On Saturday 2 June, Spinalonga opened its gates to the public, this time in a different guise. The decisive interventions of the artist Kostas Tsoklis have turned the island into a work of art.
It should be noted that from 1903 to 1957 Spinalonga operated as a leper colony. During those years, hundreds of people found themselves in the unfortunate position of living cut off and isolated, in inhumane conditions.
The exhibition, titled “You, the Last Leper”, delighted those attending and drew excellent reviews. The opening was attended by representatives of the art world, politics and the press.
Kostas Tsoklis and his collaborators settled on the island of suffering for three months, installing large paintings, various constructions and artistic interventions that try above all to convey to us the psychological impact of that period.
The placement of dozens of mirrors in many spots, both around the island and inside the houses, makes a striking impression. In all those years when the island was inhabited by lepers, they did not use mirrors, so that they would not see their faces disfigured by the disease.
The island’s hospital caught the eye of everyone present. Each room “hosted” paintings and constructions under dark lighting.
On the one hand, the artist tries to move visitors emotionally; on the other, he hints at the need for life felt by all those people. Three-dimensional paintings, with suitable lighting, transport the public to the past, when pain and poverty clashed with everyday life.
After the presentation of the works, a reception was held in honour of Kostas Tsoklis at a hotel, with the illuminated Spinalonga as a backdrop.
The exhibition will run for four months.
Text: Giorgos Filippou
Source: www.protothema.gr
