photo: CØR
My recent visit to CØR Studios in Paris was an exchange of inspiring ideas, methods, and approaches to entrepreneurship. As part of this exchange, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in CØR’s dynamic artistic environment, culminating in the FORMIPHILIA exhibition opening on Saturday, Feb 15th 2025.
Walking into CØR Studios, I was immediately struck by the studio’s aesthetics and ethos—an intersection of contemporary art, design, and experimental curation. The space itself fosters collaboration, offering a fluid framework for artists, designers, and thinkers to explore materiality and form. Compared to Romantso’s energetic, multi-purpose cultural center in Athens, CØR felt like a concentrated lab for fashion, design and marketing at the intersection to art.
The exhibition FORMIPHILIA was a highlight of my visit. The show explored the relationship between form and desire, touching on themes of material fascination, sensorial experience, and sculptural language. The participating artists engaged deeply with material processes, revealing how objects shape our perception and emotions. One of the most compelling aspects of FORMIPHILIA was its curatorial sensitivity to tactility. Whether through the organic fluidity of ceramics, the sharp geometries of sculpted metal, or the unexpected softness of industrial materials, each piece invited an intimate interaction. The show felt both intellectual and instinctual—a contrast I found intriguing, as it resonated with my own interest in atmospheres and affect in artistic spaces.
Key Takeaways from the Exchange
• Curatorial Strategies: The way FORMIPHILIA was installed demonstrated a keen awareness of spatial dynamics—something I want to further explore in my own curatorial projects. The placement of works allowed for a seamless conversation between them, emphasizing contrasts and harmonies.
• Material and Affect: The show reinforced my interest in how materials evoke emotions and bodily reactions. FORMIPHILIA’s approach to material-driven storytelling offered new perspectives on how I can integrate this sensibility into my own projects.
• Collaboration Between Creative Hubs: Seeing how CØR operates in contrast to Romantso highlighted different ways of structuring artistic spaces. While Romantso thrives on community engagement and cross-disciplinary events, CØR’s model leans towards an atelier-style approach with focused artistic research. Both have unique strengths, and this visit sparked ideas for potential collaborations between the two hubs.
One of the aspects that resonated deeply with me was that CØR Studios is a female-led space, a fact that is reflected in its approach to curating, organizing, and supporting artists. As a woman navigating the cultural field, I found it particularly inspiring to see a space shaped by female leadership, offering a strong sense of artistic and professional agency. The way CØR fosters an environment of both critical discourse and material exploration—while also prioritizing care, collectivity, and long-term artistic support—made me reflect on how I, too, can integrate these values into my own work. Seeing the strength and vision behind CØR reaffirmed the importance of creating structures where women in the arts can support and elevate each other.
This exchange has left me with new insights into curatorial practice, material research, and the potential for cross-cultural collaboration. I return to Athens with a deeper appreciation for how creative spaces can shape artistic encounters, and I look forward to fostering further exchanges between these two distinct but complementary worlds.
Luca Tueshaus
