Eleni Tzatzalos
In review of her work
Maybe it will happen that we will reach the heart of the matter, the essence of our being, when following Ariadne's thread.
A laser beam glides along and through a table top, projects the contours of the brains carrying a spot of light in their midst: the light is like a dream, a spirit reaching a higher level. Tzatzalos manufactured this light in "Nous" (1998), an installation that typifies the art she makes. "Nous" studies the human brain, the way we think and dream, mapping the mind and our unconsciousness. The installation acts as a metaphor, stressing the contrast between the modern and the homeric mankind. Whereas modern man placed his conscience within his brains, the homeric man felt his diafragm was the source for his ability to think and feel. "Nous" refers to a concept of Plato's philosophy: based on the sensory perception of man, the mind (nous) climbs up to scientific knowledge to finally enter the last and highest level, the place where critical thinking rules; the level of true knowledge where acting and being become one. Through different paths and methods, openings and crossovers
Tzatzalos (re)searches experiences and interactions between space, environment, feeling and emotion. With ratio as one of her starting points, she consults archives and does research for the installations she makes. Following her intuition and feeling she also investigates her personal and collectively anchored experiences within herself and others. Her possibilities, materials and visual language are without limits. Different media and means, themes and perspectives are being used by Tzatzalos. She mixes video with film, sculpture with mechanics and materialises light and landscapes with iconical objects as boats, tables and fossiles. Taking in positions of mimicry, reversing meanings and purifying rituals.
Member of the NKvB, BBK, Sculpture Network and Artist Association Flevoland