Rooted in Greece. Blooming in Rome.

SYN+ODOI+POROS – Fellow Travelers

There are journeys that take us across countries.

And there are journeys that transform the way we see the world.

This September, I have the honour of presenting SYN+ODOI+POROS – Fellow Travelers at the Open Art Festival in Rome, following its selection for presentation at Art Number 23 Gallery.

For me, this is more than an international performance.

It is the continuation of a path that has been unfolding through Flower Bodies Flowing Souls—an artistic practice exploring the relationship between the body, nature and collective memory.

The title SYN+ODOI+POROS draws from three Greek words:

Syn — together.

Odos — the path.

Poros — a passage, a way forward.

Together, they evoke the idea of the Fellow Traveler—someone who walks beside us, sharing not only the road but also the experience of becoming.

This idea lies at the heart of the performance.

We are all fellow travelers.

Across cultures.

Across landscapes.

Across generations.

A Bridge Between Greece and Rome

Presenting this work in Rome carries a special meaning.

Greece and Italy share a rich cultural heritage that has shaped philosophy, art, theatre and our understanding of humanity for centuries.

Rather than looking only to the past, SYN+ODOI+POROS asks how this shared heritage can inspire the present.

How can contemporary performance become a bridge between cultures?

How can movement create dialogue where words are no longer enough?

How can beauty remind us of our shared responsibility towards one another and towards the Earth?

These are the questions that accompany every step of this journey.

The Earth as Our First Home

Flowers, movement, sound and embodied presence form the language of the performance.

Each element invites us to slow down.

To notice.

To breathe.

To reconnect with ourselves, with one another and with the living world.

The Earth is not simply the setting of the work.

It is its silent collaborator.

It reminds us that before borders, before languages and before history, we shared the same ground.

An Invitation

This performance is not only mine.

It belongs to every artist, collaborator, teacher, friend and participant who has walked alongside me throughout the years.

It is also an invitation to everyone who encounters it.

To pause.

To listen.

To remember.

And perhaps to discover that we are not walking separate paths after all.

We are Fellow Travelers.

With Gratitude

I am deeply grateful to everyone who has supported this journey and to the Open Art Festival for welcoming SYN+ODOI+POROS to Rome.

As this new chapter begins, I carry Greece with me—not only as a place, but as a living source of inspiration.

May this journey continue to create meaningful encounters, nurture dialogue, and remind us that art has the power to connect people across cultures, through beauty, presence and care.

With love,

Elina Kourtali

Support This Journey

https://revolut.me/flowerbodiesflowingsouls