About Aesopia
We believe that four eyes see more than two, and that two cultures see more than one. Which is why we think it’s time to move beyond the eurocentric, western perspective that is still too dominant in the current international art world. Aesopia is interested in the stories from below: we are a kaleidoscope of overlooked perspectives. The arts, and culture in general, is the language in which these stories can be found. We offer a platform for articles and interviews, by art historians, writers, and artists, that deal with case studies from around the globe, in an attempt to understand them from within the artwork’s own cultural context. This way, we offer an understanding of both the artwork as the society it emerged from, enriching you with pieces of beautiful knowledge. And knowledge, as you know, is power.
Our aim is to keep this platform accessible, yet interesting and critical. We love cross-cultural interpretations and we adore works of art that engage with their surroundings in a social or political manner. If you want to join the collective and write with us, please send your ideas or an abstract to info@aesopia.org , and we’ll be in touch.
About the name
Aesop (Αἴσωπος) is a rather misty character from ancient Greece. Although, he himself wasn’t born in Greece, but probably in Thracia, Phrygia (modern-day Turkey), or even Ethiopia. Described in certain sources as starting out as an ‘ugly slave’, his cleverness got him his freedom and made him
an advisor of kings and city-states. His famous work are the Fables, in which animal characters teach the reader about morality, and through which ‘Aesopian language’ came to being. Russian writer Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin used this term in his analysis of the literature of his time, in which criticism of the tsar was expressed implicitly. In short, Aesop became an example of the underdog, of cross-culturalism, and the stories from below, so combined with ‘utopia’, his name perfectly describes our platform.
About the language
None of the initiators of this platform heard English as a baby, and we combine several cultural backgrounds. Yet, as English is the lingua franca of this new, connected world, we use it in spite of the imperialist background of its widespread presence in the world.