FISSILE MATERIAL, performative activation

FISSILE MATERIAL is the physical cumulation of a long-term research project undertaken by gervaise alexis savvias; a reflective tidbit of an ongoing, interpersonal archival exploration. Through a symbiosis of parapoetics, prose and research, the publication is a sensitive relation to and exploration of (self) archiving, informed by the author’s own interaction with their locality’s recollection of 1974; genealogy, and theory. And as always: poetry is political.

The launch of the publication took place in June 2024 at Thkio Ppalies (an artist-run space in Nicosia, CY), and was comprised of a series of short readings from the publication by gervaise, followed by an open discussion (in English) alongside curator and interdiscipinary artist, Irini Khenkin. The evening concluded with a performative activation alongside Ichomagnetic Thoughts (Antonia Kattou, Stelios Antoniou). Through this activation, the trio set out to conjure spirits; animate poetic reflections on the concept-matter of the archive, and by that metric, add meaning in tongue–in the present.

Credits:
Publication designed by Stelios Ilchuk
Riso printed by Tatses Press (el taller space)
Live ambient score produced by Ichomagnetic Thoughts (Antonia Kattou, Stelios Ilchuk)
Launch event co-organised with Thkio Ppalies (Nicosia, CY)
Documentation by Stephani Mourouzi