Ήρωες

000340 Nikos Yialouris, Heroes, n.d., mixed media on cardboard, 70 × 100 cm

The xoanon—a reminder of the human form propped up with supports, externally held upright, standing without a body and, above all, devoid of substance—became a powerful symbol in Yialouris’s mature artistic production. The ancient myth, the remnants of antiquity, and the reference to the past are turned into a caricature of the present, as the modern era proves incompatible with such values. These are the ideas explored in the works of this series. In this particular composition, three ancient warriors are depicted in a row (that is, side by side), not as idealized bodies or emblematic heroes, but as scarecrows, as xoana [plural]. Their once-luxurious garments hang in tatters from wooden bodies; former glory now bears a theatrical rather than genuine character. With his characteristic expressionist language, surreal iconography, and pompous use of colour, the painter offers a personal view, rich in symbolism, while still revealing his roots in 20th-century European art.