Giorgos Gerontides
Artist in Residence
Gerontides Giorgos, a Greek Cypriot artist based in Thessaloniki, holds a degree in Fine Arts as well as a Master’s in Art and Public Sphere from the School of Visual and Applied Arts at Aristotle University. Gerontides’ work is marked by the coherence, consistency and broadness of his artistic pursuits and concerns, the intensity of his research, his focus on contemporary social issues and conditions, his openness towards experimentation and his technical prowess. His work comprises a wide variety of artistic mediums and techniques, ranging from in situ installations and videos to participatory, interactive online projects. Concepts such as archives, art collections and museums, as well as the process of artistic creation, human intervention in nature and the educational turn, occupy a prominent position in his work.
Final works
Vulnerable Nets is a feature-length documentary (01:16:00) developed during the residency Turning the Tide – Evia Local Urban Labs. Conceived in the aftermath of the catastrophic wildfires of 2021 in Northern Evia, the work investigates the role of local collectives as agents of resilience, solidarity, and cultural continuity.
The project began with research into existing organizations and initiatives across the region. Psaropouli village became the focal point, where I initiated a collaborative process with children and teenagers from the community. Through workshops, screenings, storytelling, and direct encounters with local groups, the young participants entered into dialogue with those actively engaged in the area’s ecological and social reconstruction. The process nurtured relationships, sparked questions, and generated a collective understanding of the challenges and possibilities shaping the community’s future.
The title Vulnerable Nets refers to the fragility of societies in the absence of cooperation, while also evoking the strength of interconnected networks. The documentary portrays different collectives that, together, weave a web of resilience oriented toward environmental restoration, shared prosperity, and the preservation of cultural identity.
More than a documentary film, the project is a meeting platform. Its artistic and political proposal lies in the process itself, using the medium of film as a means of connection, dialogue, and collective imagination.
