The artist Thanasis Lalas exhibits for the first time at the GSA/HISTORICAL ARCHIVES – MUSEUM OF HYDRA 30 paintings created in 168 hours, as one work!

For Thanasis Lalas and the joy of hosting his works at the Museum the historian-archivist Dina Adamopoulou says: “With the organization of the exhibition of Thanasis Lalas we attempt to open a gateway to his multifaceted artistic universe, trying to create an initial introduction to his world, a world full of color, emotion and deep meanings, inviting the viewer and reader to discover and appreciate the uniqueness of the work of this special Greek creator“.

Thanasis Lalas himself says that these are works that demonstrate the life that hides a loss. A loss that evolves into mourning and is embellished through creation, colour and form into a celebration. Hydra, continuing the tradition it has established, almost throughout August, during the busiest tourist season, continues to be the Centre for Art, Research and Intellectuals.

Lalas places these 30 works in his “Art Brut” period, because they were created in 168 hours, in order for their creator to overcome the loss of his father. The sole reason for creating these works was “… to swim my soul in calmer waters and continue my journey, overcoming the mental disability caused by a death, a loss so decisive for peace of mind“. These 30 works were kept 20 years in the dark, away from the eyes of many. “I considered these works to be a personal affair, an exercise in mental equilibrium, a secret that had the power of a solid foundation. To two or three people I dared to show them to over the years, I heard very contradictory things: “Tear it all down, it’s useless.” “it’s a waste”… “it’s all a project”… “they have nothing to do with the rest of your work”… “rubbish, of no value”… and “I don’t know why, but they have a power to unravel”… Costas Tsoklis was one of the few people who have seen these works…I remember him telling me: “Only two or three are worth it, the rest are sketches”. And immediately afterwards he looked me in the eye and said: “Don’t tear anything, maybe I’m wrong. Do you know how many of my works that I have torn up I regret? Some of the ones I threw away, that I tore up, I consider today to be masterpieces…”

So I kept these works, shielded them in the dark and would not have brought them out into the light if it had not been preceded the previous year by “The Usefulness of the Useless”, a “Letter to my Father”. A book I wrote to present for the first time at the cultural events of the Gerovassiliou Estate in Epanomi, Thessaloniki. I published it especially to give it as a gift to the incarcerated minors of the Avlona prison! This book entitled: “The Usefulness of the Useless” (“A Letter to my Father”) had an unexpected resonance with readers and this acceptance gave me the strength to exhibit these 30 works which are the visual approach to the same agony! I feel that these works are the visual expression of a loss as recorded in the book-letter to my father”!