Athineon: Light installation in Traces of Commerce

Athens offers a great example of resilience through the transformation of a vacant shopping passage (inside the Merchant’s fund building), in downtown Athens, close to Syntagma square, into an open museum of light signs and a cluster of creativity. Τhe organising team "Traces of Commerce" (tracesofcommerce.com), funded by the City of Athens, have opened the passage shops to artists and they have invited, Beforelight light art group (www.beforelight.gr) to find an original way to light-up the passage.
Beforelight group members started a safari in Athens' neighbourhoods to find old light signs and their owners. Every light sign had its history and personality. The signs were gathered in an open workshop, under the passage, in order to be cleaned and repaired. Later, they were hanged over the passage, giving to it new light and consequently new life. The project was revealed to the public during an opening night last June and since then, it remains a destination for people that visit downtown Athens.

Video production by Eirini Steirou.
Additional footage by Adam Alexopoulos, Charalampos Krekoukiotis, Costis Sikiotis, Daphne Farazi