
This work was exhibited in the foyer of the National Theatre, situated in downtown Athens in Omonia Square, which is an area commonly known for its large Afghan refugee community. Papadimitriou built the tricycle, resembling a theatre prop, out of papier-m.ch. and decorated it with cloth and materials that were available in the theatre’s costume depots.
What marks Papadimitriou’s work is the absence of the immigrants, enhancing their state of anonymity and obscurity amidst the everyday bustle of downtown Athens.
The tricycle’s flat tire, the weathered cloth and tattered body render an embodiment of their suffering, of years in exile, undocumented and forgotten. Nonetheless, a quality of hope resonates through the room with Farhad Darya’s nostalgic song which tells of the story of a man who leaves his beloved to join her later and marry her. The sound of Farhad’s voice brings the tricycle to life, leaving behind the unrealized as it plays loud and clear throughout the theatre entrance.
Maria Halkias