ReCompulsive Behaviours is an artist collective based in Αthens, Greece
Since 2016, the ReCompulsive Behaviours (ReCoBe) Transdisciplinary Artist Collective explores the relation between performance and politics, focusing on a wide range of topics from social diversity and conflict to collectiveness, political participation and resistance. Focusing on the encompassing of the public space as a vector of spatial formation, we organise and curate participatory public space interventions and performances using a variety of mediums and methods such as: social situation tracking, collective character creation, testimonies, improvisation and forum theatre etc.
About ReCoBe
The collective was formed in 2016, a year after the trend on the Twitter #ThisIsACoup, when the Greek people realized that democracy within such an economic union has firm limits. It was a divisive time, when the public opinion oscillated between the idea of whether or not Greece was socio-economically, politically and culturally part of Europe, part of the West (with all that it entailed). Looking back, we could say it was like we were invited to a party where everyone was frustrated, exhausted and angry. How can artists deal with these emotions avoiding the socio-political implications that their arguments may carry? In what way can an artist address a polarized audience? Can individuals, through artistic practices, understand that widespread emotional chaos, so as to suggest new realities/possibilities? Can they do it with others? Which is the most appropriate place for those new encounters? The creation of the collective, was to us a cultural urgency, an attempt of resistance against the cultural and societal stereotypes that had started to emerge: the prevalence of xenophobia, discrimination and intolerance to diversity, individualism and the privatization of the commons.
As a team, we work cooperatively through every stage of the creative process. We often include and collaborate with individuals of different specialties and backgrounds depending not on the requirements of each project but on the need to add on the multitude of perspectives and experiences towards the formation of a dialogical artistic praxis. We perceive our methodology as a co-creative experience shared between the work and its audience: Performing as commoning.
Our interest lies between the collective dimension of social experience and the political dimension of collectiveness. Understanding the public space and urban open spaces as a point of cohabitation that activates and proposes a different form of communication and participation, the majority of our work is developed and presented there: Public space acts as a vector of spatial formation where unique subjectivities combined, can articulate a formidable act of togetherness. To this end, using humor and play as a strategic choice, we seek to commit to a “tactical lightness” forming, along with our audience, a common aesthetic language.
Points of interest
→ Public space. Our interest lies in the encompassing of public space as a vector of spatial formation where unique subjectivities combined, articulate a formidable act of togetherness, a public exchange. Through our interventions we are trying to rehearse the becoming of space.
→ Tactical lightness. Addressing contemporary social and political issues in every project we are establishing distancing methods using humor and play in a setting of horizontalities.
→ Performing as Commoning. Our focus is on critical discourse of dominant politics, involving feminism/queer and decolonial theories. Employing art-based and participatory methodologies we are working cooperatively through every stage of the creative process focusing on the multitude of perspectives and experiences towards the formation of a dialogical artistic praxis and along with the audience, a common aesthetic language.
→ Critical Metaphors. The very starting point of theater can be traced to the tension created by the metaphor: real – fictional. The space we call theatrical is not dominated by critical distancing, but at the same time it is not a space characterized by absolute identification. It is a space "in- between" .The critical metaphor at its core reveals and shows the mechanisms by which people, not alone, but with the participation and commitment of others, symbolically and by extension socially and empirically transform the world.
Our Team
Myrto Sarma is a theater researcher and cultural worker. She holds a BA in Theatre Studies from the University of Athens, a MA in Costume Design from UAL which had been supported by the Basil and Elise Goulandris Foundation and a second Master's degree in Fine Arts at School of Fine Arts, Greece. She is a Ph.D. researcher at the Architecture School in Athens, in “Architectural Language, Communication, and Design” at NTUA. Her work have been presented in Greece, Cyprus, U.K. and Russia. In 2020 she was invited to take part in the Theatertreffen Internationales Forum (Berliner Festspiele).
Since 2019 she is researching on emerging encounter practices with spatial ramifications through the theory and practices of theatre and under the expanded concept of performances, intersecting fields of critical, spatial and feminist/queer theory. Currently she is working as a theatre educator.
She is co-founder of ReCompulsive Behaviours.
Dimitra Trousa is a transmedia designer and researcher, based in Athens, Greece. She studied Design (BA Hons) at University of West Attica, Department of Interior Architecture, Decorative Arts & Design and Digital Performative Practices at Wimbledon College of Art, UAL, London (MA Digital Theatre). She was trained in Spatial Design at L’ Ecole de Design, Nantes Atlantique and at The Greek National Opera, in Scenic Construction and Design. Currently she is a Ph.D. student at the Architecture School in Athens, in “Architectural Language, Communication, and Design” at NTUA.
Her work encapsulates the practice on versatile fields; hence, it is orientated in Design for performance. She approaches theatre & performance both academically and professionally. Her work has been presented in Greece, Germany, Cyprus, Hungary and in the UK. Recently she is experimenting on the digital representations of the spatio-cultural condition of festivity.
She is the co-founder of the ReCompulsive Behaviours.
Lydia Lampropoulou is an architect, designer and visual artist. She studied architecture in the University of Patras and holds a Master of Arts in Performance: Design and Practice at Central Saint Martins, University of Arts London. She has attended several seminars of Arts, Scenography and Digital Theater and lately she has been living and working in Athens.
Her art approach is based on installations, performance design, digital works and multimedia projects and explores social aspects and politics and observes human behaviors in everyday life. Currently she is working as a production manager of Athens Digital Arts Festival and curates digital art installations,exhibitions and 3D mapping projections. The past years she had been working as a freelancer in several creative fields, such as architecture, designing and artistic productions.
Alexandros Pappas is based in Athens. He has studied Chemistry at the University of Ioannina. He has actively participated in self-managed, grassroots projects in support of refugees and Greek nationals in Ioannina, Trikala and Athens. He has been involved in several self-managed social spaces and has been a member of the main organizational team of the Anti-Racist Festival. He has worked for 6 years, in collaboration with NGOs, in programs for the protection and integration of unaccompanied refugee minors.
Currently, he works in the care, rehabilitation and reintegration of people with psychosis. He has been a member of amateur theatrical groups for the past 10 years and actively involved in several drama therapy sessions through his employment.
→ Public space. Our interest lies in the encompassing of public space as a vector of spatial formation where unique subjectivities combined, articulate a formidable act of togetherness, a public exchange. Through our interventions we are trying to rehearse the becoming of space.
→ Tactical lightness. Addressing contemporary social and political issues in every project we are establishing distancing methods using humor and play in a setting of horizontalities.
→ Performing as Commoning. Our focus is on critical discourse of dominant politics, involving feminism/queer and decolonial theories. Employing art-based and participatory methodologies we are working cooperatively through every stage of the creative process focusing on the multitude of perspectives and experiences towards the formation of a dialogical artistic praxis and along with the audience, a common aesthetic language.
→ Critical Metaphors. The very starting point of theater can be traced to the tension created by the metaphor: real – fictional. The space we call theatrical is not dominated by critical distancing, but at the same time it is not a space characterized by absolute identification. It is a space "in- between" .The critical metaphor at its core reveals and shows the mechanisms by which people, not alone, but with the participation and commitment of others, symbolically and by extension socially and empirically transform the world.
→ Public space. Our interest lies in the encompassing of public space as a vector of spatial formation where unique subjectivities combined, articulate a formidable act of togetherness, a public exchange. Through our interventions we are trying to rehearse the becoming of space.
→ Tactical lightness. Addressing contemporary social and political issues in every project we are establishing distancing methods using humor and play in a setting of horizontalities.
→ Performing as Commoning. Our focus is on critical discourse of dominant politics, involving feminism/queer and decolonial theories. Employing art-based and participatory methodologies we are working cooperatively through every stage of the creative process focusing on the multitude of perspectives and experiences towards the formation of a dialogical artistic praxis and along with the audience, a common aesthetic language.
→ Critical Metaphors. The very starting point of theater can be traced to the tension created by the metaphor: real – fictional. The space we call theatrical is not dominated by critical distancing, but at the same time it is not a space characterized by absolute identification. It is a space "in- between" .The critical metaphor at its core reveals and shows the mechanisms by which people, not alone, but with the participation and commitment of others, symbolically and by extension socially and empirically transform the world.
→ Public space. Our interest lies in the encompassing of public space as a vector of spatial formation where unique subjectivities combined, articulate a formidable act of togetherness, a public exchange. Through our interventions we are trying to rehearse the becoming of space.
→ Tactical lightness. Addressing contemporary social and political issues in every project we are establishing distancing methods using humor and play in a setting of horizontalities.
→ Performing as Commoning. Our focus is on critical discourse of dominant politics, involving feminism/queer and decolonial theories. Employing art-based and participatory methodologies we are working cooperatively through every stage of the creative process focusing on the multitude of perspectives and experiences towards the formation of a dialogical artistic praxis and along with the audience, a common aesthetic language.
→ Critical Metaphors. The very starting point of theater can be traced to the tension created by the metaphor: real – fictional. The space we call theatrical is not dominated by critical distancing, but at the same time it is not a space characterized by absolute identification. It is a space "in- between" .The critical metaphor at its core reveals and shows the mechanisms by which people, not alone, but with the participation and commitment of others, symbolically and by extension socially and empirically transform the world.
→ Public space. Our interest lies in the encompassing of public space as a vector of spatial formation where unique subjectivities combined, articulate a formidable act of togetherness, a public exchange. Through our interventions we are trying to rehearse the becoming of space.
→ Tactical lightness. Addressing contemporary social and political issues in every project we are establishing distancing methods using humor and play in a setting of horizontalities.
→ Performing as Commoning. Our focus is on critical discourse of dominant politics, involving feminism/queer and decolonial theories. Employing art-based and participatory methodologies we are working cooperatively through every stage of the creative process focusing on the multitude of perspectives and experiences towards the formation of a dialogical artistic praxis and along with the audience, a common aesthetic language.
→ Critical Metaphors. The very starting point of theater can be traced to the tension created by the metaphor: real – fictional. The space we call theatrical is not dominated by critical distancing, but at the same time it is not a space characterized by absolute identification. It is a space "in- between" .The critical metaphor at its core reveals and shows the mechanisms by which people, not alone, but with the participation and commitment of others, symbolically and by extension socially and empirically transform the world.
ReCompulsive Behaviours is an artist collective founded in 2016, Αthens, Greece
→ Public space. Our interest lies in the encompassing of public space as a vector of spatial formation where unique subjectivities combined, articulate a formidable act of togetherness, a public exchange. Through our interventions we are trying to rehearse the becoming of space.
→ Tactical lightness. Addressing contemporary social and political issues in every project we are establishing distancing methods using humor and play in a setting of horizontalities.
→ Performing as Commoning. Our focus is on critical discourse of dominant politics, involving feminism/queer and decolonial theories. Employing art-based and participatory methodologies we are working cooperatively through every stage of the creative process focusing on the multitude of perspectives and experiences towards the formation of a dialogical artistic praxis and along with the audience, a common aesthetic language.
→ Critical Metaphors. The very starting point of theater can be traced to the tension created by the metaphor: real – fictional. The space we call theatrical is not dominated by critical distancing, but at the same time it is not a space characterized by absolute identification. It is a space "in- between" .The critical metaphor at its core reveals and shows the mechanisms by which people, not alone, but with the participation and commitment of others, symbolically and by extension socially and empirically transform the world.
ReCompulsive Behaviours is an artist collective founded in 2016, Αthens, Greece
→ Public space. Our interest lies in the encompassing of public space as a vector of spatial formation where unique subjectivities combined, articulate a formidable act of togetherness, a public exchange. Through our interventions we are trying to rehearse the becoming of space.
→ Tactical lightness. Addressing contemporary social and political issues in every project we are establishing distancing methods using humor and play in a setting of horizontalities.
→ Performing as Commoning. Our focus is on critical discourse of dominant politics, involving feminism/queer and decolonial theories. Employing art-based and participatory methodologies we are working cooperatively through every stage of the creative process focusing on the multitude of perspectives and experiences towards the formation of a dialogical artistic praxis and along with the audience, a common aesthetic language.
→ Critical Metaphors. The very starting point of theater can be traced to the tension created by the metaphor: real – fictional. The space we call theatrical is not dominated by critical distancing, but at the same time it is not a space characterized by absolute identification. It is a space "in- between" .The critical metaphor at its core reveals and shows the mechanisms by which people, not alone, but with the participation and commitment of others, symbolically and by extension socially and empirically transform the world.
ReCompulsive Behaviours is an artist collective founded in 2016, Αthens, Greece
→ Public space. Our interest lies in the encompassing of public space as a vector of spatial formation where unique subjectivities combined, articulate a formidable act of togetherness, a public exchange. Through our interventions we are trying to rehearse the becoming of space.
→ Tactical lightness. Addressing contemporary social and political issues in every project we are establishing distancing methods using humor and play in a setting of horizontalities.
→ Performing as Commoning. Our focus is on critical discourse of dominant politics, involving feminism/queer and decolonial theories. Employing art-based and participatory methodologies we are working cooperatively through every stage of the creative process focusing on the multitude of perspectives and experiences towards the formation of a dialogical artistic praxis and along with the audience, a common aesthetic language.
→ Critical Metaphors. The very starting point of theater can be traced to the tension created by the metaphor: real – fictional. The space we call theatrical is not dominated by critical distancing, but at the same time it is not a space characterized by absolute identification. It is a space "in- between" .The critical metaphor at its core reveals and shows the mechanisms by which people, not alone, but with the participation and commitment of others, symbolically and by extension socially and empirically transform the world.
ReCompulsive Behaviours is an artist collective founded in 2016, Αthens, Greece
→ Public space. Our interest lies in the encompassing of public space as a vector of spatial formation where unique subjectivities combined, articulate a formidable act of togetherness, a public exchange. Through our interventions we are trying to rehearse the becoming of space.
→ Tactical lightness. Addressing contemporary social and political issues in every project we are establishing distancing methods using humor and play in a setting of horizontalities.
→ Performing as Commoning. Our focus is on critical discourse of dominant politics, involving feminism/queer and decolonial theories. Employing art-based and participatory methodologies we are working cooperatively through every stage of the creative process focusing on the multitude of perspectives and experiences towards the formation of a dialogical artistic praxis and along with the audience, a common aesthetic language.
→ Critical Metaphors. The very starting point of theater can be traced to the tension created by the metaphor: real – fictional. The space we call theatrical is not dominated by critical distancing, but at the same time it is not a space characterized by absolute identification. It is a space "in- between" .The critical metaphor at its core reveals and shows the mechanisms by which people, not alone, but with the participation and commitment of others, symbolically and by extension socially and empirically transform the world.