# data[].attributes.body
Since we took the metro to get to our accommodation we arrived quite late. We discussed what to see and explore next day and enjoyed a relaxed evening on our balcony with lots of watermelon.

# data[].attributes.body
The students of the Y12 IB Visual Arts Course spend a week in Greece from June 22 to June 29 to explore the art of ancient and modern times in Athens and to enjoy the unique landscape and culture of the island of Hydra. With this padlet the students will share their art work and cultural investigation with the NMS community. Enjoy and feel free to comment and feedback!

# data[].attributes.body
It took a while until all of us were ready to leave the apartment to head downtown - packed with sketchbook and art tools. Everyone was amazed and overwhelmed by the National Museum of Art where we spent half of the day drawing and comparing art. In the afternoon we visited the BENAKI Museum and were far less impressed - maybe also due to an overload of information. The first major assignment though was dealt with enthusiastically: everyone was asked to create a mindmap with the impressions of Athens and personal associations to one’s perception. A piece of art was to be virtually created based on the mindmap. Tomorrow we will think about how to realize this art concept with reduced tools and materials.

# data[].attributes.body
Getting up a bit earlier and leaving the apartment at 10.30am did the trick - we walked almost 20 km today! After having to wait in line at the ticket machine of our metro station and getting the wrong tickets we headed off to the National Museum of Contemporary Art. We spent some time trying to figure out the thin line between illusions and reality when perceiving an art installation with all our senses. A short walk brought us to the Acropolis Museum - just stunning! Afterwards came the highlight of the day: our visit to the Acropolis! It was overwhelming to all of us. By then, we all had our first Athens Art Associations in mind - mentally working on a realization during the trip. So everyone connected differently to what one perceived. After a long walk home we decided to celebrate our last day in Athens by watching the soccer game at a bar in Plaka (hoping it to be less strenuous than the match between Germany and Sweden).

# data[].attributes.body
In the afternoon we want outdoors to practice perspective and 3D drawing. We picked a sitting position on a pier of the harbor facing west. Stacking the houses on the paper took a pretty long time - around one hour.

# data[].attributes.body
After getting rid of a gigantic watermelon that we had bought from a street vending truck (we gave the melon to a neighborhood shop to sell it :-) we took the metro and headed to Piraeus. Although the harbour is incredibly large with loads of ferries of all kinds of different sizes departing to and arriving from basically all Greek islands, we could easily find the ticket counter for trips to Hydra. The speed boat took only 1.5 hours to the island.

# data[].attributes.headline
Rain preventing us from plain-air drawing/painting

# data[].attributes.subject
Rain preventing us from plain-air drawing/painting

# data[].attributes.body
After a pleasant dinner passionately prepared by the students it started to rain heavily during the night. Unfortunately the rain has not stopped and it looks like it will stay with us for a while... So we probably need to change our plans and draw interiors or still lives instead.

# data[].attributes.body
Around 1pm a small group set off to climb the highest mountain of Hydra with an altitude of almost 600m. The constant wind dried the beads of sweat that soon appeared on our bodies. We made acquaintance with one of four monks left at a convent high up the summit who was interested in art and painted himself. Encouraged by him to make it all the way to the summit we were amazed by the 360 degree view we were rewarded with. Stunning!

# data[].attributes.body
After tidying up the house in Hydra we moved out at noon. This gave us enough time for a last swim in the Mediterranean Sea. We caught the ferry back to Athens at shortly before 3pm.

# data[].attributes.headline
Hydra Harbor - no cars only donkeys and mules

# data[].attributes.subject
Hydra Harbor - no cars only donkeys and mules

# data[].attributes.body
After a short night we were picked up early by our airport shuttle. The flight is on time - we will be back in Berlin soon, full of great memories, minds soaked with art concepts and creative ideas.

# data[].attributes.body
We arrived at our last accommodation. After a power hike alongside of the Acropolis to cut short and prevent changing metro lines twice, we managed to find the apartment. Great view, evening sun, buzzing street, close to Acropolis Museum.