"What's normal for the spider is chaos for the fly" - Group surrealistic exhibition
Efthymios' participation in "What's normal for the spider is chaos for the fly!" group surrealistic, odd and symbolic artworks' exhibition organized by ArtZone42 Gallery is provided below. The exhibition aims to promote the insightful mind of the artists, which seems strange to the common human being. Artists use codes and symbols to communicate and express their personal view of reality. Their surreal look and view of the world is revealed only through riddles.
“A blossomed almond tree”, Mixed technique with acrylics-charcoal-watercolors-inks on CANSON paper, 100x70 cm., Sept 2021.
Model: Phoebe Kate Fisher
Artist's statement:
The vigor of youth of our children, that sparkles gracefully even in the worst moments of our lives, was and remains the hope of humanity.
Protect the hope, dream like a child...
The painting represents month February, but also stands as an allegory of Spring. It was inspired by the following poem of the same name from the collection "The time and the river", 1957:
An almond tree and next to it,
you. But when did you both bloom?
I'm standing at the window
and I look at you and cry.
They can't tolerate such joy
the eyes.
Give me, my God,
all the cisterns of heaven
to fill them up for you.
-- Nikiforos Vrettakos
In the foreground – left side of the image – stands the poet (represented by the well-known Cycladic figurine “the harpist”). He recites the poem, while accompanying it with the melodies of the harp in parallel. It's an expression of inner deep feelings of pure admiration towards nature's mechanisms of birth, human beauty, and esthetics in its entirety.
Just behind the slab of transparent glass (symbol of the poet's window), a young girl adorned with almond blossoms (February) appears through a crack in the ground. The violently broken hard stones remind us that the vigorous youth is unstoppable.
The chessboard, spanning prospectively in the depth of the image, represents life and rationalism.
The dark figures that stand still in a ballet dancing pose represent muscle strain and mental fatigue of humanity. Chimeras that must be dealt with patience and strategic chess-like movements, up to the achievement of the so-called spiritual integration.
The chessboard rests on absolutely nothing but does not break. An artistic intervention which aims to highlight the fact that pure logic should not be the prevailing factor in our everyday decisions. A combination of rationalism with feelings of the heart and a small dose of naivety is deemed more appropriate for a prosperous life. A choice that is gradually abandoned as human beings grow up.
The young girl’s vigor of youth - that shines gracefully in the cold and dark space - creates a rift in the territory of the chessboard as she surprisingly appears through it. She is an anti-conformist “in defiance of the status quo”, which in turn is represented by the cold brilliance of the chessboard’s stones. This is a touchy fact for the harpist whose tears (in the form of dark bloody red dices) are gradually collected in a small basin formed in the ground, which peculiarly lacks a bottom. The dices have both rolled number six, a wish for good luck in the endless fight for survival.
More material is accessible from the dedicated blog record by clicking on the icon below:
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Gallery URL: https://www.artzone42.gr/
Facebook URL: https://www.facebook.com/az42gallery
Instagram Tag: #efthymiospournarasartwork, #artzone42
Duration: 26 Jan 2023 - 18 Feb 2023
Opening: Thursday, 26 Jan 2023, 20:00-23:00
Venue: ArtZone42 Gallery - 42 Vasileos Konstantinou Avenue (opposite of H. S. Truman's statue), 116 35, Athens, Greece (GR)
The artwork is showcased in issue #25 of ARTIST TALK magazine (available from 25.05.2023 and on)
Where to read the article:
- Read the article in the official site of the magazine (go to pages 8-9): https://www.artisttalkmagazine.com/issue-25
- Read the article on the ISSUU platform: https://issuu.com/artisttalkmagazine/docs/artist_talk_magazine_issue_25/8
Visit the On-Line Gallery:
More info via BLOG (Click on the icon below):
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