A hill in Athens turns into an “urban jungle”

This summer, on the historic Hill of the Nymphs and the National Observatory of Athens, you can take a different walk, reminiscent of a tour around an “urban jungle.” The occasion is provided by the large-scale in situ visual installations “The Theater of Disappearance” by Argentinean artist Adrián Villar Rojas that spreads out on an area of 4,500 square meters and is presented by the “NEON” Culture and Development Organization until September 24. For the work’s needs, 46,000 plants from 26 different species were planted around the National Observatory of Athens, creating a new universe where “nature” is the only work of art. A mixture of grasses and edible plants, weeds, fruits, vegetables, corn, and plants that define the course of human life on the planet, in general, are the stars of this unique transformation of the landscape that looks intimate and natural at the same time. Also, particular elevated wooden structures were built above the surface of the ground, filled with thousands of cubic metres of earth, and the whole installation is surrounded by natural “fences” that isolate the space. Apart from planting the site, the artist created sculptural installations in eleven showcases of various sizes. The exhibits include cultural, historical and war items that are the remnants of past civilizations and are exhibited next to souvenirs from subsequent eras. The project is open to the public from Wednesday to Sunday, 11.00-21.00, with free admission.