“… for many years now I have learnt that light must come from the left both in paintings and scenography, so the shadow of the hand can fall on the paper from the side where nothing yet has been done and one can continue with the painting. Such small things, as some highly competent painters would say, make a picture become strangely attractive. The cast shadow beginning from the chin of the Virgin Mary is mentioned in the texts of those who believe in charm. This erotic law of painting was thus revealed to me one afternoon I was painting a kore.” So writes Yannis Tsarouchis in the programme of the production of “Phaedra” by Yiannis Ritsos in 1987.
“Cast Shadows” is the name of the exhibition currently on at the Yannis Tsarouchis Foundation in Marousi, thirty years after the death of the distinguished painter. Through the paintings and studies that belong to the foundation’s collection as well as through the artist’s own written testimonies, his research on light is presented and particularly on cast shadows which he began to be preoccupied with in the 1950s working on a series of paintings on coffeeshops/ cafes. This study concerns both his figurative paintings and all his other subject matter as well as his scenography.
He refers to this work of his by saying: “… what they call today the renaissance in my painting is a precise continuation of my revolution to be in close proximity with life. I am not interested in the praise of the old guard. The similarity of my work with the renaissance is both intentional and coincidental (…}. I had many teachers and saw many exhibitions and museums. I learned a lot for many, but I would have been a nobody if as a young child I had not seen the exquisite light of Piraeus”.
Planned as part of the exhibition are guided tours, educational programmes for schools and activities for children and teen agers, all to be shortly announced. For more information and bookings the Museum can be reached by telephone.
The exhibition is funded by the Ministry of Culture and Sports and the publication of the catalogue is exclusively supported by Alpha Bank.
The exhibition’s curator is Niki Grypari.
Information: Yannis Tsarouchis Foundation, 28 Plutarchou St, Marousi, tel.: 210 8062636-7, http://www.tsarouchis.gr/
