At the End of the Demonstration Day
2009
The work is displayed as part of the permanent exhibition
Installation
Wood, acrylic
15 x 500 cm
Donated by the artist, 2010
Inv. No. 680/10
In his sculptural work, Kostis Velonis often discusses emotions such as desire, love, failure, loneliness, loss, doubt and disappointment. The relationship of the individual with the whole and of private with social life has been a subject of much reflection on many of Velonis’ works. In his work, he often juxtaposes companionship and loneliness, or love with society, as well as the “road to revolution” and “life on the streets” and private and personal life. The work At the End of the Demonstration depicts loneliness and anxiety. At the end of the day, after the protests and mobilizations, the demonstrator is left alone with a feeling of sadness, loss and contemplation. The poetic power of this tender work lies in the psychological and emotional human condition that the lonely stool implies. Velonis’ work highlights this fragmented and uncertain identity of the individual who is seeking one’s role and identity in collective actions and demands. It is a project created in 2009 amidst major discontent and protests in Athens.
Daphne Vitali, ENTER EMST: Collection and history, A short guide, 2020