Jean Passepartout, the anti-hero of Jules Verne, the servant of the main protagonist Phileas Fogg, from his famous book “Around the World in 80 Days”, is made by Yiannis Adamakis the protagonist in his new, sixth solo exhibition at the Zoumboulakis gallery entitled “Passepartout ».
Through a feast of colors, the renowned visual artist offers us a dreamy reconnection with our childhood, with the memory of the game, but also the endless journey.
In his works, cars, soldiers, hot air balloons, ships, trains have a dual role of play and means of escape at the same time.
“The trip has always concerned me in my work, both the real one and the memory trips during the childhood and teenage years. That is why I often work on series of works with toys, which, however, take on other dimensions when they are transferred to the canvas. They metamorphose and acquire another status”, says the painter himself to “ET”. and continues by talking to us more specifically regarding his new exhibition and its title:
“I first read Jules Verne at regarding the end of Primary school, around the age of 10-12. I have always had a very good relationship with authors and their books and I have even collaborated with some in my exhibitions, such as with Michalis Gana in 2021. This relationship serves me in my work. I do not illustrate, but convey the atmosphere of the reading. In this case, I didn’t want the reference to Verne and Around the World in 80 Days’ to be obvious from the title of the exhibition, so I chose the title ‘Passepartout’, which refers to Phileas Fogg’s servant. This is how the second role emerges. For me the secondary roles are more interesting and more complex. Phileas Fogg’s role in the book is well known. Passepartout is also positive, but an anti-hero, in the sense that he is not the first role. I wanted to make him the protagonist in this exhibition.”
What role do games play in your life?
My house is full of toys and books. Painting is a part of it all. I work where I live. In the movies I watch, I admire the spaces where the protagonists live and are also workplaces. Like the house in Sherlock Holmes, which at the same time has old furniture, magnifying glasses, books, work tools, all mixed up. I am a compulsive archivist and collector in the psychiatric sense of the term. I don’t throw anything away. No proof! The games I have are mostly worthless. They can be toys that someone buys from the public market. I’m not a toy collector. I collect them for my work.
Have you kept your childhood toys?
Unfortunately no. Because I grew up in a time when mothers threw away toys… I have none of my childhood toys.
The most favorite childhood toy, the toy car perhaps?
I would say the little soldiers. The cars, however, serve as visual aids.
“The journey begins at the port”…What is your relationship with travel?
My relationship with travel begins at the port. I come from a family of sailors and was born in Piraeus. My mother’s origin is from Chios. All my uncles were sailors, as was my grandfather too. My father from Crete also a sailor. I really like the commercial ports, where I used to walk around from a young age, watching the ships come and go. That is why I recognize the journey from the port.
(Info)
- Yannis Adamakis. “Passepartout”.
- Zoumboulakis Gallery, Pl. Kolonakiou 20.
- Exhibition duration until February 24.
- Opening hours: Tues, Thurs & Fri 11.00 – 20.00. Wed & Sat 11.00 – 15.00 Sunday & Monday closed
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