Χωριό

000912 Nikos Yialouris, Village, 1996, Indian ink on paper, 50 × 64 cm

In both his drawings and prints, Yialouris worked his composition freely, starting at one point and continuing at others, leaving large sections of the paper blank for no apparent reason. In fact, the white and ink painted areas of the painting surface worked together seamlessly to create a balanced effect. In this particular drawing, this interplay is evident both in the foreground (with the prickly pear cactuses and rocky terrain) and in the background (the sky). The main theme, the study of the old houses in the back with the wild flora in the middle, is fascinating in its rendering. Fine lines and angular shapes are combined with curved and rounded elements, while the few lines with the reed pen give weight to the composition. As time went by, Yialouris's design has lost its sharpness and precision. But it gained in wisdom and spirituality, it gained in rhythm, as this 1996 drawing confirms.