“If you’re seeking financial wealth, ethical curating may not be the right career path for you.”
Marina Fokidis is a curator and writer based in Athens, Greece. Appointed as the Head of the Artistic Office for Athens and curatorial advisor for Documenta 14 in 2014, she has significantly influenced contemporary art dialogues both locally and globally. Fokidis founded Kunsthalle Athena and the biannual arts and culture magazine, South as a State of Mind. Her extensive curatorial roles include serving as curator for the 3rd Thessaloniki Biennial in 2011, commissioner and curator of the Greek Pavilion at the 51st Venice Biennial in 2003, and co-curator of the 1st Tirana Biennial in 2001. She also curated notable solo exhibitions as an adjunct curator at Art Space Pythagorion, Schwartz Foundation.
1. Marina, with your extensive experience in the art world, how do you see your roles at Documenta 14 and Kunsthalle Athena influencing contemporary art practices today?
Marina has written for esteemed art publications including Frieze, Flash Art, and Manifesta Journal, and has spoken at significant art forums such as Art Basel Conversations and Global Art Forum in Art Dubai. Additionally, she has taught at various international institutions, including UdK Berlin, showcasing her commitment to nurturing emerging talent in the art world.
I think documenta 14 in 2017 had a profound impact on the art world, resonating not only during its duration but also years later. It influenced the choices that followed in documenta 15 by ruangrupa, feeling much like a continuation of our curatorial discourse in 2017. These explorations wouldn’t have been possible without key figures in the curatorial team who contributed with their knowledge on indigenous and colonial subjects, like Candice Hopkins and Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung. Visiting this year’s 60th Venice Biennale, I recognized many ideas stemming from documenta 14 in Adriano Pedrosa’s choice of artists and their legacies. Despite him working on such topics for longer, I could recognize our influence on contemporary art today from a curatorial point of view, both in the pavilions and the central exhibition.
Regarding my role as part of the core team of documenta 14, it was special for me as I am from Athens and, despite working internationally, I chose to be based here. Starting in January 2014, I was involved in establishing the practical and conceptual foundations of documenta in Athens to convey Greece’s authentic essence and its multiple influences to Adam Szymczyk and the curatorial team. There is a paradoxical truth about Greece, as its unique position as a crossroads between East and West, North and South, is often misinterpreted as the cradle of Western civilization. Being under the Ottoman Empire for 400 years, it’s much more an Eastern and Southern place than a Western one. Therefore, it is crucial to recognize its nature and affinities.Greece has long been adored for its white purity, logic, and philosophy by the Enlightenment philosophers from Germany, England, and France, but in some ways, it was misinterpreted. A prime example is the Parthenon marbles, were originally vibrant with colors, not white and pure. For that reason, the notion of Greece as the cradle of Western civilization is less flattering and more misleading, as Greece is equally Mediterranean, Eastern, and Southern at its core.
This deeper, more complex understanding of Greece’s identity was a driving force behind documenta 14 and many of my initiatives.The aim was to challenge these historical misconceptions and dispel stereotypical fantasies that have persisted into modern times, often causing suffering in Greece. Collaborating with other Greek colleagues, I guided the team through unfamiliar trajectories and roots, both mentally and topically, to reveal the Ottoman, Eastern, and Southern aspects of Greece and address these misunderstandings. When artists, curators, theorists, and art professionals from the global south arrived for the first time in Athens during documenta 14, they instantly felt familiar with the place. This bi-locational broadcast of documenta 14 emphasized unexpected cultural affinities, showcasing Europe as a tapestry of diverse cultures rather than a monolithic entity. This approach inspired a renewed focus on the global south as a conceptual state of mind.
Founding Kunsthalle Athena was a precursor to this shift, as the name itself is a kind of counter-sarcasm to the notion that Greece is the cradle of Western civilization. At that time, in Athens and Greece, there weren’t many contemporary art centers. While now there are many independent artist-run spaces, back then there were almost none, perhaps just two or three. Post-documenta, however, this number has grown significantly, with over fifty such spaces now thriving within the Greek art scene. These independent institutions, which had no collections but encouraged production and experimentation, hosted lively programs of exhibitions, talks, and performances.
We opened Kunsthalle Athena in 2010 with zero budget, in a dilapidated building that bore traces of different histories and the economic inefficiencies of Greece. We decided to keep the building as it was, leaving these traces visible. We opened it during the severe financial and refugee crisis in Greece. We wanted people to come and understand what was happening. The area was an illegal red-light district with many refugees seeking a better future, yet it was also infested with drugs, human trafficking, and illegal prostitution. We based a program on sound and music to penetrate the walls where people couldn’t actively come and see. I believe Kunsthalle, along with other initiatives from Greece like the Athens Biennale, was a trigger for Adam Szymczyk to expand Documenta to Athens.
2. Throughout your career, you’ve curated significant exhibitions globally. Could you share some of the most challenging aspects of curating international exhibitions and how you addressed these challenges?
Every exhibition, regardless of size or location, holds equal importance to me. Whether it’s a major event like documenta or a small show in a Greek fishing village, each project is global and significant in its own right, because that’s my motto: I see the world from where I stand. For me, the most important aspect is to work in a site-sensitive manner, considering the location of the exhibition and its public. We all need to embrace opportunities and understand that the most important thing is to look at the world from multiple perspectives and varied viewpoints. Curating in Greece, for example, should reflect its unique context, not mimic the approach of more affluent Western or Northern countries with their own traits and characteristics.
One notable project was “The Mediterranean: A Round Sea,” the main curated show at ARCO Madrid art fair in 2023. I worked on this with three brilliant advisors: curator Hila Peleg, artist and historian Pedro Romero, and Bouchra Khalil. The exhibition included artists like Anna Boghiguian and Semiha Berksoy, a now-deceased Turkish artist who later made it to the Venice Biennale. An important aspect of this exhibition was that it was framed under ARCO, which has an amazing program that annually gives a curator the chance to focus on a thematic show, not in the art fair booths, but in a museum-like setting. The director of ARCO, Maribel López, brilliantly mobilized many curators and art professionals, giving them the setting, opportunity to develop the projects, and understanding. I was very glad this project happened because it aimed to unite people from all around the Mediterranean, including conflicting areas, in an equal positioning. The focus was not only on the present but also on the past. This approach made sense as Spain was historically under Arab siege, influencing its culture. We emphasized the Mediterranean’s cultural connections, bringing together artists from diverse and even conflicting backgrounds. This project happened just a year before the events of October 7th, and it seemed as if we sensed something major in the area was coming soon again, yet we could not have predicted the extent and the current escalation. The exhibition was presented in a space brilliantly designed by Spanish architect Andrés Jaque, the Dean of Columbia University, and its accompanying book, featuring historical insights, stood on its own as a scholarly work and is still featured in major bookstores internationally.
Under the same scope, back in 2011, I co-curated the 3rd Thessaloniki Biennial, an international biennial that has been curated in the past by prominent curators such as the late Bisi Silva and Catherine David, among others. Thessaloniki, Greece, was a cosmopolitan city during the Ottoman Empire, with churches, mosques, and synagogues coexisting in peace. Yet, nationalism grew strong in the city and many of the non-Christian historical sites were abandoned or misused. We repurposed these spaces to present contemporary art, not by staging past dreams but by referencing new possible futures. For example, we used a hammam as a meeting place and a library.Titled “A Rock and a Hard Place,” our edition reflected the difficult options and sides of the Mediterranean during the Arab Spring.
In 2022, I curated “Epistemologies of the Sun” at Rebecca Camhi Gallery, focusing on the colorful archaeological Greek past and featuring artists from sun-drenched regions. Once more, this exhibition reflected Greece’s unique position as a cultural crossroads and a convergence of diverse influences. This project stemmed from the concept “South as a State of Mind,” challenging stereotypes about the South and celebrating its unique virtues.
Last but not least, more recently, last summer I curated “Cinema Paradise: Industries of Coexistence” for the cultural capital of Europe in Eleusis, a currently industrial yet significant ancient city near Athens. This project transformed an old open-air cinema, built by American soldiers and now run by a local workers’ association, into a space where nuances of the ancient and contemporary history of the city could coexist. It was a 10-day program that included films by filmmakers and artists such as Jumana Manna, Ben Russell, Johan Grimonprez, Agnieszka Polska, and Marwa Arsanios, among many others.
3. Given your deep involvement in the Southern European art scene, how do you foresee its evolution over the next decade, especially in a post-pandemic world?
I think the decolonization process has become a crucial topic over the last decade, as it should have been much earlier. Recently, it has expanded beyond its traditional sense to include places like Greece. For instance, Greece experienced conceptual colonization with its first government under a Bavarian king, which altered its tribal and social structures. Bringing future aspirations and past knowledge to the forefront, and revisiting indigeneity and traditional methods of being, can significantly impact our approach to the environment and society. The environment wouldn’t be in such a dire situation if we had not neglected how traditional communities interacted with nature and precious resources. The current issues revolve around control, power, and financial greed. However, art must stay focused on these discussions and the various forms and iterations of ongoing colonization. Unfortunately, politics often interfere, leading to censorship and political maneuvering. We must fight for freedom of speech and allow art to exercise poetic liberty, to speak from within. Embracing roots and cultural sovereignty is essential, but we must ensure these do not become points of division, or of becoming enemies. Unity is crucial, as nationalist politics often exploit cultural conflicts. To create thriving art scenes and visual cultures free from political constraints, we need to speak from multiple perspectives simultaneously and foster coexistence and justice in ways that are still unforeseen.
Concrete 3 × 3 × 16.3 m Königsplatz, Photo by Michael Nast.
4. Many of your projects integrate strong social and political themes. How do you balance the aesthetic and the message in your exhibitions?
Well, it’s not necessarily a matter of balance for me. If you take a look at the different projects I’ve done in the past at Kunsthalle Athena, documenta 14, or other exhibitions I’ve mentioned before, the visual aesthetics are very important, as we are talking about visual art, and I am an enthusiast of visuality. However, I believe that those visual aesthetics are not politics-free, and we need to learn to accept different aesthetics. The best example was documenta, with many works from around the world, with different aesthetics, making us understand that the Westernized vision of aesthetics is not the ultimate. I sometimes hear comments on such exhibitions, like “oh, look at that, it looks folkloric to me.” But this is a void comment because what looks folkloric to someone who grew up with a Western mentality is not folkloric to people who grew up in another part of the world with a different mentality and who might belong to a traditional community. So, the most important thing for me in order to “balance” these exhibitions is to be able to accept different aesthetics. Bringing together different visual styles and concepts in exhibitions and public programs isn’t about compromise. Visual expression is crucial in art, and politics are inherently present. You don’t need to literally depict catastrophic events to convey a political message. The key is to embrace and integrate diverse perspectives, understanding that what may seem folkloric to a Western perspective is not the same for other cultures. In international exhibitions like documenta or international biennials, Western aesthetics should not lead the “stage.” Accepting and integrating different visual traditions and contemporaneities from different cultural backgrounds, as well as diverse understandings of the world, is not easy, but it’s essential.
5. Reflecting on your career, what would you consider your most defining moment as a curator?
It’s difficult to name a defining moment in my career, but documenta 14 was undoubtedly significant, and being included in the core team was a great honor. I had the opportunity to work with many brilliant people, learn from various practices, and see my work gain much more visibility. Founding Kunsthalle Athena (2010) and the publication “South as a State of Mind” (2012) were truly defining moments, as I believe both left a significant footprint on contemporary practices today. These initiatives challenged stereotypes about Southern Europe, especially during the Greek crisis when “South” became associated with negative traits according to Western and Northern traditions. We aimed to reclaim these perceived flaws as virtues, promoting a different perspective on Southern Europe. For example, during the time of P.I.G.S. (the official derogatory acronym used by the European Union referring to the economies of Southern Europe, namely Portugal, Italy, Greece, and Spain), there were widespread comments about lazy Greeks and how Northern European countries were working for our sake, which was later proven to be totally wrong. In our first issue, we printed a manifesto on the praise of laziness by renowned contemporary artist Mladen Stilinovic, trying to see the issue from a different cultural and political perspective.
Through “South as a State of Mind,” we wanted to challenge the top-down perspective often imposed by prevailing Western ideals and show that one can embody different modes and fashions of being. “South as a State of Mind” gained popularity and visibility during its eleven issues. Although the magazine ceased to be published due to financial reasons during the Covid pandemic, there is now a significant possibility of support from a cultural institution, which will allow us to restart. We are very excited about this prospect.
6. What essential advice would you give to young individuals eager to carve out a career in curating, particularly in dynamic art scenes like Athens?
My essential advice to aspiring curators is to understand that this field is not about “making lots of money,” and if financial luxury is a priority, curating might not be the right path. Today, many art advisors and dealers call themselves curators, but I believe curating is something deeper and different. One has to invest a lot of time in research and thinking and be ready to make significant sacrifices, often facing a lifetime of low pay. However, they should never lose hope that working together with artists might contribute to changing the world. Despite the immense satisfaction of dealing with extraordinary conceptual challenges, curating requires a willingness to make sacrifices. A good curator, whether working in a museum or independently, might share the precarity of an artist’s life. They act as a connector, a bridge between artists, their creations, and the audience.
Be strong and do not rely on financial rewards but on the fulfilment of breaking new ground. When faced with challenges, immerse yourself in knowledge and passion. In the end, real love and deep understanding are the strongest currencies, far surpassing any financial asset.
7. As someone deeply embedded in the Athens art scene, could you share some favorite spots or hidden gems where artists and creatives gather? What makes these places special for the artistic community?
I wouldn’t go into specifics because I don’t want to highlight some names over others. However, post-documenta 14, there’s been a huge influence on younger generations of artists and curators in Athens to pursue international collaborations and take independent initiatives. Athens now boasts over a hundred independent art spaces, with more opening regularly. Many of these are collaborations between Greek and non-Greek individuals, often involving a barter between funds from stronger economies and local knowledge and perception of the world. This mingling generates great energy in the city, making it a haven for both emerging and established artists and curators from around the globe. Documenta 14 was like a seed and, at the same time, the score for reshaping Athens’ art scene, which is now thriving. While some might mention the gentrification that this mobility brings, I see it more as an opportunity to form an art city where artists and professionals are ready to live in more precarious situations than in their home countries for the sake of still affording a roof close to other creative people from all over the globe. Athens doesn’t have the same welfare safety net as countries in the north, but it offers a unique blend of cultural traditions, sunshine, still affordable housing, and a lower cost of living that allows art people to come together and co-produce. Hopefully, this will last longer.
The most significant aspect of the Athens art scene now is its independent spaces, which create a vibrant city every day of the week. One area to visit is Kypseli, which means “beehive” in Greek, reflecting its bustling nature and the concentration of these creative spaces. These independent spaces are the heartbeat of Athens, driving its cultural vibrancy and making it an essential destination for anyone interested in contemporary art.
Follow Marina on Instagram here.
Text by Maria Nitulescu.
Header image:
Marina by © Stathis Mamalakis
