The Temple of Artemis

Shiva Ahmadi
Sophie Combes
Eva Magyarósi
Alessandra Mancini
Aleksandra Mir
Janette Parris
Jenny Perlin

Curated by Michele Robecchi

Analix Forever, Chêne-Bourg 6 May – 18 June 2022

The Temple of Artemis was an ancient sanctuary situated in Ephesus (today’s Selcuk in the Izmir province of Turkey) dedicated to Artemis, the Goddess of wild animals, hunt and vegetation, and the twin-sister of Apollo. In recent time, Artemis’s name has been associated with the ideal of female emancipation and independence. One of the most important organizations fighting human trafficking today carries her name, and to counterbalance the fact that early space explorations have been named after Apollo, future cosmic endeavours will be named after her.

Most excruciatingly, the Temple of Artemis was described by poet Antipater of Sidon in the 2nd Century BC as one of the original Seven Wonders. To reflect this notion, for the exhibition the concept will be flipped, resulting in a platform hosting seven artists which, in the curatorial intention, are each called to represent a version of one of the Seven Wonders. In contrast with the original shrine, which was one of the Seven Wonders, this modern version of the Temple of Artemis will relinquish its role, becoming instead the house of Seven Wonders.

The seven artists in the show have been invited to present animated films. This choice has the two-side effect of introducing a primary, intimate element of their practice – drawing – as well as to emphasise the visual quality of their work. Democratically displayed on seven flat screens of the same size, their collective presence in the room will result in a group of seven moving paintings (or drawing), each telling a different story. Their voices, all very distinct, when experienced together will form a surprising coherent picture, illustrating the variety of positions in contemporary society and how these can co-exist.