PCAI stands for Polygreen Culture & Art Initiative, a non-profit, cultural organization, which primarily aims at raising environmental awareness through its unique, annual, art program. PCAI was founded by Athanasios Polychronopoulos, CEO and founder of Polygreen network of environmental companies, as a result of his genuine belief that art is the best tool to stimulate dialogue about critical environmental issues. Through its updated culture & art program PCAI acquires a more comprehensive cultural spectrum, keeping its foundational aim, values and operational guidelines fully unchanged, along with its commitment to raise environmental awareness through art, inspire, educate and ultimately be part of the change.
PCAI implements its objectives through three areas of activity: its Collection, its Projects and its Support.The PCAI Collection is based on commissions and acquisitions of moving image and contemporary art. During commissions PCAI provides artists with the means and resources to create an artwork inspired by urgent environmental, sociological and philosophical issues. While retaining their absolute freedom of expression and critical inquiry PCAI invites artists to reflect upon the anthropocene’s impact on our planet and investigate waste sources, sustainable and circular practices and new environmental itineraries.
PCAI Projects are all the activities that fall within the organization’s foundational aim, i.e. exhibitions, commissions, artist residencies, creative synergies, publications, screening events, talks, online shows, conferences, educational programs, workshops and so on. PCAI Support refers to the organisation’s engagement, support and contribution to other artistic initiatives that share its vision and environmental concerns.
Since its establishment the organization has collaborated with various museums and institutions, including the Venice Biennial, the Sao Paolo Biennial, the Lahore Biennale, the Benaki Museum, EMST, the British Council, the Onassis Foundation, the French Institute, and Loop festival in Barcelona.In 2019PCAI announced the launch of its innovative artist-in-residence program focusing on environmental awareness, science and contemporary art. More than 400 artists from all over the world applied to the first PCAI residency open call, whereas its residency selection committee consisted of Hans Ulrich Obrist, Serpentine Galleries artistic director, KristGruijthuijsen, KW Institute director, Athanasios Polychronopoulos, PCAI founer, and Kika Kyriakakou, PCAI artisticdirector.
PCAI is a member of the International Association of Corporate Collections of Contemporary Art (IACCCA) since 2018, whereas its cultural projects and collaborations have been awarded on many occasions.
Photo captions
1. Eva Papamargariti, Always a body always a thing (2017) © PCAI Collection
2. Efi Spyrou, Metamorphoses (2014) © PCAI Collection
3. Wu Tsang, One Emerging Point of View, Sharjah Biennial 14, installation shot | Supported by PCAI
