It is phenomenal when the art world truly comes together, and there is perhaps no occasion quite like the DESTE exhibition at the Slaughterhouse in Hydra. The man behind the foundation who makes all of this possible, Dakis Joannou, has an extraordinary ability to bring people together, blend audiences and is always present to personally greet everyone. Not only does he have the power to gather art professionals and art lovers from every corner of the world, but he also brings together the locals and communities of Hydra and the surrounding islands. What he has created for the island is undoubtedly astonishing.
DESTE has established an artistic tradition: a celebration that includes everyone, something remarkably rare in the art world. Often, outsiders can feel excluded, as though they are not part of the conversation or do not understand the codes of contemporary art. In Hydra, however, everyone is invited.
DESTE Project Space Slaughterhouse opened its doors for the first time in 2009, and every summer since then, it has presented a new exhibition.This year, we experienced Nari Ward’s Until That Day, unfolding beneath Jeff Koons’ radiant sun on Monday, June 22nd. As usual, a long queue formed, with everyone waiting patiently and happily, chatting with friends and new acquaintances before entering the space. While waiting, visitors encountered several domino stations, a gesture connected to Ward’s Jamaican heritage, where audiences were invited to sit, play, and interact. This sense of participation, combined with performances taking place on the rooftop and along the walk toward the building, established the atmosphere for the entire exhibition.
The works inside aligned deeply with the essence of Ward’s practice, exploring themes of the African diaspora and collective experience. An immense site-specific installation transformed the space with suitcases bundled into three enormous balls, while the same material from their straps extended across the floor. Outside, on the balcony, an anchor-fountain stood proudly against the endless blue of the sea.
The entire island was buzzing. There was a feeling that something was constantly happening; an energy moving through the streets, beaches, and gathering points. People seemed revitalized by the many events taking place across Hydra, and after days spent swimming and resting on the island’s rocky beaches, everyone wandered through the streets in search of more art.
Elsewhere on the island, other moments shimmered within Hydra’s dense summer programme: Hydor/Onar by Hydra School Projects curated by Dimitrios Antonitsis at the Hydra Lyceum, Wilhelmina’s delicate Lighthouses of the Earth at Mandraki Beach Resort, and Christina Androulidaki’s presentation at CAN Gallery, set within Konstantinos Ladianos’ stunning villa, surrounded by Ladianos’ impressive paintings, ceramics, and textile works.
Following the opening of DESTE, a lecture was held on Tuesday, June 23rd, where Ward unfolded the resonance behind his title, drawn from Bob Marley’s “War” (1976). The phrase “until that day” becomes an invocation of racial justice and equality, a reminder of a future still being imagined and pursued. We also had the chance to witness Ward’s warmth and charisma in person; his presence was as memorable as his work.
These settings created a refined, almost cinematic backdrop for the discreet yet meaningful soft launch of our own waveL art, PR, and communications agency, an Athens-based international platform devoted to the storytelling of art. It felt like a natural emergence within the magnetic presence of artists, curators, collectors, and cultural voices gathered on the island.
We leave Hydra carrying the lingering brightness of those early summer days in late June: the sound of water splashing from the dives, the rhythm from the waves, and the sensation of an island suspended between stillness, light, inspiration, and reflection.
