Saturday, April 29, 2017 through Friday, May 5, 2017
Day 1 (Saturday): Welcome to Athens
Arrival in Athens and the Fresh Hotel (or any other hotel of your choice).
*Early evening welcome drinks and briefing of the tour on the roof terrace of the Fresh Hotel. Joint dinner in the old city of Athens, just below the Acropolis of Athens (Plaka, 15 minute walk). The Athenian artist Manolis Anastasakos will join us and talk about his projects.
Day 2 (Sunday): documenta 14 (Part 1)
After breakfast we will take the Metro to one of the main venues of Documenta 14, The National Museum for Contemporary Art (EMST) housed in the former FIX beer brewery located at the edge of the old city.
Following the Documenta 14 show at the EMST, lunch will be held in the nearby trendy neighborhood of Koukaki. After lunch we will walk to the hotel through the Plaka via the picturesque Apostolou Pavlou Street (or by Metro).
*Evening cocktails in the hip Romantso Bar (where art shows are presented regularly) and then dinner in the vicinity.
Day 3 (Monday): Acropolis Museum | Plaka
After a short walk to Omonia Square we will take the Metro to the Acropolis Museum for a guided tour through the exhibition by a licensed guide. A few years ago Swiss architect Bernard Tschumi designed this spectacular building which now houses the Acropolis artifacts. After the museum we will walk through the Plaka (the old historical neighborhood on the slopes of the Acropolis) and have lunch in the Psirri area with a prominent street artist, Cacao Rocks. After lunch Cacao Rocks will guide us through the neighborhood and will show us why “Athens is the new Berlin”. Studio visit included.
*Free Evening
Day 4 (Tuesday): documenta 14 (Part 2)
By Metro to the Documenta venue Parko Eleftherias (time permitting, we may visit another Documenta venue). Lunch in the nearby Kolonaki area.
*Evening starts with a visit to the well-known TAF Metamatic + FLUX-LAB (including an introduction by the curator). Then drinks at the trendy TAF-Bar. Dinner in the Psirri area (on foot) with the curator of the TAF.
Day 5 (Wednesday): Benaki | Cycladic | Art Project Piraeus
Our tour starts with a bus ride to the Kolonaki area where we visit the Benaki Museum (main building) and the Museum of Cycladic Art which is presenting the anniversary exhibition of the well known DESTE Foundation. Lunch together in a classic restaurant typical of Kolonaki. After lunch, participants can choose between a trip to the top of the nearby Lycabettus hill (by cable car) that offers a stunning view over the whole city or an art gallery tour in the city center on foot (passing by the neo-classical buildings of the Academy/University/Library) and back to the hotel.
*In the early evening we will travel by bus to Piraeus where we will visit the local art project co-presented by the Berliner Weissensee Kunsthochschule and the Kunstakademie Athens directed by Prof. Hannes Brunner and Andreas Schlaegel. Dinner in Piraeus with the project managers.
Day 6 (Thursday): Benaki Pireos Museum | Niarchos
The tour bus will pick us up at the hotel to visit the Benaki Museum (Pireos Street Annex) in the morning. The Benaki is one of the most acknowledged art and cultural institutions in Greece and is housed in several buildings – the new Pireos Street Annex building is symbolic of the development of the whole Gazi area (the new hip place to be in Athens, full of restaurants, cafes, music, and art). We will follow the old Ermou Street, pass by the Keramikos excavations and arrive at the Thission. The archaeologist O.S. will accompany us on this stroll and discuss why these ancient ruins have great significance to the Athenians. Lunch.
*Early evening bus ride to the brand new Opera of Athens (The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, donated by Stavros Niarchos and designed by Renzo Piano): 90 minute guided tour through the complex including the new opera, new National Library, exhibition spaces and park area). Return by bus to the city center to see a performance of the Documenta 14 (details not yet available). The evening ends with late night drinks nearby the hotel – if weather permits on one of the many rooftop bars with a view of the Acropolis.
Day 7 (Friday): Athens | Departure | Extension
Farewell and unguided tours of the city before departure.
In case you want to prolong your stay in Greece you may continue your journey to the island of Syros. Swiss artist Judit Villiger is based there and will show us the island (separate tour program).