Europe

Greek Embassy Promotes “Mare Nostrum” Exhibition

A Reflective and Thought-Provoking Exhibition by Greek Artist Dimitris Tzamouranis

July 06th, 2017
David Schwengler, News from Berlin
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Greek artist Dimitris Tzamouranis, who has successfully managed to picture the wilderness of the Mediterranean Sea through his paintings and drawings of seascapes, depicts the sea as a crossroad for cultures.

Even though artist Dimitris Tzarmouranis was born in Kalamata, Greece (1967), he now lives in Berlin. The idea of seascapes came to him two years ago during a sailing trip in the Aegean Sea, after seeing the sites of sunken refugee boats. His paintings show the sea’s tortuous nature, a force capable of effortlessly taking the lives of individuals fleeing their country. His work is very different from journalistic works that follow the migrant crisis, as there is no human presence in most of his paintings.

The title of the exhibition “Mare Nostrum” refers on the one hand to the Italian military and humanitarian operation from 2013 to 2014 aimed at rescuing refugees in the Mediterranean Sea. On the other hand, it refers to the Mediterranean Sea as a millenary place of exchange between cultures because “Mare Nostrum” means “our sea” in Latin.

It is interesting to note this historical interpretation of the Mediterranean Sea as compared to its current one. Nowadays, the sea can sometimes be seen as a barrier between Europe and Africa, rather than a bridge; especially within the migrant crisis scope.

The Exhibition will take place at the Galerie Michael Haas in Berlin from June 23rd to July 29th. Dimitri Tzarmouranis is currently participating in other exhibitions in Kassel from June 10th to September 17th; and in Athens from April 8th to July 16th.

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