EXCAVATION was presented on 8 and 9 July 2026 in Aigio and at the Archaeological Museum of Aigio, as part of the Greek Ministry of Culture’s “All of Greece One Culture 2026” programme.
The original work moved between performance and visual art, approaching excavation not only as an archaeological process, but also as an act of searching, recollection and reconnection with what remains hidden beneath the surface. The performance was created specifically for Aigio, the Archaeological Museum and the local community, drawing its material and dramaturgy from the successive layers of the place’s history and memory.
The experience began in the grounds of the Church of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary and unfolded as a collective journey through the urban fabric of Aigio, concluding inside the Archaeological Museum. The transition from the city to the Museum formed an integral part of the dramaturgy: public space, the church, the streets, the archaeological finds and the different historical layers were brought together in a single journey, during which the audience did not function merely as observers, but as fellow travellers and witnesses to a symbolic excavation.
Through a sequence of acts, entrance, procession, observation, excavation, documentation and exhibition, the work explored the stratigraphy of the earth and of human memory. Each object, sound, movement and narrative trace functioned as a fragment of a story that was not presented as complete, but invited the audience to reconstruct it.
The concept, dramaturgy and texts were created by Panos Gkiokas, founder and CEO of MENTOR. The original art installation by Dionysis Christofilogiannis was incorporated into the journey as a contemporary archaeological field, composed of materials, objects and traces that appeared either to have just been uncovered or to be still awaiting interpretation. The direction and performance of Dora Stylianesi, combined with the original music and performance of Diamantis Adamantidis, created a polyphonic environment of images, sounds and narratives.
The work entered into direct dialogue with the exhibits and museological narrative of the Archaeological Museum of Aigio, transforming the Museum from a place for the preservation of the past into an active field of artistic and collective experience. Following the performances, the central artwork remained within the permanent exhibition until 31 August 2026, continuing the dialogue between contemporary artistic creation, archaeological objects and the Museum’s visitors.
The active participation of the local community was integral to the identity of the production. The Aigio Philharmonic Band “Euterpe”, under the artistic direction of Leonidas Charalampopoulos, accompanied the journey, transforming the route towards the Museum into a collective ritual. Volunteer archaeologists from the excavation at Nikolaiika also participated in the performance, bringing artistic creation into direct contact with the people who research, document and safeguard the traces of the past.
Taking archaeological practice as its starting point, EXCAVATION raised questions concerning memory, faith, loss, history and the human need to search for meaning among the remains of the past. Excavation was thus transformed into an act directed equally towards the present: a way of looking again at the place, the objects and the personal or collective narratives that shape us.
MENTOR in Culture undertook the production management, communication and promotion of EXCAVATION, designing and coordinating the implementation of a complex project that unfolded across different locations in the city and concluded inside an archaeological museum.
The MENTOR team managed the overall production and operational planning, the coordination of the artistic, technical and organisational teams, and the collaboration with the Ephorate of Antiquities of Achaia, the Municipality of Aigialeia, local organisations and the production’s supporters. Particular emphasis was placed on managing the walking route and the flow of the audience, ensuring the safe operation of the performance in both public and museum spaces, and coordinating local participants.
At the same time, MENTOR undertook the design and implementation of the project’s communication strategy, the production and editing of informational and promotional material, media relations and the digital promotion of the performance. The communication approach sought to highlight both the artistic identity of the work and its close connection with Aigio, the Archaeological Museum and the local community.
The production approach was based on close cooperation with the relevant institutional bodies, respect for the public and museum spaces, and the creation of the appropriate conditions for contemporary artistic creation to coexist with archaeological heritage. Through this planning, the city, the Museum, the artists, the archaeologists and the audience came together in a unified, participatory cultural experience.
Concept / Dramaturgy / Texts: Panos Gkiokas
Visual Installation: Dionysis Christofilogiannis
Direction – Performance: Dora Stylianesi
Music: Diamantis Adamantidis
With the participation of: Aigio Philharmonic Orchestra “Euterpe”
Artistic Direction of the Philharmonic Orchestra: Leonidas Charalampopoulos
Photography: Apostolis Psilos
Videography: Giorgos Alivrouvas
With the participation of: volunteer archaeologists from the excavation at Nikolaiika
Scientific Advisor: Dr Andreas Vordos, Archaeologist, Ephorate of Antiquities of Achaia
Production: CHORUS AMKE
Production Management: MENTOR in Culture
Production Team: Martha Stroumpou, Myrto Staratzi, Ian Christidis
Communication & Promotion: MENTOR in Culture
The production was realised within the 2026 programme of the Greek Ministry of Culture’s “All of Greece One Culture” initiative.
www.allofgreeceoneculture.gr
Photo Credits
© Apostolos Andriotis _ All of Greece One Culture 2026
© Apostolis Psilos _ MENTOR in Culture