The artist collective "DIPOLA" started slightly impromptu from a group of visual artists, art historians, writers and curators, with the homonymous exhibition at the Municipal Gallery of Athens, in May 2015. The initial group has gradually transformed into a lively ever evolving organisation, which is constantly expanding, centering around contemporary art, politics, aesthetic discourse and the subsistence of the visual artists in 21st century Greece. The aim is the creation of a platform which is aspiring to unite scattered creative forces, not merely aiming to realise curatorial projects or incise commercial roads, but to predominantly comprise as a springboard to innovative stirring from the grassroots. The initiative fuels the artistic anguish of searching affinities, operating outside the logic of assignments and within the culture of collaboration and research in the open artistic community. The team, following productive and thorough dialogues among its members, came to fully realize the domestic shortage in pursuing the contemporary art phenomenon. Contemporary art touches upon many disciplines, taking multifarious interdisciplinary paths. Hence, a conclusive opinion on contemporary art would be an involute process demanding continuous research and constant redefinition.  Furthermore, institutions are by definition unable to perfuse to the initial core of the creative field. In this frame, DIPOLA aims to explore, trace commonalities and showcase the creative forces, which no matter how may differ from each other, take a clear stance in this pivotal historical moment. The achievement is almost utopian, taking into consideration the current circumstances, nevertheless we evaluate this attempt of composing and shaping the creative minds of the greek society as a necessity.
 

Dimitris Karatzas (visual artist, MFA ASFA, Hellenic Cinema and Television School Stavrakos department of Filmmaking/Director)