DEO in collaboration with the community of the medieval settlement of Vessa presents My Dreams Were Dashed Against Your Walls, its first public art exhibition.

Eight international artists present new, site-specific, large-scale installations as well as existing artworks, transforming the entire village of Vessa into a contemporary art experience.

In these volatile times of global uncertainty, the village of Vessa offers space for a transformative stroll of introspection and redefinition. The winding paths of the settlement, the half-ruined walls and the scenes of everyday life in the stone-built, dead-end streets bear witness to the passage of time, loss and the cyclical patterns of regeneration.

The participating artists share their personal experiences, inviting us to reflect on our human condition. They juxtapose their diverse visual voices with the echoes of the village’s medieval architecture and atmosphere, to present a multimedia poetic narrative in a labyrinthine form.

HALE TENGER
I'd rather open my heart than become comfortably numb, 2024

Tenger presents a new outdoor installation which delves into themes of abandonment and isolation resonating on personal, social, and political levels. She overlays tamata –votive offerings akin to those found in the Greek Orthodox churches– on the inner walls of a house in ruins: upon entering, the space is immediately filled with the sound of exuberant children playing at school recess. Traditional tamata are the first to catch the eye, evoking thoughts of daily rituals and wishes for happiness. However, a subtle strangeness pervades the space, with the physical absence of children and some unusual tamata standing out from the rest.

Amongst these newly handcrafted tamata, four of them –a bird, a fish, a tree, planet Earth– are symbolic representations of life untouched by human intervention, emphasising the interconnectedness of all life. The fifth tama –a strawberry– serves as a poignant reminder of mourning for the lost innocent lives and of resilience. In this artistic narrative, Tenger encourages contemplation of the ripple effects of our choices and the complex interplay between our connection to reality and our conscious and unconscious psychological coping strategies. Reflecting on hierarchical structures that perpetuate fear and division, and society’s tendency to avoid challenges and to conform to limiting norms, Tenger urges us to embrace vulnerability and advocates for a culture rooted in empathy that fosters unity in diversity.

New commissioned work by DEO Projects

View More