From the 28th of June until the 30th we attended the Exclusive Opening Weekend of Perasma’s Istanbul “All Things Become Islands Before My Senses” in Leros. The exhibition is named after Cesare Pavese’s poem “Passion for Solitude”.
Leros is an island, in the southeast part of the Dodecanese island complex, off the beaten track, known mostly by locals and not yet touched but mass tourism. The island bears the marks of a diverse and sometimes turbulent history, including decades of Italian occupation, which shaped the island’s distinctive architecture. Leros’s architectural landscape, is characterised by urban neoclassicism and early Italian modernism in tandem with the archaic tradition and nature of the island.
The most exciting part for us though, is that we got to design a capsule collection inspired by Leros and made especially for the exhibition.
L*iquid* EROS
(is the name of the capsule collection we designed in collaboration with Sevastiana Konstaki of Studio Asevia.)
We presented the collection in a site-specific performance in Lero’s Elementary School, following Cevdet’s Erek reading of “SSS - Sahil Sahnesi Desi / Σάουντρακ Σκηνής Θάλασσας”.
3 performers (Maryam Turkey + Jaimee McKenna + Maria Kokkini), under Cevdet’s instructions, mimicked the sounds of the sea by caressing hanging carpets. The Elementary School was chosen because through the windows of the atrium one can hear the sounds of the waves.
Valisia is showing us Ways to wear tailored black trousers.
The Evening of the Opening
The exhibition explores the intricate relationship between time, water, and the history of the island of Leros. It revolves around the idea of how the fluidity of existence can give rise to both beauty and adversity, especially on an island with such a complex and rich history. The cyclical nature of time on Leros is intertwined with its maritime heritage. As ships come and go, carrying with them stories of trade, exploration, and conquest, the island becomes a nexus where past and present intersect. History, mythology, fantasy, ghosts and reality, overlay themselves upon the island like the currents of its waters.
The dinners
The dinners were the perfect ending to each night. Perfectly curated, fantastic food (a collaboration between Pharaoh’s Emmanouil Papoutsakis and Neolokal’s Maksut Askar for the 1st night).
The dancing-until-the-morning part is, thankfully, undocumented.
Burcu + Gizem’s suggestions for Leros
Of course you can’t miss Mylos by the Sea (as we mentioned in the very beginning).
But try also:
"Stis Annas" for vegan wholesome all day food
"Psaropoula" for a pieds-dans-l’eau lunch
"Sotos" for shellfish
"Serza", a new, very promising entry on the food scene of Leros
Because you can’t go to Leros and not swim, our suggestion for secluded beaches is either “Agios Spyridonas” beach (pictured above) or “Agia Kioura”.
See you on the island!
Stella + Valisia