What happens when six strangers sit around a work of art?

Amidst a world fractured by conflict and division, artist Paulina Vayioni offers a counterpoint at the 61st Venice Biennale with her immersive installation, "Oikeiosis." Located opposite the Arsenale exhibition entrance, a space often marked by political tension, Vayioni's work cultivates an atmosphere of shared experience, inviting viewers to move from a sense of separation to one of communal presence. Curated by Dr. Lora Augusta, the installation draws inspiration from Socratic thought, Stoic philosophy, music, sound, and physical participation. This multisensory journey, the first initiative outside Greece by the "Hellenic Diaspora" foundation, explores the essence of "being truly together." Vayioni, who lives between Greece and the United States, investigates what it means to connect in an era that often emphasizes distance and individual identity. The exhibition seeks to create a space for intimacy and shared feeling, countering the noise and speed that often prevent such moments from flourishing in daily life. Vayioni believes that while we may have learned to ignore our innate capacity for connection, it has not been lost. She contrasts the "declared belonging" of group affiliation with a more fundamental, unspoken connection, exemplified by a shared glance and smile between strangers witnessing a humorous event. "Oikeiosis" aims to recreate these rare moments of spontaneous attunement within the gallery space, offering a quiet, necessary respite.

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We have learned to ignore it. We live in an era that pushes us to define precisely who we are: which group, which position, which opinion we belong to. This is a kind of 'belonging' that is declared. But there is another, which does not need a name. For example, two strangers are walking down the street, they see something funny happening in front of them, they exchange a glance and smile, without a word. For a moment they are synchronized in a common emotion. This is experienced simply, without anyone needing to know anything about the other. Today, such moments are becoming rare. Not because we have become indifferent, but because the noise, the speed, and the constant need to stand out do not leave room to develop.