T.A.F. / the art foundation presents the photography exhibition titled The Language of Butoh Dance from the photography group Spontaneous Shooters, in collaboration with the dance group Quantum Body Athens Butoh Dance under the direction of Vicky Filippa.

During the exhibition, live performances by the dance group will take place, offering the public a unique opportunity to experience the art of Butoh with free admission. The exhibition is curated by Giorgos Koutsouvelis & Andreas Kamoutsis.

This exhibition is a parallel project by the photography group Spontaneous Shooters and its advanced members, aiming to introduce viewers to the unique aesthetic of Butoh dance. Butoh challenges traditional concepts of beauty and harmony while highlighting the opposing facets of human existence. Guided by photographer Andreas Kamoutsis, the images and performances invite the audience to explore deeper levels of consciousness and redefine their perception of body and soul in an atmosphere of free expression and artistic experimentation.

Butoh is an experimental form of contemporary dance developed in Japan after World War II, primarily by pioneering artists Tatsumi Hijikata and Kazuo Ohno. This dance form is renowned for its intense, often slow and expressive movements, conveying profound emotions and symbolic themes. Butoh is characterized by its subversive nature, incorporating dark and psychedelic elements, with dancers often painting their bodies white or covering themselves in powder, evoking a sense of vulnerability or even distortion.

The dance explores existential themes such as death, decay, transformation, and the deeper aspects of human nature. Butoh does not follow any strict technique; instead, it is often spontaneous, requiring the dancer to discover their own movements through emotion and internal states. It frequently integrates tragic or absurd elements, inviting the audience to experience a different, introspective dimension.

Exhibition Dates: 05.12.2024 – 15.12.2024

Opening Event: Thursday 5 December | 19:00

Opening Hours: 17:00-22:00

During the photography exhibition, there will also be an audiovisual installation

featuring excerpts from the performances of the dance group Quantum Body Athens Butoh Dance in the specially designed space of T.A.F., captured and edited by

Iraklis Koppas

Participating artists:

Arja Heinonen – Riganas, Aris Kaplanis, Efi Lialiou, Alexandra Angelopoulou, Andreas Spinos, Giannis Maistros, Giorgos Kanakis, Giorgos Boulasidis, Giorgos Papandreou, Dimitris Meidanis, Katerina Togia, Kleantis Bantzis, Konstantina Fyka, Manianna Tserkezou, Manolis Soulos, Nikos Kalimanis, Nikol Vlissidi, Nikolaos Antonakas, Panagiotis Karageorgos, Sotiris Theodosiou, Christos Antonopoulos, and Christina Sapounaki.