Beneficial Parasites

https://www.neme.org/blog/areti-leopoulou-beneficial-parasites

Beneficial Parasites

Michel Serres, in his book The Parasite (a hybrid text between literature, essay and critical discourse) outlines allegorically, the ambiguous functions and interpretative projections of parasites. He argues that, although microbes, a internal disharmony that weakens their host, without killing it, may also operate in ways that are ultimately beneficially to the host, as the parasite sometimes reveals something that may not always be initially discoverable or visible. This asymmetrical exchange of transformation and knowledge, according to Serres, is happening in our society.

This raises interesting questions regarding the role of art. Do certain artworks have a parasitical function on social issues? Have the artistic and/or activist interventions by contemporary artists (especially in Greece) had a real social impact (and to what extent) as an important stimulator of the society and the system?

This is an investigation to identify – with examples of artistic happenings and interventions, from the 80s until today – the parasitic mode of art and artistic work/action, and the understanding and reception from their environment/“host”.

The talk will be delivered in Greek and attendance is free.

Bio

Areti Leopoulou is an art historian and curator, Doctor of History of Art from the Department of Archaeology and History of Art (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, thesis subject: Aspects of Everyday Life in Postwar Greek Art).

Since 2006, she works as curator for events and publications in the Contemporary Art Centre [State Museum of Contemporary Art – The Costakis Collection] and the Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art.

She is a member of the ICOM-Hellenic Committee, the Association of Greek Art Historians, and editorial committees for cultural publications and fanzines, and has produced several research publications for exhibitions, conferences and collective art publications.

Her research interests focus, among other things, in the relationship between art and everyday life, as well as arts’ social and macro/micro-political identity and function.