After making his debut in Athens in January 2023, Papaioannou was introduced to the Italian audience, at the sixth edition of FOG, with his latest work INK. During the play, the viewer realizes that the most intriguing aspects of a meaningful performance arise from a tension between grandeur and simplicity. The two sold-out performances at Trienalle and the final long-lasting applause from the audience spoke on his behalf.  As a creator, he is known for constructing unique, surrealistic universes by playing with the dimensions of darkness and fantasy. Water has always been present in his work as a fundamental element, a symbol of adaptation and rebirth, especially from a mental and emotional standpoint. Ink is a two-man show full of metaphors, raw sensuality, and agony. An internal battle of control of primer instincts in an unreal setting. A magnetic world, full of surprises mixed with Sci-fi and horror features. After 60 mins in a dream state, it’s difficult to find the exit to the real world. Papaioannou has composed a collage of iconic cultural references and transformed them on stage into something unique. In a duet that soon shades into a duel, the creator, accompanied by the fascinating dancer Šuka Horn, performed in front of the audience in a deeply personal approach assembling in an impossible blending of Murnau’s Nosferatu with 2001: A Space Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick, Ridley Scott’s Alien and the iconic painting of Chronus devouring his son. However, in the universe of Papaioannou, the unexpected becomes expected.

We had the chance to meet the talented experimental stage director, choreographer and visual artist, Dimitri Papaioannou, before continuing with his world tour. The interview took place in Milan, at Palazzo Segretti, the day after the final play of INK hosted by Trienalle on 11-12 February.

How are you feeling today? First impressions from yesterday’s show and the Italian audience? I observed many interesting young faces attending the play.

I feel relieved! This is the start of our international tour, so there still are a lot of bumpy spots to figure out and avoid. As a first venue, the theater of Triennale was challenging, but overall we managed it. They were some technical issues that we had to resolve, but overall it was a really nice experience. Playing in front of a young audience is always a pleasure!

Did you have high expectations from INK when you complete its composition?

I had in my hands a work that I loved very much. I knew that the 20% was not what I wanted to be, but I am in a much better place now. It takes many cities and many performances until we realize after watching a lot of videos what a work is exactly and what a work needs to meet each complete self. I believe this version of INK is the closest to the final result. Having a long round in Athens, we already managed to make some changes and now in traveling, we have something in mind to change so… “If I had high expectations?”. My ambition is to be at the limit of my talent every time. What I offer you is the best that I can do.

Are you a collector? Which objects attract you the most?

I am more of a collector of sensations and impressions. I am interested in major currents which direct human life and tiny little details that are expressed through them. By collecting those impressions, I create a kind of library in my head, every time I need to create something new, I go there and I am extracting knowledge.

Theater and performances are giving the power to the creator to build worlds under his own terms, so practically he acts as a god. Are you consider yourself a manipulator of senses? Do you think that there is a level of arrogance behind this?

It could be a level of arrogance…there is always that danger! My job as a major alchemist is to transform materials in front of the audience’s eyes and thus manipulate a sense of agony or emotions. However, manipulation hides a negative aspect as a word. We can say that I act as a puppeteer of emotions. In any case, the artist suggests… if you go along, if you dive into it, if you are charmed and you embarked on a journey, everything is believable. But it is art…it’s fake and you can jump out of the illusion at any moment…so what kind of manipulation is that? I think we meet in the middle: Me trying to arrange a landscape of emotions and the audience member wanting to be charmed. If neither happens…we both fail!

Is your art a form of esoteric catharsis, is it works as a therapeutic tool for you?

For me definitely! I think for all artists it is. Every human being must find a way to live life, creating and sharing things, embarging in a never-ending journey to capture something that has never been perfect enough, is a wonderful way of constructing life. Other people are doing the same process through religion…so like religion, art is asking something from you, art is asking for a kind of discipline, a kind of devotion, a kind of mania, a kind of obsession, a kind of humbleness, a kind of impermanent intimidation and impermanent flirting with the arrogance of the faithful. There are many things that art is asking from you and in return is offering you a meaningful life.