How many parallel realities come alive when night takes over the city?
The exhibition ATHENS:AM Extended will be presented from May 5 to 20, 2026, at the newly launched METACOSMOI space in central Athens, inviting audiences into a contemporary multimedia experience that brings together photography, AI technologies, AR, VR, projections and video. It is an immersive installation that transports visitors into the pulsating yet poetic world of the Athenian night.
ATHENS:AM Extended marks the evolution of the photographic project ATHENS:AM by photographer Thanasis Karatzas, developed in collaboration with film director and multimedia creator Vyronas Nikolopoulos. The exhibition transforms the original photographic material into a curated, interactive experience that narrates stories of the city after midnight.
At the core of the project are 88 black-and-white photographs — a compelling body of work created between 2008 and 2022 — capturing the intangible poetry of Athens and the unique social fabric that unfolds during the night. This material also formed the basis of the homonymous photobook, published in 2024 by Italian publisher 89books and presented at major international events, including Paris Photo Festival (2024), Photo London (2025) and Rotterdam Photo (2026).
In its exhibition form, ATHENS:AM brings photography into dialogue with AR and VR applications, video projections and installations, creating a layered experience centered on the Athenian night. Through Augmented Reality, still images are activated — gaining movement, sound and color — transforming the visit into a participatory narrative in which the viewer becomes part of the work.
The exhibition also inaugurates METACOSMOI, a newly designed venue dedicated to multimedia exhibitions in the heart of Athens. The space’s conceptual connection to the city enhances the overall experience, offering a renewed artistic and interpretative mapping of urban nightlife. The venue is fully accessible.
ATHENS:AM Extended is presented under the auspices of the City of Athens and forms part of the This is Athens City Festival 2026.
