Anna Samara, Maleviziotis (Simonidean Variation)
In this video piece , Samara is using the notion of invented traditions in order to create an audiovisual tribute to Constantine Simonides (1820–1890), according to some, maybe the most versatile forger of the nineteenth century. Some of Simonides' activities included mixing real and false texts in order to create stories which he attributed to actual or completely fictional writers. According to the artist, Simonides discovered where the "gaps" and the "weak links" could be found in history, and, within those gaps, he proceeded to create an original universe. In turn, Samara fills what she perceives as a gap in historical narrative by creating a connection in her work between elements that are intriguingly antithetical.