The Big blue cloth has been lost a few days after the opening of the Blue procession art experience at the end of June.
Even the small blue dyed
cloths attached at the entrance of the Kaloritsa site in Naxos island have been disappeared...
On June 23rd was the first presentation of the art pilgrimage where a lot of people assisted.
The blue procession is an art experience
taking place during the journey to Kaloritsa, following the trail leading from Bazaios Tower up to the ruins of the Byzantine monastery on the
hill of Prophitis Elias nearby. The artist Irini
Gonou as a pilgrim is mapping the metaphorical journey in its proper space,
marking his physical and spiritual territory, during the walking process
In the realm of the ritual the amuletic aspect of the
cloth is reaching its essential property. Equally protective the blue color evokes at the same time the spiritual
search in the Mediterranean culture. Tracking the
path along with the blue plant dyed cloths attached to the shrubs the protective power of
the cloths is extended to join the plant’s natural ability
of revival. Individual or collective the “path” is the metaphor of the pilgrim’s inner journey.
At the end of the trail there is a well hidden natural cave converted
into church with frescoes dating from 9th to 13th c. Over
the cave and around there are arches and alcoves, abandoned remains of the Byzantine monastery.
The Big Blue
Cloth hanging in an alcove of the Byzantine ruin is marking the end of the
path. Made out of cotton fabric dyed in blue and other natural materials attached on it, the Big Blue Cloth functions as a big amulet
while at the same time is a nod to the annual circle of life, fertility,
environmental balance and agriculture, a vital domain of the island’s
activities.
The blue procession as an art experience-journey will complete
the Fantasma art experience and will remain at the site of Kaloritsa from 23/5
up to 28/9/2017.
Fantasma Art Experience
Curator: Mario Vazaios
Bazaios Tower 12 km on the road from Chora to Agiassos
Visits every day from 10:00 to 17:00
Tel: 22850 31402
Born in Athens ,
Irini Gonou graduated from the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts and from the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Arts
Decoratifs in Paris ,
where she lived for eleven years. She has shown her artwork in thirty solo
exhibitions in Greece , France , Belgium ,
Germany , UK , USA ,
Egypt and Norway . Her solo exhibition
Al-Khatt, the magic script on 2009 was held in the Museum
of Islamic Arts in Athens . What is more, she has participated in
a numerous group exhibitions in Greece
and abroad. Her artwork is included in several Museum collections, Municipal
Galleries, private Museums and Foundations, as well as to a variety of
important private collections in Greece and abroad.
She lives and works in Athens and teaches regular
workshops on the Mediterranean Scripts in the
Benaki Museum of Athens.