The carpenter of your neighbourhood

The carpenter of your neighbourhood is an attempt to draw a socio-psychological portrait of Nea Ionia, a district in north-western Athens.

Extending her research into improvised communication practices within local contexts, Ilke Gers collected makeshift paper flyers and notices in the area. Stuck to any potential surface, these street messages are highly common in the public space of the city. They contain seemingly trivial information, but nonetheless provide an insight into local conditions of work, leisure and exchange. They are produced and posted by specific people who address others with specific offers and aims.

Gers attempted an experimental entry into this local network of information and exchange. She called the numbers provided in the collected material, requiring additional information in English. The resulting encounters ranged from abrupt hang ups to longer talks, testing the limits and potential of this interactive exercise.

This artist book compiles the translated street notices, together with the transcripts of the resulting phone discussions between the artist and anonymous respondents to the respective listed phone numbers.

Initiated during Gers’ 2018 residency and exhibition Circular at Yellow Brick, Nea Ionia, The carpenter of your neighbourhood was presented as limited edition artist book as part of the group show Happy Days at Snehta, Athens, in 2019.

-Eleni Michaelidi