Dilapidated Homes/Ερειπωμένα Σπίτια

Abandoned home and ancient ruins below

No use in saving this one! Some scaffolding on a dilapidated home

Renovations on another home

Yo! Graffiti on shutters

Beautiful classical balcony

These are a few photographs that I took on a long walk toward the area of Thiseio in downtown Athens, Greece.  Athens is a great city for those who love ‘urbex photography‘ as the city has tons of abandoned buildings. Some are in the process of being renovated and others homes have occupants,  but they are very old and are not in the greatest condition.

The Glorious Past/Το Ένδοξο Παρελθόν

A statue of a Greek soldier staring at the Acropolis from below.

“All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.”

  J.R.R. Tolkien

The Industrial Gas Museum/Βιομηχανικό Μουσείο Φωταερίου

In an earlier post, I wrote about the area of Technopolis which is located in the area of Gazi in Athens.  Technopolis is the site of the industrial gas works buildings that help to light up the city of Athens in the late 19th Century. I’ve added a few black and white photographs that I took from inside of the buildings that are now museums and are open to the public with an entry fee of a Euro.

Gas Temperature

Reflection of a Wheel

The Ovens Through The Tunnel

A Tunnel at The Museum

An Open Window

Old Coal Ovens

19th Century Gas Ovens

Top Level of Gas Museum

Outdoor Gas Pipes

Anti-design

While at Technopolis at Gazi in Athens I decided to check out the  modern art exhibit inside one of the buildings.  The subject of the exhibit was ‘Anti-design’. Designers were asked to re-imagine and re- create household items i.e. lamps by using recycled material, and thus making the items more affordable for people in these harsh economic times.

Ενώ  ήμουν στην Τεχνόπολη στο Γκάζι , αποφάσισα να ριξω μια  ματιά σε μια συχρονη έκθεση τέχνης. . Το θέμα της έκθεσης ήταν «αντιdesign». Οι σχεδιαστές κλήθηκαν να δημιουργήσουν είδη οικιακής χρήσης, δηλαδή λαμπτήρες, με τη χρήση ανακυκλωμένων υλικών, ετσι ωστε να ειναι η τιμη των αντικειμενων αυτων πιο προσιτη για τους περρισοτερους ανθρώπους σε αυτές τις δύσκολες οικονομικές περιόδους.

Technopolis/Τεχνόπολις

Technopolis is located in a trendy district of ‘Gazi’ with its many cafés and restaurants. Technopolis was the site of a gas factory that was built in 1867 by a French gas company. With this new innovation Athens was able to be lit at night like Paris.  The site didn’t have much character in its day as it was industrial and  it was considered a nuisance by the nearby inhabitants. In 1984,  after some protesting by the nearby inhabitants the gas factory shut down.   Years later,  the site was renovated and in 2013 it was open to the public.  Today,  Technopolis hosts many art exhibitions, fashion shows, and concerts and much more. Each building is dedicated to famous Greek poets and even opera singer Maria Callas has a building in her name.

Gasworks buildings and chimneys

Exterior of Gasworks building

Gasworks Pipes

Kiosk At Gasworks

Gas works building

Η Τεχνόπολις βρίσκεται σε μια μοντέρνα συνοικία «Γκάζι» με τα πολλά καφέ και εστιατόρια του. Η Τεχνόπολις ήταν η περιοχή του εργοστασίου φωταερίου, που χτίστηκε το 1867 από μια Γαλλική εταιρεία φωταερίου. Με αυτή τη νέα καινοτομία της Αθήνας ήταν σε θέση να φωτίζεται τη νύχτα, όπως το Παρίσι.  Τότε η τοποθεσία  δεν διέθετε κάποιο ιδιαίτερο χαρακτήρα καθώς ήταν βιομηχανική. Μετά από μερικά χρόνια  θεωρήθηκε ως μια ‘ενόχληση’ από τους γύρω κατοίκους . Το 1984, μετά από κάποια διαμαρτυρία από τους κατοίκους  της περιοχής, το εργοστάσιο του φωταερίου εκλείσε. Χρόνια αργότερα, ο χώρος ανακαινίστηκε και το 2013 ήταν ανοικτή για το κοινό. Σήμερα, η Τεχνόπολις φιλοξενεί πολλές εκθέσεις τέχνης, επιδείξεις μόδας, και συναυλίες και πολλά άλλα. Κάθε κτίριο είναι αφιερωμένο σε διάσημους Έλληνες ποιητές, ακόμα και η τραγουδίστρια της όπερας Μαρία Κάλλας έχει ένα κτίριο με το όνομά της.

Bewildered/H Σαστισμένη

“The Bewildered Woman’ mixed-media painting by Angela Zafiris

Just another mixed-media painting of a woman that I completed last week. I don’t know who she is, but I love her eyes. For the background  I used magazines texts and images and I painted over them with yellow and red acrylics. I added some dabs of gesso as well for texture.

Her Gaze/Το Βλέμμα Της

Mixed-media painting on canvas by Angela Zafiris

I don’t usually paint portraits it takes a special kind of courage, but I found it in me and here it is.  I had fun with this one and I am surprised at how satisfied I am with it.  The problem is I am too picky and I notice every little thing that I think is a mistake, but this time I don’t care . Besides no human face is perfect so why should the portrait be perfect?