Written by Sofia Grigoriadou

Project in collaboration with artist Vivian Emmanouilidou. During the past few years, the phrase “Athens is the new Berlin” can be seen or heard almost everywhere in Athens. How are such statements perceived by people living in Berlin or Athens? The aim of the project, which takes the form of a workshop and a facebook group, is to reflect on how and why the two cities are connected in public discourses and imagery. The participants shared and approached relevant images, videos, and texts, and discussed on the given material. The outcome of the workshop was the production of new, perhaps arbitrary or idiosyncratic connections between Berlin and Athens by designing a new series of souvenirs. The material gathered and produced is on the “Athens is the new Berlin is the new Athens” facebook group that is open and active to the present day: https://m.facebook.com/groups/413771212443951