Mechanism of continuous change
From 2000 till 2006, Yannis Chaviaras main sphere of interest was the combination of natural hard stones either with organic elements or with old iron mechanical objects found at local flea markets. His aesthetical style changed through the years from playful and 'catchy' round forms to objects with strict geometrical lines.
His first works with organic elements were small and friendly, obviously created by an innocent spirit that enjoys life and realizes little of the complexity of human existence.
Time brings change. Yannis Chaviaras becomes more critical. Stones become grim, brutal and monolithic. Organic elements are replaced by old working tools, symbol of a human evolution and the aggressive impact of man on nature.
Stone is what it is. A silent mass. A record of evolution that lasts centuries. A passage from an old situation to a new one. Human life span in contrast with that of stone is futile. Nevertheless, man (homo faber) creates and uses tools. He creates his own human world. He creates something but at the same time he destroys as well. That's his input.
The title of this series is 'Mechanism of continuous change' and is inspired by a book of Theodoros Kavasis 'From Dithyramb to Dialectic' (2004), and more specifically the sentence: "Everything changes except the mechanism of continuous change." This is a reference to the thought of Heraclites 'panta rhei' (everything flows). Heraclites illustrated this with the proposition that you can never walk in the same river twice because the second time, due the flow, the water has changed.
Etienne Dams, September 2007
Art historian
Anaglypha
‘Anaglypha’ is a series of sculptural reliefs. The constant material I use in this series is a specific type of extra white marble from Thassos, Greece. This marble tile serves as a white 'canvas', integrating found objects in combination with lamps (wirelight or small LED lamps) that pulsate like a ‘heartbeat’. The found objects are non-valuable rusted monochrome iron elements with an unknown 'past'. These objects are in dialogue with the illuminating lamps that pulse on and off in milliseconds and alert of the momentary 'Present' with a lighting flash and a discreet bleeping sound. As in older series, I’m trying to explore our perception of ‘Time’, the never-returning ‘Past’ and the continuously changing ‘Present’.
The title given to each work consists of two universally recognizable words, an adjective and a noun of Ancient Greek origin. By using Ancient Greek words as a title and Greek marble as material, I’m referencing my roots and cultural background.
(A)synchronous Discus
‘(A)synchronous Discus’ consists of a metallic 'disc' on a 'square' white marble tile. The 'disc' holds two wirelight lamps in the shape of 'circle' and 'square'. The two lamps pulsate on a slightly different tempo but after a certain number of pulses both lamps pulsate at the same time, making a very brief connection and then as an optical illusion ‘grow’ and ‘shrink’ to each other to become one again. Squaring the circle for a brief moment.
Yannis Chaviaras, September 2013