Hyperlink Athens, Origins, 2020 Installation view

Combining the ancestral with the futuristic, primordial mythologies with visions in becoming, the intangibility of light and the materiality of sculpture lies at the core of Alexandra Koumantaki's practice. The interest in forging connections in order to generate a space for expression seems to be one of the driving forces behind her artistic orientation, which finds fertile ground both in the virtual dimension through cyber projects and in the physical world through reactivations of abandoned places and landscapes. Alexandra is, in fact, involved in different kinds of initiatives, each one giving voice to a specific inclination and responding to the multifaceted nature of her work. Technology is questioned and exposed so to establish a link with a past that has not vanished but is perpetually transmuting its forms through the present by flowing towards the future.

Katja Novitskova, Gignesthai, 2021, at Hyperlink Athens project space

It feels like you have a fluid and somewhat chimeric artistic identity. How would you define your practice and approach? And with which domain do you feel most engaged?

My practice consists of an array of various contradicting points, such as curation, music and light sculptures. One field of interest merges within the other. I am always inspired by music and produce light installations and site specific art. Curation for me works as another form of expression, how I deal with setting up an exhibition is exactly they way I would work to produce an artwork.

There is not something I feel mostly engaged with, there are times that I have to focus on curation and periods that I work on producing light sculptures. All of the above provide me with the freedom to express myself through various mediums.

Alexandra Koumantaki, The world is nothing without chaos, 2021 at Epoch gallery, Freeport group show 2021

What is Hyperlink Athens? Would you like to tell us something about how it was born?

Hyperlink initially was created at 2017 as an act of being part of the contemporary art scene. When we formed the team we had just graduated from various art universities and wanted to challenge our selfs out there. It started like that and organically like any living organism it still evolves. Basically it works as a curatorial project managed by artists. Many of our projects start as ideas similar to the ones we would have for a work of art. Sometimes Hyperlink moves as an artist initiative and sometimes as a curatorial project . It is an open system that at the moment except from cyberspace it also exists as a physical gallery project space in the center of Athens.

You seem to weave the threads between many platforms. Would you like to introduce to us also OMIO?

OMIO is a post graffiti team created by graffiti writers in the early 00s. Their practice was to hack and intervene on the urban landscape, later they focused more on in situ large scale light installations, mostly on train cemeteries and abandoned post industrial urban spaces.

The project was on pause for some years until i discovered it and decided to propose a reactivation for an exhibition at Sissi club during manifesto 13. I felt this project could be part of the cyberpunk culture since early 00s Athenian urban vibes gave me this feeling. After reactivating the team I became a full time member and started working with OMIO on Delphian Landscapes.

Alexandra Koumantaki x VVXXII, Untitled, 2021

How does being an artist and curator interact and unfold within your work?

Working as a curator means I am often called to come closer to someones work and understand it deeply. This for me works as a liberating mechanism. It really opens new paths on my mind and has a big effect on my personal practice.

Alexandra_Koumantaki, Nexiaalist, 2021 for Origins curated by Hyperlink Athens

How did your inclination towards installations, technology and, in a way, time overlaps come about? How do you drain the ancestral into an artistic vision that gazes at a potential future?

My vision always comes from the merging of ancestral mythology and technology. Both are man made constructions that combined create various possible futures. For me artificial light represents technology and the natural landscape points towards the ancient, the untouched. I try to adopt the aspect of monumentality that ancient ruins have and combine it with aspects of technology.

I grew up in Crete so I was always deeply connected with both ancient Greece and Egypt. I never realised how huge this impact was until i felt it is the main driving force for my practice. I study the past so I can envision the future.

Alexandra Koumantaki, Parallel Centiment, 2019

Where are you heading with your forthcoming projects?

My future plans include working on my debut solo and producing the planned exhibitions for the Hyperlink Athens project space. There are also some ongoing projects that will be revealed gradually in the future.