tive side of so-called economic and social
progress, but their greatest strength is
derived from the fact that they emit a sense
of hope in the future – or at least in the
present. The conversion of a defunct factory
space into an exhibition space for contempo-
rary art is but one, albeit prime example. In
a certain sense, the artist is telling us with
his photos that, although you cannot stop
time, you can indeed make the best of what
you have. The warning inherent in Doulgeris’
images are thus more than anything else a
plea for carpe diem (seize the day).
Doulgeris’ photos of dust-covered machines
are strangely reminiscent of portraits, not
necessarily of family members or state
officials, but rather of actors in an ancient
Greek drama. The machines are depicted
“life-sized” so to speak – already here we
have the notion, if only semantically, that the
machines are somehow “alive”. The ragged
tarpaulins draped over the metal machines
are mentally transformed into cloaks, such
as those worn by the great personalities of
Classical Greece, then political, economic
and cultural capital of the known world and
cradle of western civilization. Images of the
great philosophers Plato and Aristotle come
to mind, but also of tragic mythological
figures such as Oedipus and valiant heroes
such as Theseus. Unlike the tragedies of
ancient Greece, however, the drama played
out in Dougleris’ photographs imply a “happy
end”, no matter how far away in the distant
future this may be. His images of defunct
factory buildings and dust-covered machines
can thus be read as a plea to follow the ex-
ample of the Nomikos family and take things
-indeed to take our future- in our own hands,
to become actively engaged in forming the
future of our own society In this sense, they
are reminiscent of the so-called ‘Christ Prin-
ciple’, which was developed by Joseph Beuys
in Düsseldorf in the 1960s and forms the ba-
sis of his concept of Social Sculpture, which
in turn describes art’s potential to transform
society:”Just do it ”. An appeal, which also
lies at the core of Christophoros Doulg-
eris’ images of dust-covered machines and
defunct factories on the island of Santorini.
Carpe diem! For your own sake – as well as
for the sake of the numerous “beacons of
Greek culture”!
supported by EUROBAK
77