ABOUT
Despina Zacharopoulou is a performance artist born in Arcadia, Greece, currently working between London and Athens. Her practice investigates performance art as SPATIUM MONSTRORUM: surface and event of parrhēsia, aiming at reconstituting philosophy as embodied practice and method towards a life which is radically other. Her live works borrow their artistic vocabulary from the 1970’s performance tradition (e.g. long duration, pain practices, nudity, visceral character, performance-audience encounters etc), to raise contemporary issues on live art research methods.
Coming from a trans-disciplinary academic and professional background, Despina holds: a MSc & a Diploma (Hons) in Architecture (National Technical University of Athens / ERASMUS: École nationale supérieure d’architecture de Paris-Val de Seine), a Master in Fine Arts (Athens Superior School of Fine Arts), and a Master in Visual Arts: Theatre Costume (Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, Greek State Scholarships Foundation scholar). As a postgraduate student at the Royal College of Art in London (Onassis Foundation scholar), Despina completed a practice-led MPhil in Sculpture (Performance) and a practice-led Ph.D. in Philosophy & Fine Art (Performance), supervised by Prof. Johnny Golding (Primary) and Prof. Nigel Rolfe (Second, 2015-2019).
Dr. Zacharopoulou’s artistic practice and research have been globally recognised in the area of performance-philosophy, and have been presented at events of global impact, such as: , Venice Performance Art Week (European Cultural Center – Palazzo Mora, Venice, 2023); Marina Abramović Institute Takeover (Southbank Centre, London, 2023), AS ONE by the NEON Οrganization for Culture and Development and the Marina Abramović Institute (Benaki Museum, Athens, 2016); London Frieze (2016, 2017); A Possible Island? by the Marina Abramović Institute & the 1st Bangkok Art Biennale (Bacc, Bangkok, 2018-19); DataLoam (Angewandte Innovation Lab, University of Applied Arts, Vienna, 2019), ME/YOU YOU/ME (Gallery Sensei, London, 2016); Belgium is Happening (Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp & Royal Academy of Fine Art Antwerp, Belgium, 2013), and others.
Publications include articles in: Performance Research Journal, Performance Philosophy Journal, Ocula online magazine, On Wellness online magazine, The NY Times, The Nation (Thailand), CNN Greece, Liberal newspaper (Greece), Frankfurter Rundschau, etc. Despina has received numerous prizes and grants for her artistic and academic achievements, including among others: the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Artist Fellowship by ARTWORKS (2021), the Onassis Foundation Scholarship for Research Studies(2015), the Lon Landau Prize (2013), the Greek State's Foundation Scholarship (2012), the Erasmus scholarship (2004).
Despina has been working as a Visiting Lecturer at the Royal College of Art since 2016, leading MA crits, tutorials and School groups. She is also is the Course Leader of the RCA Contemporary Art Summer School (2018 onwards), and of the RCA Rethinking Contemporary Performance Art Masterclass.
Despina Zacharopoulou's artworks can be found in private collections in France, the UK, the USA and Greece.
website: http://www.despinazacharopoulou.com
instagram: despinazacharopoulou7
RCA staff profile: https://www.rca.ac.uk/more/staff/despina-zacharopoulou/
RCA 2022 PhD student profile: https://2022.rca.ac.uk/students/despina-zacharopoulou
PERFORMANCES (selection)
2023
- Courotrophe, performance for the camera, Venice International Performance Art Week, Palazzo Mora, 2023.
- The Fallen Dervish [co-director, costume/light designer], +ergio, Limassol, Cyprus.
- Dokimi/Essay/Essai, 5-day long durational performance, Marina Abramović Institute Takeover, Southbank Centre, London, UK.
2022
- The Fallen Dervish [co-director, costume/light designer], Ke.Me.The.T., Athens, Greece.
- The Fallen Dervish [co-director, costume/light designer], Tripolis, Greece.
- The Fallen Dervish [co-director, costume/light designer], Ancient Theatre of Mantineia, Greece.
2021
- Performing We the Enemy, performance for the camera, by SPIT! (Carlos Motta, John Arthur Peetz, Carlos Maria [Atabey] Romero), as part of the SPIT! Manifesto project. ‘And if I devoted my life to one of its feathers?’, Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna, Austria.
2020
- Performing We the Enemy, performance for the camera, by SPIT! (Carlos Motta, John Arthur Peetz, Carlos Maria [Atabey] Romero), as part of the SPIT!Manifesto project. ‘SP-Arte’, Galleria Vermelho, São Paulo, Brazil.
- Actio / Praxis, 5 min live & moving image work, “Art, Performance & the Act”, University of Roehampton. Invited guest speaker Romeo Castellucci. London, UK.
2019
- Performing We the Enemy, performance for the camera, by SPIT! (Carlos Motta, John Arthur Peetz, Carlos Maria [Atabey] Romero), as part of the SPIT!Manifesto project. ‘CONATUS:Carlos Motta’, PPOW Gallery, New York, USA.
- Aphorism, 7 min live & moving image work, in the context of Entanglement – The Opera, RCA, Gorvy Lecture Theatre, London, UK.
2018
- Protreptic, a 3-week long durational performance, commissioned by MAI and the Bangkok Art Biennale, Bangkok, Thailand.
- Borderline, a 3 hrs performance, in the context of FLIGHT MODE RCA Research Show, Asylum Caroline Gardens, Maverick projects, London, UK.
- Pudeur II (d’après F.N.), in the context of A Carnival of Entanglement, RCA, Gorvy Lecture Theatre, London, UK.
- Performing We the Enemy, 5-min performance by SPIT! (Carlos Motta, John Arthur Peetz, Carlos Maria Romero), as part of the SPIT! Manifesto project. ‘Lush Summit’, Old Billingsgate, London, UK.
- Performing We the Enemy, 5-min performance by SPIT! (Carlos Motta, John Arthur Peetz, Carlos Maria Romero), as part of the SPIT! Manifesto project. ‘Beyond the Binary’, Lomography UK, London, UK.
2017
- Pudeur (d’après F.N.), in the context of The New Darkroom event, by the RCA Queer Society, Dyson Gallery, London, UK.
- Performing We the Enemy, 5-min performance by SPIT! (Carlos Motta, John Arthur Peetz, Carlos Maria Romero), as part of the SPIT! Manifesto project. Frieze Special Projects, curated by Raphael Gygax, Frieze, Regents Park, London, UK.
- Matter, ALCHEMIE, Anatomie Studio, London, UK.
- Response-ability (d’après K.B.), 2hrs performance in the context of Daybreak RCA Research Show, Asylum Caroline Gardens Chapel, London, UK.
- D’après S.K., Tender Loin #9, Steakhouse Live, Toynbee Studios, London, UK.
- Love *me*, 5 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME, The doodle bar, London, UK.
- The Library is open, 108 hrs (5 days) long durational performance, event in the context of Inhabiting CSM curated by Simon Banos, Central Saint Martins Library, London, UK.
2016
- The most precious non-object, ME/YOU YOU/ME, Gallery Sensei, London, UK.
- being a threat, Dyson Gallery, RCA, London, UK.
- Activating Martha Araujo’s works, pm8 galeria, Frieze, London, UK.
- Aftercare II, BEING-DOING, Asylum, Caroline Gardens Chapel, London, UK.
- Aftercare I, 20hrs long durational performance, Royal College of Art, Battersea, London, UK.
- Corner Time, 324hrs long durational performance, NEON + MAI (Marina Abramović Institute), AS ONE, Benaki Museum, Athens, Greece.
2015
- Untitled I, Dyson Gallery, RCA, London, UK.
- Fail Again, Dyson Gallery, RCA, London, UK.
- Performing Undressed, by Alexandra Bachzetsis, David Roberts Arts Foundation, London, UK.
- Introduction, Dyson Gallery, RCA, London, UK.
2013
- Coincidentia Oppositorum, [co-director, co-choreographer, costume/set/light designer, dramaturge], Walpurgis Theater & Theater Aan de Stroom, Antwerp, Belgium.
EXHIBITIONS (Selection)
Solo
2021
Despina Zacharopoulou: Remainders, Dyson Gallery, Royal College of Art, London, UK.
2012
Despina Zacharopoulou: TEMENOS, Lyssarea, Arcadia, Greece (Parallel event to G.Markopoulos’ open air screenings, organized by the Temenos Org.).
Group
2023
- VII Venice International Performance Art Week, Palazzo Mora, Venice, Italy.
- Marina Abramović Institute Takeover, Southbank Centre, London, UK.
- A (not so) pink story: brief queer cultural history, ARKHÉ Archive, Madrid, Spain.
2022
World Stage Design Exhibition, Calgary, Canada.
RCA Graduate Show, Dyson Gallery, Royal College of Art, Battersea, London, UK.
2021
And if I devoted my life to one of its feathers?, Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna, Austria.
2020
SP-Arte, Galleria Vermelho, São Paulo, Brasil.
2019
- CONATUS : Carlos Motta (performing “We the Enemy” by C.Motta), PPOW Gallery, New York, USA.
- There’s something lurking in the shadows that might be interesting, Dyson Gallery, RCA.
Data Loam: Sometimes Hard, Usually Soft, AIL, University of Applied Arts, Vienna, Austria.
- Entanglement – The Opera, RCA, Gorvy Lecture Theatre, London, UK.
- A possible Island? : Beyond Bliss, Bangkok Art Biennale & The Marina Abramović Institute, Bangkok Art & Culture Centre, Bangkok, Thailand.
2018
- A possible Island?: Beyond Bliss, Bangkok Art Biennale & The Marina Abramović Institute, Bangkok Art & Culture Centre, Bangkok, Thailand.
- FLIGHT MODE, Asylum Caroline Gardens, Maverick projects, London, UK.
- Carnival of Entanglement, RCA, Gorvy Lecture Theater, London, UK.
2017
- The New Darkroom, RCA Queer Society, Dyson Gallery, London, UK.
- Frieze Special Projects, London Frieze, UK.
- ALCHEMIE, Anatomie Studio, London, UK.
- Daybreak, Asylum Caroline Gardens Chapel, London, UK.
- 5 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME, The doodle bar, London, UK.
2016
- Performing Identities, Dyson Gallery, RCA, London, UK.
- London Frieze, 2016, UK.
- BEING-DOING, Asylum, Caroline Gardens Chapel, London, UK.
- MATTER, Royal College of Art, Battersea, London, UK.
- AS ONE, organised by NEON + MAI (Marina Abramović Institute), Benaki Museum, Athens, Greece.
- OTHER, Courtyard Galleries, Darwin Building, Royal College of Art, London, UK.
2015
- FUCK/LIVE/ART, Franko B’s Birthday Bash, The Flying Dutchman, Mori&Stein Gallery, London, UK.
- Drawing Exhibition, Sculpture Department, Royal College of Art, London, UK.
- Costume At The Turn of The Century 1990-2015, A.A. Bakhrushin State Central Theatre Museum, Moscow, Russia.
2013
- Belgium is Happening, Performance Festival, Royal Academy of Fine Arts and MuHKA, Antwerp, Belgium.
- Van een Bruisende Campus waar de Kunsten Welig Tieren, Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp, Belgium.
- Masters Exhibition, Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp, Belgium.
- Un-fixed, Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp, Belgium.
- Academie alphabet 2012-2013, Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp, Belgium.
2012
Masters Exhibition, Kessanlis Exhibition Space, Athens School of Fine Arts, Athens, Greece.
2009
ArtLocus, Aeschylia 2009, Former Oil Factory of Eleusis, Greece.
2008
Otto, M-Art Gallery, Athens, Greece.
2007
Easa007, Aeschylia 2007, Former Oil Factory of Eleusis, Greece.