CRACKED MYTHS

The beautiful Greek capital city Athens has had a troubled past and this continues to the present day. There is currently 16.8% youth unemployment, older workers are finding their jobs are being outsourced to cheap labour from other countries whilst the rich get richer. The richest 10% of people own about four times as much wealth as the poorest 50% combined. These richest 10% of the country get their income from real estate and shipping. There are 82,000 millionaires in Greece and 9910 high net worth people with an income of $30,000

But behind the current economic situation, which is a distinct improvement from the financial crisis of 2013, there is bitter bedrock of misgivings:

• Kileler uprising, 1910 mass farmer protests against extended privileges of landowners and the limitation of their own rights in Kileler
• Anti-austerity movement in Greece, 2010–2012 series of demonstrations and general strikes sparked by plans to cut public spending and raise taxes
• Athens Polytechnic uprising, 1973 massive demonstration of popular rejection of the Greek military junta of 1967–1974
• 2008 Greek riots, large protests and demonstrations that escalated to widespread rioting, starting in Athens and spreading to other cities.
• 2021 Greek protests, demonstrations against a proposed government bill that would allow police presence on university campuses, without the approval of the university’s council or as a response to a felony, for the first time in decades.
• 2023 Tempi train crash protests, public reactions to conditions that led to head-on train collision and numerous deaths

This is the modern Athens, and I want to incorporate something of this feeling into my artwork about this troubled, beautiful culture.