Museum of Contemporary Art Skopje
Opening: Wednesday 25 June, 20:00

The creative, artistic dialogue between four visual artists, Fani Boudouroglou, Rania Emmanouilidou, Lia Psoma, and Bilal Yilmaz, is presented in the exhibition “Graceland Paradox: Navigating Uncertainty” at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Skopje, from 25 June to 17 August 2025. Through uncertainty, experimentation and mobilisation, the exhibition urges viewers to reflect on causes, consequences and possibilities. The works draw from science fiction, urban protests and historical revolts to encourage the audience’s reflection on what comes next. The process of searching for possibilities becomes a process of becoming aware of the capitalist impasse and, above all, an exercise in imagination regarding our own contribution and existence in possible dystopian or utopian futures.

The exhibition is organised by the independent art and culture organisation Kontrapunkt as part of the KRIK Festival for Critical Culture, and is supported by MOMus-Experimental Center for the Arts and the Embassy of Greece in North Macedonia.

The three women artists, Boudouroglou, Emmanouilidou and Psoma, began working together during the pandemic, when they decided to use the time of imposed isolation to jointly reflect, experiment and create. A series of works that respond to key contemporary issues such as environmental collapse, forced population movements and the onslaught of technology were presented in 2022-23 in the exhibition “Graceland: The Triumph of an Uncertain Path” as part of the 8th Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art of MOMus. At MoCA Skopje, this collaborative project is renewed and expanded with new works by the three artists and the participation of guest artist Bilal Yilmaz from Türkiye.

At the heart of this new exhibition “Graceland Paradox: Navigating Uncertainty” lies the research conducted by the three artists around sustainable techniques and materials —bioplastics, crystals, handmade paper, rhizomes, materials in the phase of transition from raw material to ephemeral artistic medium— as a process of production and reflection. In dialogue with their works, Bilal Yilmaz expands the political and imaginative dimension of the exhibition. Inspired by contemporary protest movements —including recent mobilisations in Greece, North Macedonia and the wider region— the artist focuses on the erosion of democracy and the power of collective action. Through his work, he recalls the spirit of protest and criticises the mechanism of manipulated information. He calls on us to choose the images and actions that motivate us, and to bring them into our daily lives as acts of quiet, radical resistance.

Curated by: Lydia Chatziiakovou

Parallel events

Wednesday, 25 June 2025, 20:00 
Short discussion-introduction to the main concepts and practices of the exhibition with the artists.

Speakers: Tihomir Topuzovski (Director, MoCA Skopje), Anna Mykoniati (curator, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Athens), Thouli Misirloglou (Artistic Director, MOMus-Museum of Contemporary Art). Moderators: Lydia Chatziiakovou (curator), Vladimir Janchevski (curator, MoCA).

Thursday, 26 June 2025, 16:00-18:00
Workshop “Material experimentations in Graceland” with the artists Rania Emmanouilidou, Fani Boudouroglou, Lia Psoma.

©Fani Boudouroglou, Fernweh, 2022

Video still