Zero for Conduct: Notes on Critical Pedagogies

Curated by Tina Pandi

Opening: Thursday 28 May, 2026 18:00- 22:00

Exhibition duration: 28 May- 18 July, 2026

Opening hours: Wednesday- Friday: 15:00- 20:00 Saturdays: 12:00-17:00

The exhibition is free and open to the public

Where:
ACG Art Gallery, 6 Gravias, Aghia Paraskevi

Organized by:
Frances Rich School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences,
Deree – The American College of Greece

About the exhibition

Zero for Conduct: Notes on Critical Pedagogies is conceived as a research-based curatorial project that focuses on artists who explore alternative educational frameworks and forms of knowledge, thereby tracing critical pedagogical approaches that question how knowledge is produced, mediated, and transmitted. The exhibition takes its title from the seminal film Zéro de Conduite (1933) by French director Jean Vigo, which serves as a point of reference for questioning the disciplinary structures of education. Within this framework, education is approached not as a neutral mechanism of knowledge transmission, but as a dynamic system that shapes subjectivities, behaviors, and social relations.

The exhibition places particular emphasis on the history of education in Greece during the 20th century, highlighting the tension between traditional modes of instruction and reformist pedagogical practices. Special attention is given to the role of language as a site of ideological conflict, where issues of identity, power, and politics are both constructed and contested. From the ideological and political debates surrounding the “language question” in early 20th-century Greece to artistic initiatives exploring new forms of participation in art and learning during the 1960s and the following decades, the exhibition examines education as a field of cultural, social, and ideological formation.

Through works that experiment with collective forms of learning, embodied knowledge, and participatory processes, Zero for Conduct brings together historical and contemporary artistic initiatives that approach education as a creative, critical, and potentially emancipatory process. Comprising existing works and new commissions, the exhibition is conceived as a space for critical reflection, where art becomes a means of questioning the conditions of the learning process. In this context, education emerges as a dynamic practice tied to the very right to knowledge—particularly at a moment when this right is once again being called into question.

Participating artists:
Dimitris Antonitsis, John Baldessari, Natasa Biza, Thanasis Chondros / Alexandra Katsiani, Anastasia Douka, Effie Halivopoulou x Nikos Falagas x Tim Ward x Maira Milolidaki x Michaela Ganelli x Alexia Anna Hoffnagle x Anna Kolaza x Athena Chi Mosenthal, Niki Kanagini’s archive, Dionisis Kavallieratos, Karolina Krasouli, Jennifer Nelson, Leda Papaconstantinou, Alexandros Psychoulis, Group for communication and education in art archive, Aspa Stassinopoulou, Jean Vigo

Performances:

Jennifer Nelson in collaboration with students of the department.

ACG Αrt Collection team: Ioanna Papapavlou, Dr. Ana S. González Rueda, Katerina Milesi

Production: Katerina Milesi, Dr. Ana S. González Rueda, Ioanna Papapavlou
Mediation team: Dr. Ana S. González Rueda, Katerina Merkouri, Katerina Milesi, Eva Ntampanli and Anthi Stergiou (Art History program, Deree – The American College of Greece)

Graphic Design: Theodosia Skoumpi (Graphic Design student, Deree – The American College of Greece)

Graphic Design supervisor: Melina Constantinides (Graphic Design Professor)

Exhibition design: Eva Ntampanli

Exhibition videography: Anna Livieratou, Tzouli Ampitmpol

Videography supervision: Artemis Athanasiadou (Cinema Studies Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor)

Contributors to Jennifer Nelson’s performance:

Readers: Christos Dielas, Evgenia Kentrou, Anna Giakoumakatou, Athena Chi Mosenthal, Natalia Zara
Librarian: Jennifer Nelson
Scribe: Elen Demirian

Trees courtesy of Giannis Gryllis – Gryllis Waterlillies
Production assistant – Fani Koulocheri

The exhibition is organized by the Frances Rich School of Fine and Performing Arts in the context of the Arts Festival 2026, in collaboration and with the support of Art History, Visual Arts and Graphic Design programs as well as of the Dance Area of Deree – The American College of Greece.

Special thanks to the Collection of the National Museum of Contemporary Art (ΕΜΣΤ) and the Irene Y. Panagopoulos Collection. Also to Dean Helena Maragou, Ms. Niki Kladakis, Dr. Daphne Mourelou of the Dance Area.

Thanks to Vivian Giannopoulou, Nicky Theodorou and Georgia Dassyra from the Events team, Marinos Klouras, Nasia Ntinopoulou, George Papastogiannoudis, Virna Vrettou, Nefeli Alexandraki, Nikolaos Fronimos and Alexis Tsironis for the Marketing and PR of the exhibition, Michalis Orontis and the security team, George Kyrodimos, Nassos Sopilis, John Fetalidis, Victor Zafeiropoulos and Christos Papadopoulos as well as Rene Fragkou, Antonis Kontopoulos, Haris Gialelis, Dimitris Fakinos, Stavros Theofilou, Christos Matzios, Manolis Sideris, Stelios Teloniatis, Giannis Gerakellis, John Poulakis, Stavros Karadimitriou, Alekos Potamianos, Giannis Kontopoulos and Takis Moschidis for the technical assistance.