Scenographic Elements
2026
- Ovid (1480). Metamorphoses, Book XI (A. S. Kline's Version)
This work was created within the framework of the Athens Epidaurus Festival, under the concept and supervision of Michail Marmarinos.
Narrative Archaeology is a guided peripatetic performance that takes place at the Archaeological Site of Epidaurus. With the title “Epidaurus – The Body and the Mystery of Healing”, the project intends to bring us into contact with the unique story of this archaeological site. As a research and performative methodology, Narrative Archaeology has already been tested at archaeological sites in Greece and Italy, with noteworthy results, transforming archaeological facts into lived experience.
Explore the full project: https://aefestival.gr/festival_events/afigimatiki-archaiologia
This project marked my first formal encounter with performance and the performing arts, while opening a space to explore questions that extend beyond this framework. Among them was the tension between architecture and visual arts. Working through elements situated somewhere between scenography and spatial intervention, I developed three objects that became part of the final performance. However, detached from it, they seem to retain a life of their own and could tell another story.
This story is set in the 7th century BC, when the healing cult rooted on Mount Kynortion and dedicated to Apollo moved to the nearby valley. There, the cult became devoted to Apollo’s son, Asclepius. In this early form, three fundamental structures were established for the practice of the cult: the Sacred Well, the Ash Altar and the Building with Basement. Together, these three elements formed the basis of the healing ritual, a process that could be condensed into three stages: Purification, Offering and Incubation.
I. PURIFICATION
When those seeking healing arrived at the sacred site of the Sanctuary of Asclepius, they first had to drink water and purify themselves. As Pausanias writes, the water reached the sanctuary from the springs of Mount Kynortion. The water came from where it all began. This tube was made to be a piece of infrastructure, to function merely as a component. Now it is no longer simply an accessory. It has become a fountain, a channel. Ancient Epidaurus was filled with channels. The object is an invitation: to place your hands, one in each opening and allow them to meet each other below the water. There, you may also encounter yourself.
The Sanctuary of Asclepius in the valley was open to everyone, as long as they were able to reach it. An offering to the god was mandatory. You could sacrifice an ox or a rooster. At the open-air Ash Altar, a large fire burned, surrounded by stones. The remains of the blood sacrifices accumulated there and as time passed, the altar grew into a large mound.
Today, fire is prohibited at archaeological sites, yet traces of ash reveal its former presence. A utilitarian object opens itself to a field of possibilities: a hammered serving vessel covers a small mesh base that conceals a speaker. Gloves and knee pads activate the trace of fire within the space. Dislocated at the lower edge of the Sacred Square, another fire burns and all you have to do is listen to it.
III. INCUBATION
The final object in this process is an improvised ritual mat: a makeshift construction made of industrial fabric and fastening straps, serving precisely this purpose. During the performance, the mat is carried around by different “patients” and the lying down takes place on the ground at numerous points throughout the archaeological site. Drawing on boustrophedon patterns derived from the conventional sleeping bag, the seams are arranged to evoke previous uses or even dreamlike apparitions of a reptile.
This project generated numerous new questions for me, which is precisely what makes it so significant within my practice. Through the process, I had the opportunity to reconsider the architectural tools I am familiar with and explore their potential through new modes of use. The sketchbook and collage, tools that have been central to my practice over the years, became means of communication and connection with the team. Through their shared use, they facilitated an exchange of ideas, ultimately contributing to the formation of the story presented here.
Concept - Supervision: Michail Marmarinos, Curation - Coordination: Isavella-Dimitra Karouti, Dramaturgy: Eleni Moleski, Curatorial Associate: Iliana Kaladami, Visual Curation: Yorgos Sapountzis, Music Composition: Nikoleta Chatzopoulou, Archeological Consultant: Alexandra Sfyroera,
Technical Support: Vasilis Saltas,
Sound Design: Nikos Alexandris, Performers - Researchers:
Spiros Anemoyiannis, Nikos Ziaziaris, Chrissianna Karameri, Foivos Michos-Rammos, Manos Petrakis, Marissa Farmaki, Andromachi Fountoulidou, Theodoros Alexas (Athlete)