Biography

As an ACS student for this year I have pursued different types of

learning. This involves interaction with objects of our study and

an in depth search of knowledge. I have been learning how to use

this knowledge to my advantage. In addition, as my grandmother

is an artist and I have grown up around her work, it is very

interesting to see how modern art was slowly formed by all these

particles of the past. As a Humanities student I have realized that

observing is not only what you see. It is the slightest details that

make a difference and the past of artifacts that gives them

significance in this world.

My seven wonders, John Demetriades

Column, Pantanassa Monastery Church, 1428,

Mystra

In the church of Pantanassa as I examined the room

with all the frescoes I concluded that there was

something that really pulled it all together and

provided a sense of aesthetics and elegance. Between

each and every fresco we found intricate, organic

designs all around, which clearly have a decorative

purpose, adding the sense of nature. The design

featured leaves, arranged in geometrical patterns.

These patterns reminded me of Islamic art found in

mosques.

Sketch of Perivleptos, 1350, Mystra

I always enjoy my quiet time for some reason. It is the

one moment when I can ignore everything around me

and lose myself in my thoughts. On the trip to Mystra I

experienced a mystical sort of bond when we visited

the Perivleptos church. During this visit we were told to

take a vow of silence and observe the monument and

nature. As I sat there I felt both an overwhelming and

enlightening sensation. I found that the nature

surrounding me brought me this very light and uplifting

mood, which followed me throughout the rest of the

trip. As I sat there looking at the church I could not

help but capture the beutiful moment in my notebook.

Dove, Mitropolis 1270-1290, Mystra

This Ombo was a wooden structure found in the Metropolis in

Mystra, were the bishop would sit. It belongs to the second

story of the building and has a dove on the top part which gives

it a very majestic look. I personally was intrigued by this dove

form, carved in wood that in a way spread its wings covering the

entire church under it. The dove was a symbol of royalty due to

the Paleologue dynasty. Furthermore in Christianity, even today,

it is considered a symbol of the Holy Spirit. I also connected this

structure to the Minbar in Islamic religion where the leader of

the prayer would stand. This is one of many similarities that

gave me the impression of the great interaction that occurred

between religions.

Floor Mosaic, Illisos Basilica, Byzantine and

Christian Museum, 400 AD.

This picture was taken from one of the Illisos Basilica

floor mosaics. It is made from various types of stones

that were stuck together in a specific way to form

these ornamental designs. These tiles were very

heavy, which was the reason there are no stone

mosaics on the walls. This design really attracted my

eye as it is very complex and has this rope-like

structure as if it is wrapped around something. It is

very colorful, using vibrant colors and brings out the

main design of the tile.

Sketch of Astrolabe, 225 AD., Museum of Islamic Art

I have never really been intrigued by the general

concept of science, but rather the causes that drive

people to generate these life-changing conclusions

about the general function of the universe. Arab

culture very much embraced the sciences and

perpetuated them to a great extent, even though the

Greeks had given them the basis of their research. The

Arabs were the founders of Astronomy, the study of

the stars, which came as a need for navigation due to

their deserted and barren landscapes. The astrolabe

was a device that was used to measure distance using

the stars as a guide.

Stained Glass Window, 17th

century, Museum of Islamic Art

This stained glass window design was in a room from Egypt

made in the 17th

century. Its different colors have an enormous

effect on the lighting of the room - the entire room brightens

and comes to life. Using these vibrant and diverse colors a light

spectrum is created. In addition, the window is shaped this way

in order to reduce passage of light which I found very practical

and intelligent of them. This would function as a kind of cooling

mechanism, which was absolutely necessary due to the climate.

The impact of the slightest window as such had a great impact

on the lighting of the room and played a role in the people’s

everyday life.

Head of Medusa Sketch, Byzantine and Christian

Museum, 400 AD.

This sculpture is one of the many that underwent the process of

Christianization. Christianization was a movement that took

place during the early years of Byzantium as Constantine came

to power and made Christianity the official religion. It is a part of

marble slab with relief in which the head of Medusa is depicted

on one side and a cross on the other side. This object struck my

attention as I saw a figure of ancient Greek religion next to a

Christian cross. This indicates the collaboration between the

church and the ancient religion. We can see that ancient art was

embraced and used to the churches advantage for its beauty, a

type of exploitation of these pieces.