The independent gallery CHYPER invites A—Z to curate the first solo exhibition of Billy Klotsa in Athens, a multidisciplinary artist whose practice combines film and painting. Titled Something Holds Me, the exhibition
presents a new body of work by the artist, reimagining the myth of Icarus and transforming it into a medidation on power dynamics, desire, loss, and hope. The exhibition opens on March 20, with a sound performance by Alpha (A—Z), and will run until April 16.

Something Holds Me looks at the two protagonists, the father and the son, as symbols signifying the imitations imposed by societal structures, and the precarity within the embrace of the familiar. The sun becomes a symbol of desire and longing. While the traditional telling emphasizes Icarus's impulsive nature and tragic demise, Klotsa delves deeper, questioning the foundations of the father's cautionary wisdom. The artist asks: What fears bind the father from reaching for the same incandescent heights?

Instead of succumbing to the traditional narrative of death, Klotsa's Icarus endures. He confronts the weight of loss, not as an ending, but as a catalyst for transformation. From the depths of his fall, he rediscovers a defiant strength, and determination to transcend the perceived safety of the old familiar found in the embrace of the father. He turns his gaze once more towards the sun, not with reckless abandon, but with a newfound
understanding of the unknown and its transformative power.

This exhibition is not simply a retelling of a myth; it is a poetic exploration of vulnerability. Through the interplay of film and painting, Klotsa invites us to contemplate our own desires, our own fears, and our own capacity for resilience. It is a testament to the enduring power of hope, even in the face of profound loss, and a poignant reminder that the pursuit of freedom and love is a journey worth undertaking, no matter the cost.

Prayers for the Rain

You shatter me, your grip on me
A hold on me so dull it kills
You stifle me
Infectious sense of Hopelessness and prayers for rain
I suffocate, I breathe in dirt
And nowhere shines but desolate
And drab the hours all spent on killing time
Again all waiting for the rain

(The Cure)

In conversation with the works of Billy Klotsa, the exhibition features a showreel titled Prayers for the Rain, presenting works by the artists: Babeworld x utopian_realism, Jordan Baseman, Tarek Lakhrissi, Marios
Stamatis, and Iria Vrettou. These works explore the ideas of loss, transformations and embracing of darkness to light.