Analysis
1. Relativity ( Shadow Art – Vaitsis )
Contrasts
Contemporary art
It is the first shadow work I have done and belongs to the «Contrasts» section. This work refers to the comprehsion of «good» and «bad».
So, when the sculpture illuminated from a certain point, the resulting shadow is an angelic form while when illuminated from another specific point the shadow is a diabolical form. At first glance we are sure of which form depicts the good and which the bad. But if we look better, we are not so sure about it. In the angelic form, the face does not look so innocent. Also the black wings, the «obscene» dress and a hand that indicates do not also refer to innocence … On the other hand, as we look at the devil’s form, the devil becomes a sweet devil. The face becomes sweeter and we see a smile. His shoulders are tucked in and his head is tilted slightly down. It seems like he has regretted something…
The sculpture is made of many types of recyclable materials (plastic, metal, glass, wood). Each material symbolizes a parameter of our life. The more parameters, the more complex the life, consequently the relativity. This work raises the questions «What is good and what is bad?», How is each defined? Is it based on the other?
2. Early Circle
The second work of the «Contrasts» section is the visualization of a poem I wrote when I was a child (1991-1992).
The poem is entitled The Ropes.
The ropes
Great is the joy of man
making a swing
on two thick ropes
hanging from a branch of a tree.
Great is the misfortune of man
making a swing
on one thick rope
hanging from a branch of a tree.
The work illuminated on one side reveals the shadow of a man swinging while illuminated on the other side the shadow shows a hanged man. To see the second shadow you have to rotate the sculpture 90 degrees. It is worth mentioning at this point that in the shadow of the gallows, under the man there are two flowers coming out of the ground. These flowers were made by mistake. As the silicone I used to place a piece in the project had not yet set, the piece fell off its weight and left two silicone marks on the project auxiliary glass. So I decided to use these marks in the shade and placed two scrolls in order to form the trunk of the flowers. This sculpture, like the whole «Contrasts» section, is made 100% of rubbish, with the exception of the glue (silicone) and the photo of the fetus in the middle of the sculpture.
In this work, in addition to the contrasts (life and death, joy and misery, one and two) I make a philosophical game in the sense of space-time. How do I play with the four dimensions? The indestructible sculpture has three dimensions (length, width, height) and the perfectly understandable shadow has two dimensions (width, height). So comes a lower information (two dimensions) and makes us understand a higher information (three dimensions). The fourth dimension (time) enters the work in two ways and comes to give us more information. The first way is movement. To go from one state (cradle) to another (hangman), with the movement I have put, a short time passes. So, time has come to work and informs us that these are not two simultaneous situations. The second way in which the dimension of time enters the work is the photography of the fetus. With the fetus I give the concept of pregnancy and birth in the sculpture. The first scene of the swing symbolizes life and the second of the gallows symbolizes death. The order of pregnancy, birth, life and death is a sequel. So I have made time, I place it in space and I make a financial situation of space-time.
Another level of work is verbal. The title of the project is «Early Cycle». Why; Because the cycle of life, as depicted in the shadows, is closed but before its time. Death is not normal. So the cycle is early. The word «early» refers to time. The «Circle» to space. «Early Cycle» … Spacetime.
In the same tree, on one side and the other, by the same means, the rope, one rejoices and another is unhappy. The tree and the rope are there. It depends on us how we will use them.
3. Freedom or slavery?
The thought of being on a balcony with a limitless view, makes you want to open your arms and reach the horizon, giving you a sense of freedom. There is, however, always someone watching you, and even someone who wants to stop you. A man holding a gun is trying to enslave you, or is it that he is fighting for his own freedom? And when you look at the armed guy straight in the eyes, telling him «Shoot», will you be as proud as a slave? Or is it perhaps that you shout «shoot me if you can” to the fighting slave? And the glass floor of Freedom mutilates the poor man’s body. But there is always a hidden heart which makes pictures so lively, ready almost to talk to you.
4. Squaring the circle
One of the most ancient geometric problem is squaring the circle, that is the making of a square using a ruler and a pair of compasses, the square having the same square with the one of a given circle. The construction does not give an solution to the mathematical problem itself but art can give interpretations and different dimensions to the way the problem are approached, whatever their character is.
This creation can turn around itself and the shadow with the shape of the circle becomes a square.
“The materials used for the construction of the work are CDs and disks which contained all the information it collected at times by those who have tried to solve the problem of squaring the circle”.
5. The unbearable wilderness of the being
What is wilder? Man or the wild nature? Animals kill mainly to eat in order to survive. Man does not kill necessarily in order to eat. Is he to blame? Nature has created him quite claiming or it has left him margin to evolve in that way. If we saw that he is not to blame, since he is not a sensible being, shouldn’t he limit his “wilderness”? Can we compare the wilderness coming from his instinct with the one resulting from a kind of logical procession?
The work was constructed initially with earthly material (metal) and then some plastic (human derivative) was used aiming to show the human transgression – intervention.
6. The beginning of the end and the end of the beginning
Whatever begins has an ending too. Or maybe it does not. Should we perceive each ending as a new beginning? In this work the obvious is the beginning and the end of life. However, it does not focus on life but on the beginning and end of situations in general. If we look carefully we will notice that the end (the old man who reaches a wall-finish line) is on the left side. On the left side we usually acknowledge the beginning (we read from left to right, the numbers on a ruler or in graphs start from the left). In this work the end has taken the position of the beginning to express the idea that we can consider the end as a new beginning (we look, that is, at what begins and not at what ends). The wall that the old man reaches is at such a height, that if a man tries (if he stretches) he will be able to see behind the wall …..see future situations, prepare accordingly or choose….It symbolizes the effort we must put to see the immediate or distant future so that we do not function having only “the present” in mind. In every stage of our lives we need support. Therefore, the embryo is fed through the umbilical cord whereas the old man is supported by the cane in order to walk. The lifted foot of the old man, as well as his posture, show that he is determined to take a step so as to move to the next situation.
So, if we are positive we can see the beginning in both shadows. If we are negative we can see the end. Way of life…
7. Sociability
People are social being by nature. Nowadays, the idea of sociality is shaking. What could the development of this idea be?
8. White Dress
In a white background,
a white object,
stops the white light
and creates a black shadow.
Some white rubbish,
made a white dress
looking for a body…
Detail needs light…
9. Love’s Light
In the dark, a crack of light…
…an indication of love…
With the shadow as background, light is one level ahead and indicates…
10. Circle of the life
The footprint of a tumor, in this case of a structure (or an act, or situation (Past or Current) or an event) interpreted with a specific shape. This interpretation is certainly not advocated by the set of parameters that contribute to the creation. The expansion and «integration» of the figure is the shadow that occurs when the object illuminated by a single point. So, while the footprint of the project consists of a semicircle, the supplementing with shadow transforms the shape to a circle. The creation of this shadow was made with the set of overlapping shadows from tumors with strict geometric lines (cubes, rectangulars, pyramids).
11. Democritus
Ancient Greek Pre-Socratic Philosopher
12. Ancient Vase
13. Ernesto «Che» Guevara
14. John Lennon
15. Marylin Monroe
16. Albert Einstein
18. Romeo and Juliet
This is a different approaching of a moment from the story of Romeo and Juliet.
Forget the shadow. See just the sculpture. On the sculpture you can see Romeo, who excists and has gone to Juliet’s garden (you can notice some flowers and various other garden decorations) and he is looking for her. But he is looking for her desperately because it’s the moment of the story that he knows that Juliet is dead. She does not exist, in his mind, as a natural person, but she is only a thought. That’s why Juliet appears only on the shadow. Intangible – immaterial. And, she has this strange shape because in his mind he has begun to disappear (parts of her are missing).
Juliet looks angry because she is not dead but she took the medicine that makes her look dead and is waiting for him save her… But Romeo has the wrong information. Romeo on the other hand, in the shadows has been made smaller (both in size and age) in order to look young to manage this situation. He feels despair… Like a child …
19. Vasilis Spanoulis
20. Konstantinos Kavafis
21. Sun woman
This is my first sun sculpture.
22. The Invisible Rider
Proudly on his horse …
But no one can see him …
Only his shadow appears …
… his actions, his words …
Make the intangible, visible …
…and he is talking to you …
Hear him…
24. Salome
View of a well shapely female body.
Locked in a house.
Prisoner in her soul and body.
Doomed to be beautiful and attractive.
Unable to escape.
But,so powerful to melt the opposite sex.
Left to a rather false pleasure.
And John’s head on the plate, fills the gaps of the wild soul…
Ask something else Salome…
28. People
Grandmother from Zovic
People…
People who exist because they are people…
They exist to say goodmorning if come close to them…
They exist to laugh and cry…
They exist to fill your heart…
They exist to ask you listen to them…
They exist to put the “pasta” that they created in the “oven” that they also built…
They exist to transfer you the wisdom of the nature…
Such people are everywhereon the earth…
…but I rote these words because the old woman of Zovic…
PEOPLE
35. Quest
Nothing What is nothing?
It;s something which leads you to think…
well, think….
What is nothing?
…..
See?
It’s something which baffles you….
it upsets you….
it travells you…
It’s the means which will take you to a world where you would not go otherwise.
Find your soul…
36. Fertilization
Fertilisation
The beginning…
a spark comes out of nothing…
two souls and love are required…
The attraction…..
the movement….
the senses…
you touch…( touch)
you kiss ( taste)
you smell ( smell)
you see ( sight)
you listen (hearing)
all of them
Does love make the soul or does the soul make the love?
37. Amusement
This sculpture belongs to the unit “Soul”. It is the second of the six sculptures in the section and was built in 2015.
It is very important for our souls to have fun. Everyone will find his own way … I chose dance and wine as their combination directly refers to the concept of fun. In the shadow of the sculpture, we can see some people dancing. They are having fun. Above them there is someone alone. This could be the DJ, the barman, the waiter… This could be the musician who wrote the music that others listen to and have fun with. This man helps others to have fun but experiences loneliness… And except for them, there are the invisible ones. If you notice, on the right side of the shadow you will see someone, holding something in his hand (maybe a glass or a book). Their shape is formed by light, not shadow. These are people we may not “see”, such as the bar owner.
Amusement
Play…
Read…
Eat…
Write…
Draw…
Drink…
Travel…
Tease…
Flirt…
Dance…
Have Fun…
38. Joy
The third of the six artworks of the unit “PSYCHE”.
The feeling of Joy is very importand for our soul and this is the reason that I choosed to create it as a shadow. A woman “is flying” by this feeling (joy). Naked. Without clothes. Free. Without dependencies So, PURE feelling.
39. Loss
… and suddenly he’s/she’s gone…
… Suddenly, even if we expected it…
… One moment he/she was with you…
… talking to you…
… caressing you…
… squeezing your hands…
… singing to you…
… listening to you…
… scolding you…
… blaming you…
… claiming you…
… loving you…
… suddenly, nothing…
… you asked but he/she didn’t nod…
… Ice cold all over…
… he/she is here somewhere…
… he/she will be back…
… you can feel he/ she sees you…
… you feel he/she is still there.
40. Purification
Strong word…
The body is fading out…
The soul?
And if not, how long it still will be “burning”?
Does it burn or it be burning?
Purification…
For whom?
For those who live?
Or for those who stay?
And idealize?
And try to find the positive aspects…
“Clean” the soul than left…
And the soul that left… what happens?
Where does it go?
41. Caryatid
This is a creation that states my opposition to antiquity. The figure results from a space (where light finds a space, it passes and forms Caryatid). The space symbolizes loss, as it is reported in the Caryatid that was stolen and is currently housed in the British Museum, London. The project is ugly and black like a black hole… A hole in culture (in general).
43. Xanthi’s Niki
“Niki of Xanthi” is my first “sun” sculpture. It’s an amorphous bas-relief on the wall of “the House of Shadow” in Xanthi, Greece. Next to the raised section of the wall there is a painted flowerpot…
Now since the flowers need water all summer long, a woman, “Niki of Xanthi,” will come out at 10:23 every morning to water them. This woman will appear as the shadow of the “amorphous sculpture,” which will be produced by the sunlight.
The period of time during which the shadow assumes its perfect form lasts about three to four minutes, while it is recognizable for about 20 minutes, with its features changing with the passage of time after 10:23 a.m. Another peculiarity I would mention is that the perfect shadow takes place at 10:23 a.m. on July 19. Each day preceding and following July 19, the angle of the sun is only minimally different (in summer the sun is higher than in winter), and this contributes to the shadow’s negligible diurnal change.
45. Nick Gkalis
This sculpture made for ARIS BC and it is part of the ARIS BC Museum, in Nick Gkalis Hall, in Thessaloniki
46. Crazy Horses
This project made in 2013 for a contest of ECOELASTIKA. The only rule of the competition was to make something from used tires. It won the first prize.
My goal was to relate the tire with the subject. The connections of the sculpture (which is a combination of classical sculpture with shadow sculpture) with the shadow are the following:
- The evolution of movement and transportation
- Wild horses in nature (in the sculpture) and wild horses in a car (in the shade)
- We measure the power in cars in horses
- Ferrari has the horse brand (it is a shape by a Ferrari)
48. Bell Tower
The sculpture “Bell Tower” was made in 2016 for the film “The Rose of Smyrna”, by George Kordelas. In the shadow you can see the bell tower of Agia Fotini of Smyrna. In order to be made, photos of the old bell tower were used, also photos and drawings of the new bell tower built in Nea Smyrni. In this sculpture one can notice various elements that do not participate in the shadow but they give information. Such element is the image of Agia Fotini on the sculpture, which gives identity to the bell tower, it correlates with the specific one. In addition, it affects the shape of the sculpture. In order to place an image of a Saint, the sculpture was given the shape of a shrine … You can see flowers in various places as usual in the churches. The flames are refering to the fire that destroyed Smyrna and the bell tower. On the floor of the sculpture, the blue surface in combination with the silver cards standing on it refer to the sea and the ships with which the Greeks left Smyrna, having taken with them a few things in a suitcase and memories (empty picture frame)
49. Date
I ‘ll be there
Strange, like my creator
Alone, between people looking me
Moveless, like godness Afrodyte in the museum
Speachless, giving thoughts around me
…, with my mouth ready to …
…, to keep you for ever
But ready, for the kiss
The kiss that coming with the sun
The “morning kiss”
Our secret date
50. Wedding Proposal
I know
you were waiting this
but you were afraid
you were afraid …
and run far
If you want to know…
yes
I was afraid
what am I going to do, I said…
but I heard inside me,
my soul was shouting me…
with closed eyes
I talked with my soul
So… I want… me and you…
to live together
… the light,
the morning light, sun’s light…
and…
we will have a lot of witness
every morning with us
51. Dolphins
Dancing on the water
How many eyes became brighter?
How many mouths …
How many lips …
How many children …
How many older became children?
How many painters inspired?
How many poets wrote?
How many hearts …
How many … were waiting?
Two dolphins … for all these.
52. Manster
Manster
I am looking to the mirror
Goodmorning…
I am saying to me, smilling
How beautiful am I, thinking
The … in the living room
The dog … in the garden…
he is waiting to feed him
but first, I have to feed my fishes
…
the …
the dog in chain… he protects me from the people
the fishes…
…
I am looking to the mirror, again…
How good man am I, …
53. Fantasy
I am looking for you, years now!
My fantasy’s love…
…
…
I am looking for you, years now!
My fantasy’s love…
I know that you are next to me
and looking for our love.
I am founding you!
Every night… in a dream!
You are coming and hugging me…
Your touching is like the air…
Mindly love game
On the morning, alone again…
I am waiting to come back…
I am looking for you, years now!
My fantasy’s love…
54. Runner
I am running
Next to the sea
With sea’s …
I am running with all of you
We are a team
Runners, big athlets
and fans of beauty,
we will be running with aim the winning.
And all of us will win
even the losers.
55. Evolution
I was born…
I grew up…
and probably I will become an old man…
This is evolution
and nobody can …
Time to time,
day to day,
moment to moment,
everything is changing.
In an hour I became
from child an old man.
While earth …
life will be continue…
56. Passionate Choreography
Passionate choreography
Curves talking in a language different than yours
Vacuum and matter in their unusual bodies
Unknown but lovely melodies
Incoherent but also completely harmonious
They are looking for an interpreter and the find light
Now passion can be clearly seedn
Now anyone can listen to melodies..
Imaginary..
As long as they want!
57. Multiple Faces
Multi faces
White and black
This is the way that you see them, but it’s not
They have colour
Deadly and moveless in time
This is the way that you see them, but it’s not
They have power
Speachless and …
This is the way that you see them, but it’s not
They are calling you
…
This is the way that you see them, but it’s not
A creation smelling, the light and the air
These faces
want you with them
To give the power, the colour, the information
58. Maria Kallas
60. Travelling the Light
The allegory of the Cave
In a cave under the ground, there are people chained in a way that they can only see the rock opposite them. They cannot look behind, nor to the right or to the left. Behind them, inside the cave there is a fire. In front of this fire other people walk by carrying different things. The shadows of these things are projected on the rock that the captives can see. Because these people throughout their lives the only thing they have seen are these shadows, they have the impression that this is the reality. If, however, one of the chained people manages to free themselves, get out of the cave and go up on the ground and, under the sunlight look at the things, they will realize the fallacy in which they lived when they were in the cave. He will realize then that his companions, who continue to be chained in the cave, still live immersed in illusions. Still, if he goes back to the others and tries to explain to them that the world is not these shadows, then they won’t believe him and he will most likely be considered a lunatic.
Analysis of the work
Plato is in the middle (No1). He has one eye closed and his cheek is lifted. These two features express doubt. The title of the unit is “Mind Caves”, so there is a cave where his mind is (No 2)… The cave with the fire, mentioned in the allegory, is at the bottom right (No3). The captive who made it outside the cave is on the top left (No 4). In essence, this is every man who wants to see more. He wants to see the truth, the Light…That is why this work is called “Travelling towards the Light” and on the sculpture this man is looking towards the Light. On the bottom left (No 4) there is one of the other captives who is projected as a captive on the shadow, whereas he is free on the sculpture.. The questions rising from this comment are the following: Are we free? How free are we? Who imprisons us? On top left (No5) there is Sisyphus, who symbolizes the hardships of the climb.
61. Flames
Τhis work steps on the phrase “From a powerful, internal, conflict-fight we always win…”
The conflict is captured with two faces at the base of the shadow. A good face, bottom right (No. 1), and a bad face, bottom left (No. 2). The power of the conflict is reflected in the fire (No. 3). This conflict must burn … that is why the work was named “Flames”. So, whether we lose from this conflict, or we win, we always win … That is why a winged Victory emerges through the flames (No. 4).
62. The Weightless Scales
The weightless scales
The triptych consists of three rotating parts and one stable.
Using the light, the parallel rotation ( not the movement) of the work of art changes into the vertical movement of the shadow, which seems to “talk” with the still shadow of the stable part of the triptych.
The right rotating sculpture combined with the stable one make up the world of the ideas, whereas the left rotating part with the stable one compose the material world ,the world of the senses and of the carnal desires.
The world of ideas
In the world of ideas all human figures are not people but ideas which are born, they reach maturity, they roam and they finally perish…During the rotation one can see the conception of an idea, the evolution and the birth of this notion as well as the parallel disaster of another idea which watches the birth. The foetus leaves his mother’s body, grows up and becomes integrated into the body of a man who stands opposite a woman. As the ideas wander about ,there are desires too. A hand turns up and moves towards the breast of a woman but it doesn’t touch it, it rises up to her face.
The world of the material, of the senses and of the carnal desires.
In this world one can detect all the human senses in a complete rotation. The viewer is asked to search for them.
The work refers to the material as well as to the perishable nature of it when it is murdered, destroyed and changes condition. Also, a reference is made to the carnal desires at different points during the rotation of the sculpture.
63. Bloody World
This creation was made for the exhiibition “The Great War” of the National Historical Museum. After this exhibition, the sculpture is part of the exhibition “GENESIS”.
64. Scream
This creation was made for the theatrical play “Nansen Passport”, of the theatre “East of Nestos”. A play based on true stories of people. When I finished reading these stories I wanted scream … And I did it …
65. Surprise
Try to find the girl. In the shadow, you can see (clearly) a surprised girl…
66. Zebra
67. Fortified Mind
The artwork “FortiifiedMind” was made for the representation of the battle of Roupel’s fort on 2018.
68. Prayer
69. In the Box
The shadow of the work falls on my face, so that I do not exclude myself from this trend I am talking about. So you will notice, two little people pulling my lips, to make me smile. Another puts an earring on my nose. One changes the color of my eyes and one combs my eyebrows. They groom me … But in fact they put me in a box … Look at the top left in the shadow. A little man builds me … boxes me … The work refers to the projection, mainly through the internet, of our beautified physical elements, hiding our empty (most of the time) inner world … See selfies and other photographs …
70. Lucky Ηeron
I was playing with a metalic frame in front of the light, when I saw a bird like heron in the shadow.
71. An old man
This creation steps on the poem “An old man” of K. Kavafis.
An old man
At the noisy end of the cafe, head bent
over the table, an old man sits alone,
a newspaper in front of him.
And in the miserable banality of old age
he thinks how little he enjoyed the years
when he had strength, eloquence, and looks.
He knows he’s aged a lot: he sees it, feels it.
Yet it seems he was young just yesterday.
So brief an interval, so brief.
And he thinks of Prudence, how it fooled him,
how he always believed – what madness –
that cheat who said: “Tomorrow. You have plenty of time.”
He remembers impulses bridled, the joy
he sacrificed. Every chance he lost
now mocks his senseless caution.
But so much thinking, so much remembering
makes the old man dizzy. He falls asleep,
his head resting on the cafe table.
72. The Return of the Exiler
There will always be genesis. Even destruction is a birth. This piece contains both deconstruction and reconstruction. Disintegration and composition. Destruction and creation. It consists of technological materials and rocks, as a message of the harmonious coexistence of the two, resulting in genesis (in the broad sense of the word). But which was the first genesis? Most likely no one can answer that question with certainty. And if someone did, how would they then answer the question, “and what existed before genesis?”
74. In the beginning there was chaos CHAOS!
“In the beginning, there was Chaos”, according to Hesiod’s Theogony. Perhaps chaos does not have this form. But who knows? It is, after all, an abstract concept. Here, the artist wishes to encourage us to give in to his works and to art in general, and to try to also see things that aren’t there. So, let us travel through chaos and let us forge a path (POREIA) through infinity (APEIRO) (the same six letters form two Greek words that are equally transporting!).
75. Suddenly, an explosion
According to scientists, in this chaos a series of explosions created space debris and gasses, which began moving and crashing into each other, resulting in some of them agglomerating and others disintegrating. And that is how the creation of the Earth began, with successive crashes between cosmic debris that expand the Earth and turn into a molten, hot, spherical mass. Approximately 100 million years after the Earth begins to take shape, the lava starts to cool and the Earth’s crust is formed. In this piece, the left side symbolizes the disintegration from the explosion, which is reflected on the piece itself with the fiery sphere; while on the right side of the shadow we can “see” the energy, the light and the shockwave from the explosion.
76. And here is the Earth
That is how the Earth was created, but initially it did not have the form it has today, and which is represented in this piece. It was completely different. Just think that Brazil was connected to Africa… So, the Earth’s form changed, and it continues to change every day… But these changes occur very slowly, and that is why we cannot perceive most of them, because man’s life cycle is infinitely short compared to the timeline of such changes.
94. Sequoias and dinosaurs
Flora and fauna. Slowly, life began on Earth. Dinosaurs were among the species that once existed on Earth. A rare species of vertebrates that disappeared approximately 65 million years ago. They became extinct but, according to scientists, they left behind descendants. So, birds are dinosaurs that never grew. At the same time that dinosaurs were becoming extinct, the sequoia tree was growing on Earth. Sequoias are the largest, strongest and most long-lived trees on Earth.
77. Primitive people in caves, taming fire
And at some point, man appears. Primitive man. Unaffected by civilization… Because he will be the one to create civilization… Initially, during the Paleolithic period, humans lived in caves. They were hunters and gatherers. An important milestone in the evolution of humankind was the discovery of fire. With fire, humans initially got warm, started cooking their food, illuminated their caves, and possibly used it to protect themselves from wild animals.
78. The spoken word becomes writing
One of humankind’s greatest inventions is writing. It most likely began with man’s need to communicate information reliably. Thanks to writing, we were able to grow our collective knowledge, because we no longer needed to start from the beginning, but we could build on the work of those before us and expand it. Thanks to writing, we enjoy so many things today. It would be useful to try to think of how many things we would not be able to enjoy without writing…
79. Sport inspires artists
Having overcome the stage of survival, man feels the need for expression in various ways, such as the arts and sports. During the Bronze Age, in the Minoan civilization and elsewhere there was a sport known as “Tavrokathapsia” (bull-leaping), where athletes had to execute leaps and acrobatic exercises on the back of a bull, showing off their daring and flexibility. This daring inspired artists, who captured the athletes’ deeds in their works of art. One such work of art is the famous wall fresco in the palace of Knossos, in Crete.
80. Wonders are built
Humankind slowly progressed. This evolution is also evident in human constructions, some of which are so grandiose and noteworthy that they are proclaimed the seven wonders of the ancient world. This piece incorporates the seven wonders, which are the Lighthouse of Alexandria, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Colossus of Rhodes (to see the latter, one must view the piece from the point marked on the floor – the Colossus will be its shadow).
81. Noesis flourishes
Several great individuals shared their wisdom and helped us move forward. One of them was Archimedes of Syracuse, one of humankind’s greatest scientists. One of his most important discoveries was the wedge, which is incorporated in the Noesis logo and is also reflected in the architectural design of the entire building complex. The wedge can be discerned in the piece with the artist’s view.
82. Pause – the Middle Ages
The Middle Ages, or Dark Ages as they are called by many, is a period in human (and primarily European) history which, compared to previous periods and to the Renaissance that followed, has nothing substantial to show. Barbarian raids, crusades, famines, wars are some of the main events of the Middle Ages, which overshadow positive developments such as the evolution of technology, primarily in the agricultural sector, which in turn contributed to the growth of trade.
83. The persecution of the new
The Middle Ages is also the era of witch hunts, a practice to which this piece refers. The artist uses it to more broadly address the phenomenon of illiberality. The fear of everything that is different, other, new often leads to rejection, even before we can comprehend what it is. And that is how, in the period between 1500 and 1700, thousands of women were put to death, having been accused of practicing witchcraft.
84. Black Death
Towards the end of the Middle Ages there appeared the Black Death, also known as the Black Plague. This piece is a reference to health and how it can affect humankind. The Black Plague was one of the most destructive pandemics in the history of humankind. The total human casualties are estimated between 75 and 100 million dead throughout Europe and Asia. In Europe, specifically, this pandemic reduced the total population by one third in just five years (1347 – 1353).
85. Don Quixote, an emerging dream
Don Quixote is a piece that represents the Renaissance period, about which one could speak endlessly… It was chosen to highlight the importance of literature in people’s lives, how reading literature helps cultivate man and builds character with good qualities, which then contribute to the shaping of society in general. This specific literary work was selected because it was the first novel to be printed in 1605, but also because it speaks about the right to dream, even when the dreams are wild and seemingly unattainable…
86. But windmills turn into industries
The industrial revolution begins in the second half of the 18th century, with Great Britain at its forefront. Thanks to this development, today we enjoy many different goods that would have been completely unimaginable before. Technology began growing at an increasingly faster pace, to the point where today we cannot keep up with technological developments. But the industrialization of production also created social inequalities. On the one side where the wealthy owners and on the other the poor workers, a division that led to various revolutionary movements.
63. The world bleeds
There have always been, and there will always be, wars. But the 20th century saw two world wars, with immense casualties. If only wars could end, and we could retain only to the idea of war, so that we would fight to better ourselves. This piece consists of 17 cubes, which symbolize the 17 nations that fought in World War I, also known as the Great War that would end all wars. The wounded soldier in the shadow is formed by the void in the piece’s materials, as a reference to human loss.
5. And the unbearable brutality of the being is created
The industrial revolution and war both contributed to the expansion of conflict between social groups, and also conflict between man and nature. This piece speaks about the conflict between man and nature, focusing mostly on man’s internal conflict (i.e. the beast that man carries inside). That is why the human form includes animal characteristics (the teeth) and the beast has human characteristics (the neck). Sometimes, we humans are more beastly than the beasts, and beasts are more human than humans…
87. Music as a medicine
One thing that makes our world indisputably better is music. From ancient times to the present, all around the world, in every human civilization, music consistently appears as a form of expression, recreation and entertainment. Each of us discovers peace, serenity, ecstasy, optimal creativity and productivity in some form of music. In the 20th century, music became celebrated and inextricably linked to entertainment, inspiration, and human companionship.
88. Here comes the small step/giant leap
On July 20th, 1969, the Apollo 11 space mission landed a man on the moon for the first time. Neil Armstrong’s phrase, “a small step for man, a giant leap for mankind”, remains indelible. Man has dreamed of flying since antiquity. Simply recall Daedalus and Icarus… and here we are now, on the moon. All of us have thought, at some point, that it would be nice to go to the moon. Well, some people pursued this dream and made it a reality.
89. And we start living among giants
In the beginning, humans lived in caves. Then they began constructing their own abodes, using various materials such as wood, foliage, mud. The rise of the Earth’s population, the concentration of people in large urban centers, and the development of technology all led to high-rises and skyscrapers. True, skyscrapers are impressive, but isn’t it strange that each one can house an entire large village without the residents actually knowing each other?
7. But giants become boxes
And while we live among giants, the high-rises and skyscrapers we mentioned previously, in the last 20 years we have confined ourselves to boxes… Computers and smart phones. We have created a new kind of society, a digital one, that tends to replace reality… The person that appears before a computer screen has different features from a normal person. Their face is flat and parallel to the computer screen, a reference to the parallels between our lives and our screens…
90. And we sing, carefree, in the rain
It is by now an indisputable fact that our planet’s climate has changed. And that is one of the Earth’s changes which, unfortunately, we have been able to perceive during the timescale of human life. Weather phenomena have grown in intensity, leading to frequent disasters and tragedies. The Statue of Liberty in the piece’s shadow holds an umbrella instead of a torch, to protect itself from the weather.
91. And chaos again…
Chaos existed before and shall exist again. But the meaning of chaos changes and grows as humankind evolves. The expansion of our knowledge, which provides answers to many questions, also poses new, existential questions. At the same time, the complexity of modern life creates a different chaotic situation. So, man is part of chaos – both of natural chaos, and of the chaos that he has created…
92. But man goes on
(two lights for one shadow)
Will man adapt in order to go on? Sooner or later, willingly or not, man will have to take corrective action. And such action shall have to be a joint decision by all nations. As in this piece, man’s shadow is created by both lamps. Humans must walk the line wheretheir civilization intersects with the natural environment… they must not exceed the limits set by nature, because when they do, they hurt their own kind.
93. Landing
This piece is an effort to render visually a speech by David Brower – a distinguished American environmentalist – that juxtaposes man’s existence and economic growth with the existence of the natural environment. “Let us take the six days of Genesis as an image and use it to picture what has actually happened over the past four billion years. Our planet was born on Monday at zero hour. During Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday a.m. the Earth was being formed. Life began at midday on Wednesday and developed in all its organic beauty over the next three days. Only on Saturday at four in the afternoon did the first reptiles appear. Five hours later, at nine p.m., when the sequoias were rising from the ground, the large reptiles disappeared. Man only emerged at three minutes to midnight on Saturday evening. At a quarter of a second before midnight, Christ was born. At a fortieth of a second before midnight, the industrial revolution occurred. Now it is midnight on Saturday, and we are still surrounded by people who think that what they have been doing for a fortieth of a second can go on indefinitely…”
98. The Bird
99. SpongeBob
This sculpture was made in March 2020 after Nickelodeon channel’s order. It was entirely made of rubbish as the company’s goal was to present this shade on April 22, 2020, on the 50th anniversary of the celebration of Earth Day. The project was presented on the channel’s social media.
100. My Family
I dedicated my hundredth work to my family (to Evdokia, Ioanna, George and me)
101. DNA
102. The park of the philosophers
103. A Cause of War
At first, everyone sees a woman in a landscape. You can imagine that it is located in fields with alder trees and in the background there are trees, mountains and sky. If you think the title of the creation “Cause of War”, you will assume that this woman is the Beautiful Helen. In the shadow of the sculpture you can also see the profiles of two kings. On the left, the profile of the “strict” Menelaos and on the right the “playful” Paris. And among them the cause of the war.
105. Political Conflict
An approach to the political scene of Greece (and many others).
Left – Right
Red – Blue
They pull the rope …
106. Murder on the Orient Express
109. Castaway in my house
A work inspired by the pandemic of confinement. I chose to capture this experience with one person. A person who looks like a castaway, with long hair and a beard, as happened to many as they could not get a haircut. The grid in the shadow indicates the lockdown. A sadness can be seen on this face. But there is also an optimistic point. Man has defined the path from left to right as positive (see graphs, ruler, writing and reading …). The gaze looks to the right. Therefore, we look ahead. We are not afraid of the pandemic. We will leave it behind us …
110. The Lights of Civilization
Shadow sculpture for the competition “PPC meets Art”. Focusing on the elements of the work, I start with the light. Without artificial lighting, the construction of this project would be impossible, as well as its viewing. So I chose the light to come from an old “turtle” of PPC. For the construction of the sculpture I used the colors of the PPC logo (red and blue) but also materials that refer to PPC, such as the ceramic insulator or materials that are inextricably linked to it, such as the luminaire. The connection with everyday life is made with an image that exists inside the sculpture, which shows a house with an illuminated window and a figure inside it, as well as with the PPC pillar that illuminates outside the house. Observing the sculpture we can not understand its form. However, the shadow of the sculpture comes to interpret it and to make the connection of PPC with the culture of our country. In the shadow, then, the Parthenon is depicted, illuminated, with the starry sky as a background. Next to the Parthenon there is the shadow of the lamp that comes to explain the name of the sculpture “The Lights of Civilization”.
111. Kotinos
112. The Lighthouse
Beethoven dedicated his 3rd symphony to Napoleon but took it back (the dedication) when he
proclaimed himself emperor. This was the reason for the sculpture “Art is War”.
The work therefore refers to music and war. The shadow on Napoleon’s side depicts a vulture, which
feeds on corpses, as does war. While the shadow on Beethoven’s side is a happy dog, which
expresses and also gives emotions, just like music. The shadow of the vulture arises from materials
that symbolically have the color of gold (war is made for “money”), while the shadow of the dog
arises from aluminum (music is not made for money but for the expression and creation of feelings).
In the sculpture there is also a frame that separates these two human characters.
The title “Art is war” speaks of the war that artists fight for a better world (and Beethoven, by
removing the dedication, fought a battle).
In the sculpture you might notice a mouse holding a small piece of cheese in its hands. The mouse also looks at the bigger piece of cheese. It wants that too. But danger lurks. A cat appears in the shadow of the sculpture.
But is there a risk? The cat is a shadow (found in the 2D world). Whereas the mouse is 3D.
So sometimes, we want to make a move but are afraid of the risks. But are these risks real or are they just phobias?
So maybe we should be daring in our own lives…
118. Manos Hatzidakis
The sculpture of Manos Hatzidakis was created on 10 May 2023.
119. The Discobolus
1st Thought. The discobolus goofed off. He lost his discus and as a result he broke the window…
2nd Thought. If we take a closer look to the sculpture, we will observe some human figures in its base. They are the people that they are doing something without any protest (even if they like it or not). But some of them are rising their voice and shout (in the shadow of the sculpture). They emphasize that something is wrong. Of course, there are people that take action (the discobolus). When we finally grow old and consider (the illustration of the old man being seated at the table), look in the past, what we did to change important things and situations, it would be wise not to think the word “nothing”…