ONEIROI sets Henson’s photographs beside treasures from the Benaki Museum in a showcase that aims to break new ground by creating a cultural dialogue between the ancient past and the present.
Rarely have such unique items from antiquity been allowed to be incorporated in contemporary art in this way. In order to let Henson work with the treasures, the Benaki flew to Melbourne one of the world’s most respected conservators, Eleftheria Goufa, to handle the objects and oversee the photographic process. Notably, ONEIROI incorporates a 3,500-year-old solid gold Kylix and a 2,500-year-old gold wreath. In the case of the gold wreath, the piece is so delicate and fragile, Eleftheria is the only person in the world the Benaki entrusts to handle it for such an exercise.
Mirroring the artifacts, photographs that form the ONEIROI collection are unique, without editions, reflecting the nature of the Benaki treasures they work with.
