Πουλί

003671 Nikos Yialouris, Bird, n.d., Indian ink and gold colour on cardboard, 37 × 37 cm

Works 003671 and 003672 should be understood as a pair. They belong to a series of bird-themed drawings, executed in a folk-art style. Yialouris also created some prints (t0167) using this same motif—an indication that it was a subject he explored repeatedly over the years. In 003671, we see a bird of indeterminate species, outlined with a bold black contour, featuring white and golden feathers and a long crest. It is possibly a hoopoe, the most characteristic crested bird of the Greek countryside. A migratory species, the hoopoe flies to Africa at the end of summer—thus making it a fitting symbol to represent the idea of travel. This may be why the artist used it in decorative schemes for ships or hotels.