Heaven: Athens Biennale Explores Utopia and Dystopia

The second Athens Biennale, named Heaven, took place from June 15 to October 4, 2009, at various locations in Athens and on Hydra island. Curated by Christophoros Marinos and others, it was established by Xenia Kalpatsoglou, Poka-Yo, and Avgoustinos Zenakos (XYZ). Following the inaugural edition, Destroy Athens (2007), Heaven examines themes of messianism while envisioning a future for a troubled society. The exhibition is set in a 3,000-square-meter venue originally used for the 2004 Olympics and showcases works by artists such as Athanasios Argianas and Nick Laessing. On June 16, Dakis Ioannou inaugurated a new branch of the Deste Foundation on Hydra, featuring a performance by Matthew Barney and Elizabeth Peyton that draws on local customs.