The power of denial. From denial to creation: creative resistance in the city of Athens

Abstract

The crisis leads to multiple denials in the face of everyday life and the conditions of reproduction of work it imposes. In this paper, I describe the basic denials in spaces of creative resistance in Athens during multiple crises. Through a systematic study of collaborative economy spaces, solidarity structures, and independent art spaces, I discern a progression of individuals from denial to creation and ultimately to action. I also strive to articulate the emerging modes of mobilization within these spaces. Faced with this reality, the act of denial emerges as the primary and transformative catalyst, sparking the forces of creativity and resistance. The denials of everyday life imposed by neoliberalism, as witnessed in Athens during the crisis, resulted in the creation of autonomous and self-organized spaces.