Enacting Image (Denkraum) by the Wind: Movement Depicted in Mavroidis’ Landscapes, Fassianos’ Figure and Gyparakis’ Breath Installation

Περίληψη

This research is grounded in contemporary scholarly discourse on the representation of wind as the “pathosformel,” a concept which moves the space of image, called “Denkraum” and its epistemological implications. The study aims to contribute to the field of critical iconology by exploring how weather phenomena, specifically wind, “move” and shape the Greek image. The wind as an invisible force plays a central role in the shaping of space of the image, acting as a dynamic and unseen reality. This paper will examine how the motif of air in its metaphysical and material form has become a privileged symbol that significantly influenced Greek art as well as its subsequent reinterpretations in contemporary artistic practices.

This research traces the historical trajectory of the air motif in past, modern and contemporary art, analysing works by Greek artists such as Mavroidis, Fasianos, and Gyparakis. The focus is  on how air as a natural and metaphysical force moves and animates the inanimate, altering the function of the image and engaging both visual and tactile senses. This study posits that air and wind are more than mere background elements; they actively transform the space of the image, leading to a new understanding of iconology where meaning emerges from the performative interaction between body, culture, and image.