48h Neukölln – 3. bis 5. Juli 2026

Artists: Erifyli Theofilou, Valia Lolidou

Performers: Konstantina Kapnopoulou, Sara Mitouali , Yiota Chamamtzoglou

“The myth of a myth” is a project about Penelope, Odyssea’s wife. Penelope stands as a timeless symbol of devotion and perseverance among the years. She is traditionally depicted as the ideal wife, hence to her faithfulness, an intelligent woman who employs her intellect solely to uphold her husband’s reputation. During Odysseus’s prolonged absence, she skillfully evades the suitors’ pressure for remarriage. Viewed through a contemporary feminist perspective, it becomes evident that Penelope’s myth has always been depicted through a male-centered lens. Whether identified as her father’s daughter, her husband’s wife, or suitors’ prize, Penelope’s identity and qualities were to be defined for or by others. Her well-known routine of weaving by day and unraveling her work at night has long been characterized as the epitome of feminist symbolism. However, in the Penelope exhibition, we question whether weaving should truly stand at the center of Penelope’s feminist identity. By challenging established interpretations and revisiting the story from a new perspective, we place at the core of her feminist existence the idea that weaving was, above all, a clever strategy for letting time pass. In our interpretation, Penelope has already reached a sense of peace and relief in accepting that her husband will never return. What matters to her now is using this tactic to make time work in her favor. As time goes by, she breaks free from the role of the ever-waiting wife even as her aging makes her a less enticing prize for the suitors. Yet what if, at the exact moment she reaches for her freedom, Odysseus returns? Through the curatorial concept of Penelope, her story is retold, this time set against the complex, multilayered backdrop of Neukölln. The exhibition brings together different media and materials. The project spans installation pieces, textile art, extending to mixed media creations, photographic works, video installations, and performance art. Materials with a skin-like quality, such as latex, silicone, as well as stitched textiles, and hair will be used to highlight the transformation and freedom she gains through the passage of time. In particular, latex and silicone are chosen for their resemblance to human skin; although her ‘skin’ remains resilient, it is far from unchanging, it ages, shifts, and evolves. This very alteration lies at the core of her feminist experience, exposing the passage of time on her body; a passage she actively welcomes. As she ages, she distances herself from the men who once defined her, becoming
undesirable to those who valued only youthful skin and beauty. The project will feature artworks by individual artists alongside collaborative pieces, focusing on new creations. The creation period will end collaboratively with one work ‘Penelope’ in which all involved artists will participate. This piece will consist of one large sheet of silicone. During production, each participating artist will carry the piece with them for a day, integrating it into their daily routines and moving through the Neukölln neighborhood, gradually altering it permanently. The artwork will interact with everyday life in Neukölln, whether used as a shower mat, brought to the local Änderungsschneiderei, or caught between the U-Bahn doors at Hermannplatz, embedding the texture of the area into the work. This evolving process, along with the new identity the artwork gains, will be documented through Polaroid photographs. Its traces on the “skin” will also be captured in a video installation, highlighting the sounds of everyday moments in Neukölln. The project will culminate in a final performance during the festival’s finissage, where the skin will be exhibited in a ritualistic context. The Myth of a Myth project revisits the myth of Penelope, retelling a well-known story from a different angle, a feminist perspective that reframes what we already know. It is not about returning to a memory of a long-lost husband, but about the rebirth of a self-defined Penelope. She no longer needs Odysseus’s return; she no longer seeks a savior. She is prepared to continue living on her own, ready to tear down the walls built around her and step alone into the unknown of the outside world, allowing it to reshape her.