Passages of Substance
Byzantine & Christian Museum
Athens, Greece
13 May – 8 September 2013
The Byzantine & Christian Museum exhibits the work “Passages of Substance ” by Kalliopi Lemos and comes into a dialogue with the thought of the father of the Christian existentialism Søren Kierkegaard. The Danish thinker, opposed to the perceptions of the Byzantine intellectuals and theologians, argued that faith is a unique subjective passion, which is not expressed by the ecclesiastical rituals. Only through this faith somebody can discover his true self.
This self‐quest is depicted in the installation “Passages substance” by Kalliopi Lemos. The 3,47m long sweet chestnut wood boat carries twelve, semi‐abstract haunted salt heads to symbolize the crossing and the lonely search for self‐awareness. The salt heads, with their distorted expressions of pain and agony, are positioned throughout the length of the boat encapsulating the meaning of life and what remains from this journey. They reflect the difficulty of the voyage, the achievement of reaching the destination as well as the experiences of life that shape each person’s individuality.
The cooperation of the Byzantine & Christian Museum with the Danish Embassy in Athens is part of the celebration programme for the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Danish philosopher and religious thinker Søren Kierkegaard (1813‐1855).
