The Chronicle of a Mural

An email message, after the end of the conference (Greek Studies Now: Cultural Analysis Network, 3rd Conference, Durham University) from Ms. Francesca Zaccone (University of Sapienza, Laboratorio Studi Neogreci Myrsini Zorba), came to bring us a surprise and a challenge: to give a talk there about modern, Greek women "urban artists" and to propose one, for the execution of a mural, dedicated to Kiki Dimoula.

Thus began the chronicle of a mural (and a presentation).

The Marco Polo building, interior wall, very close to the offices of the Laboratorio, creation of a portrait – mural, on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and in continuation of the project "Scrittrici come ossigeno" ("Women writers like oxygen"), organized by Associazione Le Altre and including murals-portraits, in various styles of graffiti and street art, by important international women writers (Virginia Wolf, Tony Morrison, etc.).

Companion to Art, Graffiti in the City the Artist, Melina Koan (https://www.instagram.com/m.koan/?hl=el).

The presentation of the project took place in an enthusiastic and moving atmosphere, with Camilla Miglio (Director of the Department) and Serena Sapegno, in charge of the feminist workshop "Sguardi sulle Differenze" (which collaborated with the organization Le Altre, for the general project with graffiti) , reflecting their personal thoughts and feelings. The artist herself followed, "decoding" her reasoning behind the mural. Also, present were the driving forces of the action, Mr. Christos Bintoudis (head of the department), Mr. Paschalis Efthimiou, professor of Modern Greek at the Laboratory, and the one who started the whole action, Ms. Francesca Zaccone, researcher of Modern Greek studies Laboratoriο.

The highlight of the presentation was the modest emotion and distinct nostalgia, with which Mrs. Carla Minucci, a leading translator of Kiki Dimoulas, and her close friend, assessed the work and outlined the poet's character. There was a heavy silence as the former teacher emotionally read the Plural Number, in Italian and Greek

Kalliope Koundouri (Ph.D. Art History and unpaid scientific advisor in the Arts of the non-profit AGC) attempted to map the "landscape" around contemporary Greek women "urban artists", focusing on:
- Olga Alexopoulou (https://olgaalexopoulou.com/, https://www.instagram.com/olgaalexopoulou/),
- Melina Koan (https://www.instagram.com/m.koan/?hl=el) and
- Nicole Tsokou – a.k.a. Nique (https://www.instagram.com/nique.one/?hl=el).

Following was the presentation by Kristina Gedgaudaite (Marie Curie Fellow in the University of Amsterdam), with the title, “Depicting Lives, Reimagining Futures in Greek Women Comics”.

They wrote about the action (indicative):
- https://www.kathimerini.gr/culture/562747591/mural-tis-kikis-dimoyla-sti-romi/),
- https://www.ertnews.gr/omogeneia/kiki-dimoula-street-art-kai-komiks-sti-sapienza-os-apantisi-sti-via-kata-ton-gynaikon/
- https://news-365.gr/teleutaia-nea/%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%B9%CF%87%CE%BF%CE%B3%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%86%CE%AF%CE%B1-%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82-%CE%BA%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%AE%CF%82-%CE%B4%CE%B7%CE%BC%CE%BF%CF%85%CE%BB%CE%AC-%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B7-%CF%81%CF%8E%CE%BC/
- https://vog.ert.gr/article/kiki-dimoula-Street-Art-kai-komiks-sti-Sapienza-os-apantisi-sti-via-kata-ton-gynaikon/