Kotzia Square

Kotzia Square, photo: Mathias Völzke

The square situated in front of the City Hall of Athens has changed names many times throughout the turbulent history of the Greek state, settling on its current iteration that pays tribute to the Greek politician Konstantinos Kotzias. Kotzias served as Mayor of Athens between 1934 and 1936 and is known for developing the Bauhaus housing projects on nearby Alexandras Avenue for Greek refugees from Turkey. Once a vital meeting point—surrounded by the Municipal Theater of Athens, the National Bank, and the central post office—Kotzia Square has become seemingly deserted due to the recent decline of Athens’s commercial center. For documenta 14, Rasheed Araeen presents an open structure that considers the environmental dynamics of the square and revitalizes its activities through a gesture of hospitality. Under canopies inspired by the shamiana (a Pakistani traditional wedding tent) but reduced to a few colors and geometric patterns, Araeen invites people to sit together and enjoy a meal while reflecting on possible scenarios for social change. The food served is based on recipes from around the Mediterranean, prepared on the spot by Organization Earth.

Posted in Public Exhibition
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Shamiyaana–Food for Thought: Thought for Change

by Rasheed Araeen

Under colorful canopies inspired by the shamiana (a Pakistani traditional wedding tent) Araeen invites people to sit together and enjoy a meal based on recipes from around the Mediterranean, which have…

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