Paul Chan's 'Odysseus and the Bathers' Exhibition at Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens

The exhibition 'Odysseus and the Bathers,' curated by Sam Thorne and organized by the NEON foundation, took place at the Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens from July 5 to October 14, 2018. It showcased dynamic 'breather' sculptures representing Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus as 'bathers' against the backdrop of the European migrant crisis. Chan's towel paintings address biases against migrants and the polarized political climate in the U.S. A significant piece, 'La Baigneur 7 (Teenyelemachus),' features a dark figure with shoes filled with concrete, symbolizing a culture of despair. Chan's 2017 essay 'Odysseus as Artist' explores 'polytropos' for artists aiming for social impact. The exhibition concluded with 'Poordysseus,' reflecting artists' struggles with market temptations. ArtReview covered the exhibition in September 2018.