Eleusis 2023 - Mystery_111: Eleusis Terracotta Army

The European Capital of Culture (ECoC) is an annual initiative that aims to highlight the diverse cultural wealth of European cities, and in this way help its citizens better identify with each other. This year, Elefsina—along with Veszprém (Hungary) and Timisoara (Romania)—holds the title and presents a rich cultural agenda over the course of a year.

The programme’s name, The Mysteries of Transition, was inspired by the Eleusinian Mysteries. These were secret religious practices held in Elefsina during antiquity to honour the goddess Demetra. Makes sense that each event on the programme was therefore dubbed a Mystery. The festival’s cultural agenda is built around three thematic axes: Environment, Labour, and People and Society, and includes 130 artworks, 465 events (Mysteries) in 30 different city sites, and 17 different types of art by 192 Greek and 137 international artists from 30 countries.

Paying tribute to the industrial spirit of Elefsina, the Eleusis Terracotta Army symbolically represents the active and retired workers of various factories. Juan Sandoval's artistic journey brought him to the local factories, where he had in-depth conversations with workers, collecting their stories and experiences. Through detailed questionnaires that recorded personal information, family connections, hobbies and preferences, the artist was able to gather a wealth of information on the workforce of the region.

As a visual testament to the lives and contributions of these workers, 2,000 handmade clay helmets decorated with carvings and paintings form a large-scale installation. Accompanied by a soundscape created by international sound artist Giorgos Moraitis evocative of the area's industrial vibe, it offers visitors a powerful representation of the city's unheralded labour pool. After the exhibition, the helmets will find their way into the hands of the workers, becoming mementos of a community monument.

The Eleusis Terracotta Army is a powerful testament to the enduring spirit of the people who have shaped Elefsina and transformed an agricultural landscape into one of the country's industrial giants. 

Click here for a selection of some of Eleusis 2023’s events that will be taking part throughout the year.