The thing that waits (series)

 

In the last several years I have produced a series of charcoal representations of apocalyptic events throughout the world, fueled by my interest in history and the tragedies it comes with.  Recently, a WW II naval mine was discovered and detonated only meters away from the beach near my family home on Crete and we witnessed the event with disparate feelings. For the older people who grew up during or just after the war, it brought back memories of stress and destruction.For the younger generation who were never touched by war, the detonation event was a performance piece as the mine exploded and massive amounts of water were displaced and projected into the atmosphere. At that moment, time stopped.

 

These digital collages of fabric patterns are pasted on and obfuscate photos of documented detonated mine explosions in different parts of the world. To represent the force of these explosions I used colorful fabric swatches from several countries, many of them in conflict. With these fabrics I create a visual effect that speaks to the suddenness that accompanies unexpected events in our lives, but also to the enormous and delightful joy that can take place when we create art from the rubble of these events.  On most of the photos one can see the small boat that detonates the nearby mine, giving us the enormous scale of the event.

 

Coming from an island country, I recognize and respect the importance of the sea as the origin of the unknown, but also as a place of endless tranquility, a horizon to contemplate and live with its constant and ever-changing presence. 

 

These collages represent a collective of humanity.  They represent life as an enormous and explosive event.