Kastellorizo is located on the eastern Mediterranean, not far from the Turkish coast. It is the most remote of the Greek islands. Between rocks, spiky bushes and goats, footpaths connect the sleepy military base with a monastery and the picturesque harbour town that shares its name with the island. Silvia Fiurucci, patron and founder of the Società delle Api, is planning to set up a space for artists in one of the small old houses that were built ages ago using stones from the island and the remains of ships. Following a competition, we were chosen as one of four studios to design the studio apartments.
To get to Kastellorizo, we have to fly to Rhodes to catch a ferry the next morning, which finally arrives on the small island in the evening. Although officially part of Europe, it doesn't seem much more of a journey to land on the moon than to disembark on the island of Kastellorizo. Countless ruins and hardly any infrastructure await you on the island. The military base sells building materials and drinks, and people who are electricians in the morning are fishermen or policemen in the evening. If you need more than the small shop has to offer, it's worth knocking on the stern of the sailing yachts moored in the harbour. Everything here seems to have several functions.
Our concept therefore also takes its name from the Greek beasts, which are neither one nor the other, but wild hybrid creatures, chimeras. Every object that we bring to Kastellorizo fulfils not just one, but a multitude of contradictory functions. Furthermore each object is not created by individual designers, but is shaped by the collective dialogues and conflicts between the individuals who make up the und.studio.
A space capsule appears to have landed in the centre of the room. Standing on large disc feet stands a shimmering silver body that combines desk, cupboard, floor lamp and staircase. Pictures show it on the rocky peaks of the island, while in others it dangles from a helicopter of the Greek navy. It remains unclear what journeys the space capsule has made. A mirror slides away to give access to the bathroom that lets you shower between functionalist corals and sea slugs in the deep ocean while stepping out to the balcony lets you arrive in a glowing desert inhabited by artificial plants (and local animals).
The furniture takes you straight to the core question of artistic production: „Am I on this tiny island for holiday? Is there work that needs to be done? Or will I transform into a chiæmera of vacationer and creative worker? Thinking about this sweet dilemma I am cutting my way across the desk to climb back into the chandelier that turns into the bed, once I switch off the light.“
