Dowry dialogues:

displacement and memory in the work of Persefoni Myrtsou and Adi Liraz

Abstract

This text examines the “Dowry Dialogues” performances by Persefoni Myrtsou and Adi Liraz in
Thessaloniki, through Sara Ahmed's concepts of displacement and memory. It explores how
these performances reflect the city's complex past, including the involuntary population exchange
mandated by the Lausanne Treaty in 1923 and the Holocaust during the Second World War. Both
artists, deeply connected to the themes of displacement through their personal and family
histories, use their art to renegotiate historical memory and challenge dominant narratives, in
favour of a decolonialized approach. Their work embodies the gendered experience of
displacement, relevant to migration and marriage. The performances, set against the backdrop of
Thessaloniki's waterfront, serve as a medium for reconnecting with silenced histories and
marginalized identities. Utilizing a variety of artistic elements, Myrtsou and Liraz create a dialogue
between the past and present, making visible the invisible stories of the displaced, while fostering
a sense of collective memory and community building.