Ήρωας με φτερά

000579 Nikos Yialouris, Winged Hero – Angel, 1991, Indian ink on cardboard, 66 × 58 cm

Yialouris began working on the wounded figure of the Angel around 1970, possibly as an allegorical reference to the Greek junta (1967-1975). Over time, this subject became central to his iconography, serving as a symbol of the moral decline of contemporary society. At times, the Angels merged with the Heroes—a theme carrying a similar symbolic meaning. This is the case in the present drawing: the figure is shown wearing a breastplate and helmet, holding a rectangular shield next to his chest and, in the other hand, a sword (?). His legs are wooden prosthetic limbs, while from his back sprout tattered wings. It is a tragic Angel-warrior; the figure is executed in ink, applied with the nervous, broad strokes of the reed pen. The background is painted entirely black with a brush. The expressionist style, consistent with the artist’s late period, forcefully conveys the ambiguity of the hero-Angel, visually expressing the futility of the struggle, the inevitability of defeat.