On the occasion of the call of the art exhibition ”xoblia” curated by Iris Kritikou in collaboration with the Historical Museum of Athens that specifically took place in Lazaros Koudouriwtis Residence in the beautiful island of Hydra between 28/06/19-31/10/19, i tried to reinvent the original flag of Hydra during the revolution of 1821. My intervention had to be exceptionally delicate because it was to be exhibited in the house of Lazaros Kountouriotis, where important consultations took place on issues of the Revolution of 1821 and important personalities of the time, Greeks and foreigners, were hosted. All i knew was that it had to be pearly and i wanted to be influenced by the original one using the symbols, that the original used: the cross,the waning crescent moon,the snake crawling on the cross,the flag, the sun, the bird, the ancient Greek phrase:”h ταν ή επί τας”that could be translated as ”do or die”. A digital pearly (literally pearl by pearl)embroidery came out where i added my own preference symbols as :dolphins, a flower that is connected with the island of Hydra, chains,nautical ropes, seahorses,the sword of the heroic and a bourlotier Kanaris Konstantinos and a starry night like many of those that people lost their lives defending Greece…The detail was central in this composition in order to serve the building material, the pearl.
Next to the reinvention of the Hydra’s Flag stand another exhibited artwork , the flower of Hydra (seen in the traditional embroideries that are connected with the island)that bleeds during the period of Turkish rule and can feel and see all the suffering caused by war.