In our journey to Ancient Olympia apart
from wonderful landscapes we also met wonderful people. One of them was
Dimitris Kirkiles is a tourist shop owner in Ancient Olympia.
He was born and raised in Ancient Olympia.
He moved to Francefor about three years, where he studied Graphic Arts, while
working in order to meet the costs of his studies. Healso got to know the people
and the magnificent France. After returning to his hometown, he took over, from
his father, the business, which is associated with the Greek Folk Art.
As he said, his life was, and is, a
never-ending search for the "secrets of the art of construction and
decoration of the Ancient Greek Vase". After several years, the labors and sacrifices
began to bear fruit, acquiring the ability to manufacture replicas of vases and
figurines with the unique and unsurpassed art of our ancestors. Indeed, due to
the texture of his work, for years he contacted with visitors from around the
world (university professors, archaeologists, historians). They realised that his
knowledge was of a high level. He gave many lectures at universities of archeology
and art history (The University of Richmond in Virginia - Maryland, Georgetown
- Omaha, Nebrasca - Ohaio - Alabama, as in The University McGill in Montreal
Canada). Today you can meet him in his shop in Ancient Olympia like we met him
and had a constructive dialogue, while learning about his hobby and work as an angiographer.
What
do we mean by Angiography?
"Angiography"; (Αγγειογραφία in Greek) the word itself indicates the script (γραφή) on a vessel (Αγγείο). In ancient times,
the word zoography – (painting in Greek) was not used, because zoography
(animal + write) means writing the form of an animal on a surface, see pictures
of animals in ancient caves from 35.000 to 25.000 BC Lascho in France. At this
time, as they wrote, so they painted, this resulted in linear painting. Indeed,
painters signed the vases decorated with the word "egrafsen" (meaning
“wrote”).
What
incentive “motivated”you to become an angiographer?
Born and raised in a unique sacred place
called Ancient Olympia, which is the cradle of culture and history from ancient
times and coming into contact with the unsurpassed works of our Greek ancestors
and especially their vessels whose decorations teach us about their daily
lives, habits and history, a great love for their study and reproduction in all
seasons, regions and decorations were born inside of me. Do not forget that
"love built the universe."
What
knowledge and skills do you need to become a painter?
To become a painter, most important is the love
for the subject and the knowledge of design and history. Apart from the
technical aspect, to have studied thoroughly and carefully the lines of the
drawings so as to be able to put them to the proper format so that they are not
distorted.
Is it an art that requires constant study?
Angiography is a limitless art, because in
ancient times, the vessel, apart from being a container of daily use, was a
work of art and history. It was reflecting the unsurpassed sensitivity,
delicacy and perfection of lines and their design. Also reflecting, each of the
people’s activities to their daily life
(love, war, myths, religion, sports, and even death). The same vessels and
their technique "defeated death” and got above and beyond their borders on
the planet." Angiography in Ancient Greece is the oldest (7000 BC -323 BC)
and also the richest in themes, writing issues and production centers.
Bronze
Age (Crete- Cyclades- Mycenae)
Attica (geometric - black figure - Red – white backgrounded)
Corinthian (with oriental animal and bird drawings exported to Egypt)
The subsoil, not only in our country, but
on the whole planet hides buried Ancient Greek vases and the deeper you dig,
the more you will discover. Until today we have only a small sample of the
greatness of our ancestors, those who have taught and continue to teach and other
artists (such as Picasso, Matisse, Cocteau, Pheasant etc.).
For an angiographer, the most important thing
is the love for the object ...
A work in this art, depicts with
unsurpassed sensitivity, delicacy and perfection each action in everyday life
...
