Zoe Hatziyannaki: The Day the Earth Caught Data

Opening on Friday, August 23rd, at 8:00 PM at the Kastelana Photography Center

The Kastelana Photography Center, located at the entrance of the Kastelli in Pyrgos, Santorini, will host Zoe Hatziyannaki and her work “The Day the Earth Caught Data” (Episode 2) from August 23 to September 23, 2024.

The current research project reflects on the complications of tourism and its contribution to climate change, considering not only its physical notorious footprint, but also its digital one. “The Day the Earth Caught Data” refers to the post-apocalyptic movie “The Day the Earth Caught Fire” (dir. Val Guest, 1961) and develops around a fictional, end-of the-world scenario, using primarily online material shared by different users through Google Earth.

Constant surveillance practices on the Earth’s surface, the frequent use of mapping apps, as well as the incessant online sharing of self-referential content, all complement tourism’s already significant part in global warming. The research is focused on Santorini Island, one of the most popular destinations in the world, which has ended up facing serious environmental and sustainability problems. Its volcano, a separate piece of land surrounded by sea, receives a considerable portion of the island’s visitors on day tours. The project uses the satellite images generated by Google Earth, along with screenshots of photos shared by the visitors in Photosphere, in order to construct a dystopian narrative. The volcanic landscape resembles that of another planet, or that of a doomsday movie, where lost, exhausted, and disoriented individuals walk around the barren, uninviting environment.

“The Day the Earth Caught Data” unfolds in different “episodes” which attempt to draw parallels between a widely shared, seemingly uncomplicated reality and a problematizing fiction, by positioning the image-makers themselves as storytellers of their own grim and unsettling future. Episode 2 (E2), a partially interactive installation involving audience participation, will be presented at the Kastelana Photography Center.

The opening of “The Day the Earth Caught Data” (Episode 2) will take place on Friday, August 23rd, at 8:00 PM.

This exhibition, along with the upcoming one by English photographer Liz Nicol, are part of the parallel cultural events of the Ifestia (The Volcanoes) 2024 festival.

Editorial Note:

• The work “The Day the Earth Caught Data” was realized in March 2024 with the support of the international artistic research and residency program Onassis AiR.
• The information about the work included in this article is sourced from the Onassis AiR website