All images © 2024 i.angeliκi                                                           i.angeliki@yahoo.com              

         In a Greek place and time, Achladoκampos Greece, in a small mountain village located 479 meters towards the top of Mount Artemisio, Argolis Peloponnesos, . . . my mother gathered olives from trees bearing bright fruit and firewood for the hearth. I similarly follow, but in a strange and foreign land.                                                                                                                                                              
        I am not a sculptor so as to fashion stationary statues that stand motionless on the same pedestal, rather . . .  every ship . . . every boat . . . αοιδα song go forth . . . spread the news . . . I will halt for not every exact truth is better for showing her face and silence is often the wisest thing for a man to observe  (PINDAR, NEMEAN 5.5)
 

I begin twisting and coiling strips of paper into a shape which I refer to as the wrapping. The wrapping serves as the core from which the sculpture (cover) emerges with the layers of covers satisfying the wrappings need for concealment (solitude). The sculptures are made almost entirely of construction materials and debris (predominately wood) gathered from dumpsters throughout Brooklyn and abandoned houses in Detroit. I begin searching and finding passages of ancient Greek texts. Each sculpture is accompanied by a carefully selected passage. I begin constructing a wooden base to support a plywood surface upon which I score vertical and horizontal lines with a utility knife. I outline and divide the scored flat black lines with iridescent silver paint. Each painting is accompanied by a carefully selected passage of Homeric epic poetry. I begin constructing a wooden base to support a plywood surface for paintings of original verse. Each painting is accompanied by a carefully selected sculpture. The poetry ΜΗΝΙΝ ΑΕΙΔΕ ΘΕΑ - MENIN AEIDE THEA draws from the literary and historical Greece, including the ancient and contemporary practice of παιδομαζωμα paidomazoma - violence brought against women and children by the POLIS STATE, including in wartime. I begin twisting and coiling strips of paper into a shape which I refer to as the wrapping. The wrapping serves as the core from which the sculpture (cover) emerges with the layers of covers satisfying the wrappings need for concealment (protection).

                                         too horrible to tell and for the eyes to see 

          the soul of the archetypal sufferer - cursed mother/evil beauty - cruel Μοιραι/Moirai/Fate!

    The μυθος myth is not my own, but comes from my mother, that heaven and earth were once a single form, but when they were parted from each other into two, they bore and delivered into light all things-trees, winged things, beasts, creatures of the sea, and the race of mortals (MELANIPPE fr 484).

In a Greek place and time, in a small mountain village located 479 meters towards the top of Mount Artemisio, Achladoκamboς Argoliς Peloponnesoς, and where the first πολεμος battle took place in 669 BCE, according to Pausaniaς ... faced the force βια, the force EYE faced, ringing in my EAR θηριον, in its fury der Fuhrer's roaring soaring hand, the smoking barrel of a shining pistol pointed squarely. Εye didn't scream. Did not comply. Stood her ground, persuasion. Which to you, a witness, a citizen of laws, of NEW ART -  NEW LIFE which upholds the edicts of nature, of manner, of consent, of mother's, of daughter's, at the risk of imprisonment, criminal behavior punishable by death having disturbed the law and order of the POLIS STATE sweetheart deal generational educational, you bet, genetic memory over spans of time never forget bait tackle rag gag real crime, reel time, no debate, can you relate? One felt swoop loop de loop lasso noose tight not loose τρελα trela νους nous cook own γοος gooς nimble foot work staccato moves n grooves slaying swaying to the beat soon dead meat meet and greet SING SONG SING pitiful swan song delivered quickly 'watch me die' execution asphyxiation hangman's fracture sweetheart deal plaited rope head held taut hard-drawn final breath 'not comply' sounds of life puddle of piss live-stream death comedyfest sight for sore eyes EYE do not lie behold original sin wouldn't swallow double dog dare you to similarly follow right before Dawn's eerily light snow stains broken wings ροδοδακτυλος rosy fingers toes - AΓΙΟΣ ΚΑΗΜΟΣ - SILLY SORROW  eternal sorrow today yesterday tomorrow.

                           Aχ! καημενη! Πως αντεχεις? How do you endure την αληθεια the truth?      

     Violence cut you down dropped the C-word to the ground spread your legs push pull prod pattern of blows frenetic pace upward downward cut hack smash bash savage task calculated violent beast θηριον methodical monster ruthless hands hooked claws slice n dice warm dark blood bath flow deep inside panties gasping gaping hole womb fetus breast in the black earth spread prize gory glory head trophy sport. POLIS STATE selected parts heaped your pyre HOLY SMOKES! 'snip-snap-whoosh' roaring soaring blaze off to the races slippin' and slidin' dung (ILIAD 23.770) 'been told long time ago gonna be your fool no more' uncontrollable drunken laughter competitive pissing hissing cackling crackling flames under pants prancing perversions CYAss dancing dirty athletic ritual military victory funeral games mutilated torso parade celebrate. Silly sorrow, sorry sorrow silly. ΕΥΕ survived naughty bawdy silly αστεια joke! ξενια xenia - ΑΓΙΟΣ ΚΑΥΤΟΣ - HOLY SHIT! 

       One hand washes the other of another dark-robed mother's, daughter of a sea goddess του δ' ου τε darkest flat black ink μελαντερον no darker κυανεον garment, gripping dripping all that matters scattered gathered womb fetus breast ribs limbs fingers toes do-sido now you know mother's heart daughter's, daughter of Leda, of Diogeneia, of lovely haired Rhea, Paieon Παιαν reassured, death and destruction, instruction, purification, stroked my forehead, manipulated cervical spine snap bead necklace popped into place, reconstructed aesthetic prosthetic ivory breasts revived me o my heart rendered well enough to travel, tiptoeing deeper in time, loud sneeze, grace period, sign of the gods assurance, paid in full, ZEUS XENIOS, reinstated lapsed insurance no joke!

      Wise do give a rational explanation. 'When a monster θηριον beast more complicated more savage than Typhonoς perchance broke wind Βορεου North Wind's shameful blast PEE-U triggered a chain reaction cicadas' chorus drowned in the Ilusis stream is no longer clean or pure pollute it.' Edit save. Next Dawn's day, more to display, if, you were to be persuaded by me. Poet say, on the other hand, roll of the dice, gods' vote, take note, Aναγκη Necessity struck down not in accordance exactement, avec precision Fated postdated hysterical historical joke inherited plan timeline's rhythm, such a crime, rhyme. Yikes! Yolked! Terrible power and you cannot escape! Zeuς did you see?  EYE stirred. Cry bitterly for the babes, literally. Sight, sound and scent fill the gaps left by the text. One hand washes the other in the dead of night inscribe marble stele Ampharete's (Attic Greek 400-375 BCE) grief beyond endurance flailing arms as fallen in dust in blood she lay in her embrace. A theme for the Muses truth be told of murder πως εγινε το φονικο of betrayal μες το νερο. In Argos, secret anger, remembers. EYE sing for the dead shall be avenged.
 

 SING SONG SING reiterating refrain praise or blame thy righteous hand supplicating clutching Apollo's wreath lyre ribbons bow and her creation the long μακρην shark-jagged-toothed καρχαροδαντο sickle (THEOGONIA 173) παθος - suffer - μαθος - learn (Aeschylus) tried-and-true  don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today 'for he was the first to devise μησατο εργα hateful deeds' (THEOGONIA 175) the NEW ART - NEW LIFE - TERRORism uncontrollable drunken laughter χασκογελανε  brute force  no mercy  no guilt  no memory  με τη σειρα σε κατουρανε international kangaroo court  POLIS STATE TERRORists piss scum came cum unloaded gun threnody's therapy  glory kill  over kill  mother daughter master's bait, can you relate?   
 

    unjust accusations ... assassinates ... banishes and slays ... transformed from a protector into a perfect and finished tyrant  POLITEIA 565e-566d.           

    του δ' απο μεν ρινας τε και ουατα νηλει χαλκω  ταμνον, μηδεα τ' εξερυσαν, κυσιν ωμα δασασθαι, χειρας τ' ηδε ποδας κοπτον κεκοτηοτι θυμω in the anger of their hearts  (ODYSSEY 22.474-78) 

Sacrificing women instead of ewes, children instead of baby lambs. 

      Harmony of tensions grim steel Ερις Eriς love core strife MADDER (CRIMSON) LAKE DEEP EXTRA thread of life cut the knife beloved wife blood stained nails CADMIUM RED DEEP torn grieving cheeks INDIAN YELLOW BROWN LAKE EXTRA hair cut short lacerated wrists, according to Plutarch, Plutarch Lives, SOLON 21.5  'public appearances of women ... laceration of the flesh κοπτομενων he forbade' last resort frantic feet reach that slippery peak precipice of despair out stretched arms damned darned that lucky charm work of Sidonian women, loveliest in design, what dreams are made of shown like a star, IRIDESCENT SILVERy celestial threads shimmering gift prayer, most high goddess of Zeus' daughter, Tritogeneia denied, turned her head, on her watch witness Souliotopoules' SING SONG SING dance wail cry 'not comply watch me' leap hurl dive tears of blood PERYLENE RED heavy rains eternal stain steep straight down jagged rocky mountain ridge loveliest in design shooting star cosmic debris scattered swaddled RUBY LAKE RED splattered shattered ribs limbs CADMIUM RED LIGHT ροδοδακτυλος fingers toes gruesome sight horrific heap death on top of death worn out own flesh injury done flowing from her perforated womb ALIZARIN CRIMSON LAKE EXTRA αιμα bloody remains fetus skinned all the same stone cold dead meat scavengers holiday delight spit-roasted rich sputtering thigh pieces moaning skewered innards screaming oozing fragrant smoke - HOLY ROAST - mind's nostrils all you can eat, who eats the fastest eats the most? Holy Ghost! ate drank whiskey gin vin BURGUNDY WINE RED tears of blood filled to the brim droplets dripping vampire tongue sucked in licking rim sanctified chalice sacrificial CADMIUM RED SCARLET blood drunken laughter and where the BROWN OCHRE LIGHT matter hit the fan PEE U! In the temple of Lycaean Zeus in Arcadia Αρκαδια το του Διος του Λυκαιον? Course of Dike. Does not normally follow. Zeus did you smell?  

        don't boil a young αρνα lamb εν γαλακτι μητρος αυτου in its mother's milk  (EXODUS 23.19)

       Inside the fragrant temple of the rocky citadel of Eleusis, worn out with weeping, appetite, targeted hit job, playback, payback. Sacred chalice tumbled drunkard stumbled grimacing face fell face down hit the ground choking cursing groaning pain pissing puking his guts out ass-hole shitting farting white tie military suits boots couture gowns dressed to the nines BROWN OCHRE LIGHT matter splattered PEE U! Pharmaκo in vain pharmaκi struck him dead plastered goon man gone bang the gong do-re-mi goddess guide my song, sing-a-long song right before Dawn's hysterical historical no joke reiterating refrain praise or blame thy mine righteous hand quoting 'for he was the first to devise evil deeds.' Daughter of lovely haired Rhea, nodded her agreement. Her anger is terrible!

       Her evil beauty and reckless words provoked him in the dead of night. And that's when the shit hit the fan. She with her own hands cleans, disinfects and gathers all the constellations that the heaven is crowned εστεφανωται wraps in dark clouds. Leuκippoς and Demoκritoς say move by collision and blows. Pharmaκο φαρμακο φαρμακι pharmaκi an inherited destiny of disgrace a grievous quarrel of casting blame bone-thin suppliant mutilated female survivor shackled chained stenciled tunic sodden with tears number no name strip-searches of humiliation and degradation harsh incarceration conditions work hard slave pennies for pay like scapegoats eat stale bread place within reach only enough baloney to clear the POLIS STATE of negligence medical wrongful death, dungeon-tomb-cell cubicle additional punitive measures no exposure to sun's ultraviolet rays risk of blindness sensory over load heat cold distress stressful positions my aching body cramping limbs turning from side to side sleep deprived night light's flash ray flash spy monitoring bodily movement in the event of death NOBLE LIE clear the POLIS STATE of wrongful death, sexual verbal abuse line-up bitches cling together pairing up sharing prolong shackling Dawn to midnight transport no longer by ferry over the Rivers Styx and Archeron, Charon's less scary, forced nudity in unity turn a blind eye while under the threat of badge and a loaded weapon we PEED into the bull's EYE! Xenia. Physical mental cruelty, inhumane and degrading treatment prison system as a network of slavery and torture camps causing long-term injuries standards deep inside the bowels of the POLITEIA = THRENODY'S THERAPY 605b-e, ιατρικη θρηνωδιαν αφανιζοντα -  make unseen  cause to vanish  hide  remove  destroy  annihilate  disfigure -  Oxford Classical Greek Dictionary p 59. 

     Where money is no object, all the more reason, humanity's treason. Dreaded POLIS STATE political stadium public and private arena, recreational athletic favorite competitive force to pay play so be a good sport! Step up to the plate batter up batter bloop single, second batter bleed her, third bat hit her up hard line drive bruises and contusions, bases loaded designated switch hit her harder hit laser beam line drive yonder n beyond Yankee Stadium bleachers outa da ballpark grand slam homer game over home team for the win, sons of alcoholic fathers, sons of bitches. 

     hear here in the dark the beating of my frantic heart not a lark laser line drive celestial spark made me fit to help the dead my child my vision of horror 

        SING SONG SING voices of sorrow collective throng SING SONG SING not very long dusk to right before Dawn

       Εσπερα Espera παντα φερης you GATHER BACK ... a lamb ... ALWAYS BRINGS ... ματερι παιδα GATHER THE CHILD to its mother (PSAPPHO 104ab, trans. A Carson)  loveliest of all the stars ... you bring THE GIRL to a home   AWAY  FROM HER MOTHER (PSAPPHO 104ab, trans. M L West) ΑΓΙΟΣ ΑΘΑΝΑΤΟΣ ΕΛΕΗΣΟΝ ΗΜΑΣ  'surges ... as the wave goes by you ... wind's voice ... but I tell you sleep my baby sleep and let the sea sleep   let our trouble sleep   let some change appear Zeus father from you and if I speak too bold and beyond justice  I speak  I pray you συγγνωθι μοι forgive it me'  SIMONIDES of Κειος c. 556-c. 468 BCE. Danae suffered too - ΠΙΚΡΟ ΤΟ ΚΡΙΜΑ - sacrificing women instead of ewes children instead of baby lambs one ψευδομενος Noble Lie to persuade its rulers αλλην πολιν the city a Phoenician tale 'all over the place in the past, as poets say and have persuaded people but one that has not happened in our time - don't know if it could - requires a great deal of persuasion'  POLITEIA 414c.

       The Kretan lie always weeping tagging along Diκe gripping dripping all that matters scattered gathered bloody remains mother's heart daughter's. One hand washes the other of another dark-robed mother's in the dead of night. Dike so moves, next Dawn's day, more to display, buildings bridges falling down. If you were to be persuaded by me. Her anger is terrible!

       head ... white ... grizzled beard gasping . . . breath . . . in the dust and clutching . . . nakedness exposed a shameful sight (TYRTAEUS 10)   take him across to the mainland . . . king there  (ODYSSEY 18.115)   into a black ship  (ODYSSEY 21.307)   along the court  (ODYSSEY 21.308)  when an old man is dead and down . . . mutilate ... head ... beard . . . parts . . . for all sad mortality, is the sight most pitiful . . . with one hand she held out her breast and shedding tears δακρυ she spoke in πτεροεντα προσηυδα winged words  (ILIAD 22.75-83)
 

   nothing in mortal life is worthy of great concern, and our grieving cheeks ... accustom the soul ψυχην to the curing of the hurt and the raising up of what has fallen, ιατρικη θρηνωδιαν αφανιζοντα banishing threnody by therapy Πολιτεια  (POLITEIA 604d). Oxford Classical Dictionary page 59, αφανιζω - make unseen, cause to vanish, hide, remove, destroy, annihilate, disfigure, deface

Likening in voice if they bring me feasting wish I could set teeth into his being wise we loathe. Human innards cut up with speech dogs your head and birds will be vengeance! Payment for our tears shed!And held out her breast, you know the rest!

        HOLY SHIT! 

       Son of Euchenor's pitiless bronze rules wisely. Daughter of lovely haired Rhea, nodded her agreement. Tender-hearted daughter of Persaios, of the shining head band, in the blink of an eye, upon command, and in a loud voice, the dogs did not disobey. Iambe cracked a dirty joke. Baudy Baubo one upped her. She exposed her genitals and broke wind. PEE-U echoed. Laughter inside the fragrant temple of the rocky citadel of Eleusis. The dark-robed goddess, bringer of seasons and splendid gifts, literally, figuratively, cracked a smile. Her anger is terrible! 

    unless philosophers become kings in our states or those now call kings ... political power and philosophy combine into the same thing  ... no respite from evil in the state  (POLITEIA 473d)
     

SING SONG SING what went wrong right before Dawn's eerily light snow stains broken wings ροδοδακτυλος rosy-fingers toes

      Daughter of Pandareus came to her as truthful messenger. Not a lark. Sharp pain seized her heart. The olive trees bearing bright fruit shriveled and dropped mourning. This is a dirge. You cry too, 'forbidden to utter dirges ... mourning to be inaudible outside the city wall before daybreak  LAWS 12.960
     Gods wrath 'cure of evils ... fire ... sulphur' rectified spirits King Echetoς granted all my wishes! XOXO.     

'a stranger whose suffering never ends, comes here and asks: maidens, which of the singers ... do tell that I am he, a blind man τυφλος ανηρ, οικει δε Χιος dwelling on the rocky island of Chios, whose αοιδοι songs shall be the best in time to come'  'we will carry your reputation wherever we go as we roam ... they will believe it, because it is true, and I shall not cease from hymning the far-shooter Apollo of the silver bow, whom lovely-haired Leto bore.' TO APOLLO 168-179, The Homeric Hymns  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
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Delacroix's "Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi" and "The Massacre of Chios" inspired my video and poem "The Massacre at Missolonghi"

                                           Translation, when not my own, R Lattimore, Loeb Classical Library, The Complete Greek Tragedies (The University of Chicago Press), M L West, A. Bloom, The Nietzsche Reader, H P Foley, A Nehemas, G Van Steen, P Woodruff, M Cowan, M Culumovic, G Nagy, D M MacDowell, G S Kirk, J E Raven, M Schofield, A N Athanassaκiς, Oxford University Press edition of Hutchinson.

Music composed by M Theodoraκis, Vocalist M Farantouri. The Ballad of Mauthausen, Asma Asmaton based on poems written by I Kambanelliς. To Gelasto Paidi, lyrics by B Behran

Research interests: Classical Studies and Philology  

Sculptures have been exhibited at Allan Stone Gallery (NYC), Ruth Siegal Gallery (NYC), Michael Walls Gallery (NYC), Feigenson-Rosenstein Gallery (Detroit MI), Feigenson Gallery (Detroit MI), 55 Mercer Gallery (NYC) Lifesigns curated by Ann Philbin

Collections: Lila and Gilbert Silverman, Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Sardelis             

Sculptures have been covered by Katherine Kramer Lifesigns Arts Magazine.             

BA in Art History from Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.                                                                                     

Brooklyn-based 

The photograph was taken behind the DIA somewhere beyond John R Street. It was taken hastily due to fear of an explosion from natural gas leakage in the pit.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Ιωάννα Αγγελική Μερίκας