The Broken Pitcher
October 15, 2022–February 5, 2023
Leipzig 04107
Germany
Hours: Tuesday–Friday 2–7pm
Saturday–Sunday 12–6pm
T +49 341 140810
office@gfzk.de
In cooperation with Raissa Angeli, Dimitris Chimonas, Stelios Kallinikou, Athina Kassiou, Orestis Lambrou, Orestis Lazouras, Panagiotis Mina (Pyrgatory Studios), Faysal Mroueh, Keti Papadema, Nayia Savva, Nikos Stephou, Maria Toumazou, Rumen Tropchev and Emiddio Vasquez.
The focal point of the project The Broken Pitcher is an event that occurred in Cyprus in 2019: a meeting took place at a bank in Larnaca to negotiate the foreclosure sale of a family home. Foreclosures are one of the austerity measures that were imposed on the Cypriot government by the troika of representatives from the EU Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund after the financial crisis in 2012.
For The Broken Pitcher, the meeting room was reconstructed and furnished by artists. Based on the memory protocols of the family involved and their lawyer, the situation in the bank was re-enacted by actors and filmed. The scene ends with the question: Ιn your opinion, what should the bank employees do? In the second part of the film, we see the different ways in which people react to this question. Their answers reflect the perspectives of various interest groups in Cyprus—housing rights activists in Barcelona, Berlin and Beirut, people who have experienced similar situations, lawyers, economists and artists.
The project The Broken Pitcher relies on collaboration. It addresses the question of how the financial system works and whether it is possible to intervene in its processes and change them. The exhibition in Leipzig presents the walk-in spatial installation, the film, video interviews, photos and research material.
In collaboration with the artist-run space Thkio Ppalies, Nicosia, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, Lenbachhaus Munich and Beirut Art Center. With the kind support of the Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Culture, the German Federal Cultural Foundation, the Cultural Foundation of the Free State of Saxony and ifa (Institute of Foreign Affairs). The Foundation Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst Leipzig is supported by the Friends of the GfZK Leipzig, the City of Leipzig and the Saxon State Ministry of Science and the Arts. It is partly financed through public funds on the basis of the budget approved by the members of the Landtag of the Free State of Saxony.
