Δέντρα

000572 Nikos Yialouris, Trees, 1985, Indian ink on paper, 100 × 70 cm

The mulberry tree is one of the most beautiful trees, with its broad leaves offering rich shade. It is also closely associated with sericulture—the breeding of silkworms. In winter, this deciduous tree stands bare, its slender branches emerging from a thick trunk. During the 1980s, this particular tree became one of the most beloved motifs in Yialouris's drawings, which he painted using only Chinese ink and a reed pen. In the drawing, two mulberry trees emerge from the white surface of the paper. The trunks are formed with harsh lines, with curves suggesting knots and gnarls. At the top of the trees, where the thin branches grow, the viewer has the impression of fingers—of hands reaching toward the sky. Yialouris's expressionistic style takes on a symbolic turn, as the artist appears to endow the trunks with anthropomorphic features—a concept known as animism, often found in Post-Impressionist painters (such as Van Gogh).