Petros Petridis, "Untitled", Oil painting on canvas, 2016

HORSE, RATIONAL, ABSURD (Exhibition)

July 16-24, 2016

Delphi

The Ecclesiastical Arts Workshop and the 3rd Art Workshop of the Fine Arts School of Florina of the University of Western Macedonia with professors Dimosthenes Avramidis and Haris Kontosphyris, present the exhibition “Horse, Rational, Absurd” within the framework of the 10th ANIMART 2016.

Starting from the icon of Saint George where in the Byzantine iconography the three elements: the horse, the rational and the absurd of the myth are presented together, the students created works seen from their own modern viewpoint. Saint George (the rational) rescues the maiden from the dragon (the absurd). The horse aids the hero. Byzantine iconography is not the sole place we encounter horses, the rational and the absurd. Even in ancient times, the dragon was the incarnation of evil. The horse was conjoined to the horseman. The hero carries out his feats together with his brave horse. God or the hero delivers the people from evil. The slaying of Python by Apollo at the Delphi oracle; the deliverance of Andromeda by Perseus when he slayed the Cetus;  The deliverance of Hesione by Heracles when he also slayed the Cetus or according to other sources the monster, are just some stories we know where the hero saves the maiden from certain death. In other stories the dragon is presented to be guarding something, a fountain for example and to be demanding a girl to eat in order to allow the inhabitants to take water.

It passed from the mythology of ancient Greece to Byzantium and the modern age.

The Scriptures mention in the Apocalypse: the dragon, the ancient serpent, the so called devil… pursuits the woman “church” who ensconces in the desert… The dragon is defeated by the celestial army headed by the Archangel Michael.

In our popular fairy tales dragons, princesses and princes on white horses etc. are frequently mentioned. Our popular songs include works on Saints or heroes, men and dragons.

The exhibition will actuate through painting and sculpture installations the magical world of myth, the symbolic and reality.

Exhibition interaction: Haris Kontosphyris

Coordination: Maria Lagou

Artists: Katerina Karoulia, Mina Kouzouni, Maria Lagou, Haris Margaritis, Petros Petridis