" Faces, 1944-1949 " Group exhibition in alma gallery athens

" Faces, 1944-1949 "

Group exhibition in alma gallery athens

The human face, as a portrait of our inner self, can be seen as a tape that constantly records our feelings and experiences. As a projecting screen, it evokes and projects to the outer world, reminiscences of the moment, as well as memories of a person's lifetime. The human face traces time. Our research begins, in an attempt to “imprint” faces of people that left a mark in the history of our country. In this way, each one of us, chose to engrave or etch and finally print, figures such as those of: Demetrius Skalkotas, Alke Zei, Georze Sari, Yiannis Ritsos, Nikos Kavadias, Menelaus Ludemis, Nikos Egonopulos, Manolis Anagnostakis, Vaso Katrakis, Fotis Kondoglu, Lucas Samaras, Dimitrius Kalamaras, Yiannis Moralis, Nikos Chatzikiriakos-Gikas, Panayiotis Tetsis, Sofia Vembo, Aliki Vugiuklaki, Markos Vamvakaris, Anestis Delias, Napoleon Zervas, Diamantis Mavrodoglu, Lela Karayianni, Elli Papas, Markos Vafiadis, Geogios Papandreu, Sotoria Bellu,Yiannis Xenakis. We looked for information about their lives, we tried to get closer to their temperament, “we touch upon” their faces. In many cases, it was very difficult to draw on them, due to the lack of adequate evidence, such as photographs, articles, or even drawings. We chose to portray figures that lived, emerged or started their careers in the historical period of 1944-1949. The specific choice was made with full awareness of the fact that these figures were tried and tested in the most turbulent years of Greek reality. It is more than evident that in one way or another these difficult years left their mark on their conscience, their attitude and finally their faces. In this effort, we set some standards with the intention to try out different approaches. Initially, we attempted a more realistic illustration, as far as possible. We called this, realistic approach, despite the fact that many results depict a more abstract portraiture with particularities in the range of line, shape, quality etc. As such, the final drawings can be more related to our second approach, that of abstraction. Our third attempt is closer to a caricature or grotesque depiction. This approach was even more demanding in its realization, since it is easier for someone to satirize his contemporaries or a person that knows well rather than someone who admires and respects. Therefore, the results of this approach are obviously more suppressed in terms of artistic expression. Our last approach is that of deconstruction of the image of the person we chose to depict. This forth depiction, can be seen as the rendering of a shattered figure delivered to the deterioration of memory or as a reversal of the order of the shape of a human face. We could also argue that the deconstruction of the image pre-exists its construction. It represents the moment of the refusal of the structured image towards a disordered rendering of the characteristic of the human face, or even its complete disappearance.

We chose the size of 20x15 cm for our plates and for all four of our approaches. The specific choice, allows us a plain image management and coordination of the stages of the development of our project. We also, chose engraving or etching, merely on metal, zinc or tin. We have engraving with needles, etching with nitric acid, resin powder, wax varnish, pitch, brushes: etching, aquatint, open bite, sugar and ink and many other invented methods. Thereafter, we have printing with oil inks that leave their mark when sealed with pressure on cotton paper. In this way, the face of the person with whom we tried to get closer to, comes into sight, even if many years have passed by.

Participating artists

Students of the Department of Visual and Applied Arts, School of Fine Arts, University of Western Macedonia, Florina. Stergios Adam, Vicky Vasileiou, Lefteris Veletzas, Kalianthi Vogdopoulou, Nikos Voutselas, Eupraxia Georgarou, Andria Erotokritou, Roman Zouev, Calypso Theodoreskou, Maria Kapatzakis, Polychronis Carahalios, Steliana Katsiaris, Theodota Kompu, Georgia Kontou, Emilia Ktzaoglanidou, Manos Kediadakis, Chara Lappa, Agapi Mantziori, Valentini Mavrodoglu, Plato Boudakides, Eupraxia Badazou, Kaiti Tourtoura, Kostas Nikakos, Ariadni Pediotakis, Chrystalla Tsiamparta, Agelina Tsoumanis, Antonia Flegas, Anastasia Charalampus, George Christu