Christina Skarpari’s exhibition, titled “sympraxis”, presents films and photographs created between 2022 and 2025. The works highlight long-term engagements with individuals and communities who sustain cultural heritage, with emphasis around themes of co-belonging, trust, and the connection between humans and the environment. The focus is on the handicrafts of ‘kalamoti’ and ‘psatharka’ cane weaving  (Livadia), red clay (Kornos), as well as other techniques from artisans who have worked or are working at the Cyprus Handicraft Centre. 

 

Skarpari’s interdisciplinary, practice-based research examines the complex notions of identity, subjectivity, and working conditions, through ethnographic study and simultaneous active community engagement. Grounded in a feminist ethics of care and solidarity, her work captures images with unexpected juxtapositions and details, revealing unseen facets of the worlds these communities inhabit and the intricate dynamics of their everyday lives.

 

The term “sympraxis”, derived from ancient Greek, refers to collaborative praxis—working together through hands-on actions to align synergies and engage in co-design for the purpose of strengthening craft heritage. At the same time, it fosters the sharing of tacit knowledge and stories, emphasizing discovery and empowerment. Participants are invited to take part in artistic encounters, where action and interaction lead to tangible proposals for the sustainability and evolution of these traditions.

 

The practice advocates for a radical redefinition of collective action, fostering deeper connections to local communities through solidarity and the cultivation of shared sense of togetherness. It embraces the essence of being together and promotes reflective practices, inspired by hospitality, love, humour, performativity, play and patience. Seeking to unlock the untapped potential within craft-heritage ecosystems, it offers tools and methods for co-design, supporting a fluid exchange that questions the dominant narratives around cultural heritage.

 

The audiovisual works were edited together with Phivos Philitas and include compositions by Andys Skordis, with samples from Skarpari's field recordings. The communication graphics are designed by Adonis Archontides. 

 

The exhibition is hosted by Sic. Contemporary Culture, a synergy that highlights the organization's vision and support for interdisciplinary and intergenerational projects, ensuring accessibility to culture and promoting socially and environmentally sustainable artistic practices. The project is produced by the NGO Xarkis. The organisation, for 13 years, has been developing participatory artistic actions aimed at social engagement and community empowerment. Through art as a tool for social change and collective action, it promotes the creation of new relationships and collaborative networks.

 

Artist’s biographical note:

 

Christina Skarpari is an interdisciplinary artist, designer and curator with yearslong experience in socially engaged practices in the field of art, in the NGO sector and in higher education. Since 2013 she has founded Xarkis NGO and Xarkis Festival as a design assembly and creative reaction against the socio-economic crisis of the time. She has led more than 30 projects to increase community engagement, participatory methodologies and innovation in contemporary art and design. She is also vice-president of Visual Artists and Art Theorists Association -  phytorio, and part of an independent lobbying group representing visual art and design Cypriot NGOs, lobbying for cultural workers’ rights, aiming to amplify the value of cultural work on a governmental level.

 

Her work is situated in a nomadic, site-specific realm that straddles experimental practice in peripheral settings. It is driven by socio-ecological curiosities and a feminist lens of care. The work involves playful and collaborative technologies, alongside the testing of various multi-sensory tools and methods for community engagement, to understand and connect with local communities.

 

In academia she holds an AHRC Techne Scholarship for her PhD at Central Saint Martins on developing a co-design methodology to engage endangered communities of craft heritage and works with film, photography and anthropology. She lectures on various courses in non-formal education and higher education settings, including collaborative, intersectional environmentalism at Central Saint Martins (2017-).