a symbolic level. “Many Israelis feel at home in Athens,” the Israeli ambassador said, emphasizing the importance of the new landmark and its colors. “White represents hope and blue, the Mediterranean sky, is the future, the open horizon. which is common to both countries “.
The Mayor of Athens Costas Bakoyannis, the Ambassador of Israel Yossi Amrani and the President of the Israeli Community of Athens Mr. Albert Taraboulous
Photo: George Mylonas