The National Observatory of Athens, Nymphs in the hill
The National Observatory of Athens or Sina building, located on top of the hill and Nymphs standing there by the 1942. It was built on designs by the Danish authorities on /, Theofilos Hansen (Theophil Hansen), after donation 500.000 GRD. the Greek State, Baron George Sina, then Consul of Greece in Vienna.
The foundation began in 26/06/1942 and completed in 1946. The building has a cruciform shape, oriented according to the four cardinal points and in the middle is a dome.
Investigations of the Observatory focused on many areas, as in astronomy, astrophysics, space sciences, Earth observation, with satellite and terrestrial remote sensing methods, seismology, climate change, solar energy measurements, typology of buildings and energy retrofitting etc..
THE Nymphs hill or Observatory hill It is a rocky hill in Athens, opposite the Acropolis and Agora. Adjacent to the hill Muses or Hill Filopappou and Butte Pnyx.
It got its name from the ancient Place of worship that was there, in front of the Observatory building, as evidenced by the inscription engraved in the rock 'IIERON nymph DEMO» (inside 5th B.C. c.). NE. hill, There are archaic inscriptions, on a rock, «HOROS DIOS" and "HOROS» (6th B.C. century. ), showing that there was a sanctuary dedicated to Zeus. The worship of Zeus was very intense around the Pnyx and the cult of the Nymphs and the Muses linked to the ancient god.
THE CHURCH OF SAINT MARINA NEAR THE HILL nymph
In the ancient hill Nymphs, near the Observatory was the old small church of Agia Marina (13th c.), built on ancient tank, located in a rock. In place of the old church, integrating the, the youngest was built Church of Agia Marina (1924-1927), designed by the authorities / to Achilleas Georgiadis. It belongs to the type cruciform domed. Worthy of admiration are the frescoes of painters and brothers N.Graikou Soutsou. Both churches have been declared monuments.
The artistic intervention OF ANDRIAN VILLAR ROJAS
THE OBSERVATORY OF ATHENS AND THE HILL nymph
In the garden of the Observatory and by extension the Nymphs Hill, place the visual intervention of Adrian Villar Rojas with Title "The Theater of Disappearance», within the international projection of the installation. Organizer is the Culture and Development Organization, "NEON" (neon.org.gr).
THE Adrian Villar Rojas, is an artist born in 1980 Rosario in Argentina and became internationally known mainly for its impressive sculptures. The 2014 He represented Argentina, at Venice Biennale, in 54or adoption. The 2015 participated in Istanbul Biennial, with his work "The most beautiful of all mothers', which was exposed in the open Sea of Marmara.
The artistic installation Villar Rojas, with Title "The Theater of Disappearance», It is a series of exhibitions in many parts of Europe and America. From the 14/04/17 until 29/10/17 the Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, (The Metropolitan Museum of Art), dedicated a floor to expose the Vilar Rojas his work, «Theater of Disappearance». From the 22/10/17 until 26/02/18, the project with the same name, exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, Geffen Contemporary. In the Kunsthaus Bregenz, Austria report on the same subject ran from 13/05/17 until 27/08/17.
THE EXHIBITION
The issue of Adrian Villar Rojas exhibition in Athens, is anthropogenic interference with the natural environment, with the expansionary human, to live, conquest etc and the negative impact on it. The artist through the exhibition "The Theater of Disappearance», He wants to highlight the contrast between the prosperity of nature and soil disasters, as part of the earth's environment, by human activities.
In my opinion : "Soil is one of the most powerful features of our national identity. For the Argentine territory coincides with fertility and for Greek soil identified with their culture and civilization ". Into 4.500 sq.m. Argentine artist created 2 culture zones.
OR 1or zone, the Observatory garden, It includes a fertile soil in which they are planted 46.000 plants, edible or not.
OR 2or zone, to the rocky side of the hill appears Nymphs, sterile and barren, result of human intervention, coercion, of extinction, state of war.
In the same zone Villar Rojas exposes, in glass windows, 11 thematic sculptural installations, located on the subsoil with organic matter, like branches, soil, nuts, stalactites. The theme of the sculpture is the greed of man to conquer the world and disastrous consequences on the natural environment. You will see rusty telegraphs, missiles firearms, bloody flags, human skeleton, scuba astronaut Neil Armstrong etc..
The exhibition will run until 24 September 2017, with free admission.
Working hours: Wednesday – Sunday 11.00-21.00
ACCESS
Access to the Nymphs Hill is the street, Apostle Paul. With the Metro, line 2, Saint Dimitrios – Saint Anthony, Citadel or stop line 3, Egaleo – Airport, Monastiraki station. With the electric, Thissio station.
