BOOK:Jannis Kounellis -In the Plain of Ionian Sea
“The vertical line is the only way to communicate with the universe”, Jannis Kounellis
On the occasion of posts and suggestions made by the artist Lizzie Kalligas in the social media, which I find extraordinary, Ι searched my library and I found a book when it was released 1995 by Kastaniotis Publications, I didn’t particularly appreciated it. Jannis Kounellis: “In the Plain of Ionian Sea”, dialogues of Jannis Kounellis with journalist Thanasis Lalas and writer Vassilis Vassilikos. Do not forget, that it was the era of prosperity, and at the same time, another book of Kounellis was issued by Agras Publications entitled “Odyssey on a Lake”, a book of immeasurably different level, besides, I had objections and I thought, that what we delete from an interview is unnecessary and not suitable for publication. However rereading 19 years later “In the Plain of Ionian Sea”, I realized that an important and intellectual artist like Jannis Kounellis, is always great and his answers have a maturity over time … regardless of the questions of his interlocutor (I think that the questions of writer Vassilis Vassilikos are not those that can retrieve what you need, but an important artist is always important, great and intellectual). I want to share with you some interesting quotes of this book as it is out of stock. We will do this, from time to time, having in mind, to add the most objective and certainly the most interesting parts of the book, I choose.
By Efi Michalarou
Jannis Kounellis: “In the Plain of Ionian Sea”, Kastaniotis Publications
EXCERPTS
For the Artists: “Are we minority or majority? We are the majority of the dead Nations, in other words we are artists”.
For Art: “Fortunately there is the Art… Art is a country that can accommodate the exiled sensitive’’.
About his decision to move at Rome: “We go to the center to ask for, to get something. I went to give. In the center, you go to take. I wanted to give…That’s why I left from my country. I left to give…”
About the Knowledge: “Knowledge is not hidden on the edge of some specific paths. You can cross thousands of paths and not learn anything. The issue is that we need to see what we see. To discover behind what we see. The curiosity that we have, makes us go to our house every day from a different way”.
Art & Artists: “Art is made by the artists and not from the specific environment”.
For the limits of Greek Culture: “Parthenon, Istanbul and Kavafis. These are the real limits of Greek Culture. In other words, the Greek Culture is ubiquitous”.
The Greek Culture and the Greek State: “The state in relation to the Greek Culture is Balkan. Maybe, there is the current Greek Tragedy. Homer and Plato are both ‘big’ things, so big that the Greek state, neither at its best nor in the current, neither to its worst situation, can reach. There is no Greek state in front of the Greek Culture”.
For the power of Art: “Art determines and is determined by the facts”.
For the Hell as a stepping stone for the Art Creation: “The problem with Hell is to get in and maybe…never go out…To be in Hell and to feel happy. Moreover, to stay. To pass and leave, means that your problems were not there… I found myself there, without even want it. I suffered, but I managed to get out. I’m not an artist of Hell”.
For the materials: “Materials are the lights that illuminate the path of the artist”.
For the quintessence of the Art: “Art serves nothing. However, exists and will continue to exist… Because it is a ” trial ” of high class. Art is a “bet”, but is a bet of high standards. The art is to determine the ”measure”.
For the Artist: “I consider myself a speechless poet, a deaf musician, a blind painter” and continues… “Paul Klee said that seventy percent of an artist is instinct… I agree with him. I think the same. The artist proceeds blindly. The artist is a blind, once he saw very hard and then blinded and began to create. That is why this creates a linguistic code”.
For the passion and dedication to Art: “I do not give people the opportunity not to love me, because I love them passionately ”.
For the time: “…I don’t care about time. I watch people’s eyes if they like something or not. Eyes are the sole judge for me. Time has it’s own logic, but it is not my work to discover the logic of time-”judge”.
About Painting: “The ghosts make the Painting…Without ghosts, there would be no painting or painting would be stationary”.
For the Patron in Art: “The real patron of Art, was always the Art”.
The key of his Artwork: “The idea is not in the Horses, nor the Fire, the Idea lies in architecture perimeter. This is the key to: ”read” someone the things I’ve done…”