Open Call for visual artists to participate in the international exhibition “Alone Together”. The exhibition, based on a concept by Paris Kapralos, explores the collective alexithymia of contemporary society, positioning art as a field for reconnecting emotion and meaning under conditions of crisis.
Curators: Paris Kapralos and Iason Kaerofylas.
The exhibition will take place in Athens. The official languages of the exhibition are Greek and English. A commemorative catalogue-book will be published in digital format, and the exhibition will also be presented online via the platform ARTgrID for one month.
Conceptual framework. Every new crisis brings a renewed hope for a “return to normality”. Yet what is normal? Normality is not an objective condition. It is a narrative that provides coherence to experience. When events disrupt our fundamental certainties, that narrative collapses. The consolidation of populism in public discourse, through the simplification of reality into binary schemes and an emphasis on emotional mobilization, has limited the ability to process complex emotions. Social media no longer describe reality but actively shape it, algorithmically amplifying content that provokes strong reactions, while the overabundance of unstructured information weakens the connection between emotion and meaning. Emotions do not disappear. They remain unprocessed, indistinct, and disconnected, leading to social alexithymia, a state of emotional suspension.
In psychiatry, the term “alexithymia” describes the difficulty in recognizing, understanding, and expressing emotions. Emotions remain inhibited and operate beneath the surface. They emerge indirectly through tension, somatic symptoms, outbursts, or withdrawal. On a social level, a culture develops that accelerates experience without allowing time for processing, encouraging either overexpression or complete avoidance.
Outbursts of violence among ordinary people, juvenile delinquency, crime, and even phenomena such as the “great resignation” can be understood within this framework. When contemporary parents struggle to tolerate the discomfort of setting boundaries, children do not learn to manage frustration and limits, and face difficulties in social integration. When internal experience remains “frozen” and without meaning, impulse replaces thought and conflict becomes a primary mode of release. Phenomena such as the “great resignation” express a response to prolonged disconnection, where awareness of needs does not lead to integration. These are shared symptoms of a society in distress.
How can such a society be “repaired”? The answer lies in restoring the capacity to feel and to make meaning. Art, as an intermediate space between inexpressible emotion and conscious understanding, allows for the externalization of experiences that have not yet found language, creating forms that can be seen and shared. The viewer reconnects with internal experience, develops tolerance for ambiguity, and recognizes emotion, contributing to a more mature collective processing.
Theme and types of works. The exhibition welcomes works across the full spectrum of visual arts. The theme is open and may engage with the exhibition concept in any way the artist considers appropriate. The curators welcome works in painting, sculpture, printmaking, digital art, photography, collage, textile or fiber art, visual objects, ceramics, constructions, small-scale installations, and video art.
Submission requirements. Please send an email to artistsartgrid@gmail.com with the subject line “ALONE TOGETHER” including the following:
(1) Photographs of up to two available works, each in a separate image file, in jpg format, large size, high quality and high resolution. The submitted works are not indicative. If selected, you may exhibit only the work or works submitted. Works on paper must be photographed without frame or glass.
(2) Details of the works, referenced by the file name (for example A1.JPG), listed in the following order and separated by commas: Artist’s full name, Title of the work, Materials and technique, Dimensions (in centimeters, Height x Width for wall works or Height x Width x Depth for sculptures), Year of completion.
(3) Contact details: Full name, email, telephone number.
If you wish to submit Video Art, you may either send video files via WeTransfer along with an email containing the required details, or provide a link (Vimeo, YouTube) where the full video is accessible.
Important notes
– Questions strictly related to the submission process should be sent in writing to the above email address and will be answered within 24 hours.
– Information regarding the organization and the proposal you will receive if selected will be provided only to selected artists, after submission and selection, not before. Submissions that do not include all required elements or do not follow the specified format will not be considered.
– If selected, you will be contacted promptly via email with full details regarding your participation.
– The submission deadline is not intended for the creation of new works. You may submit existing works that represent you, relate to the theme, and that you wish to present within the exhibition context.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Sunday, May 3, 23:59.
