The island of Anafi Through the Eyes of Dimitris Papaioannou: Sketches from Life

Dimitris Papaioannou, the renowned Greek performing artist – director, choreographer, performer, and designer of sets, costumes, make up, and lighting – has chosen the Aegean island of Anafi as his summer hermitage. There, he has created a series of drawings recently published in a book titled “Sketches from Life”. The edition in English with translations of the texts in Greek is the result of an initiative by NOMAS publishers Yannis Bournias and Lina Stefanou, under the artistic supervision of the artist himself (cover photo: Sketches from Life, 56, liquid graphite on paper, 40x50cm, 2023).

Dimitris Papaioannou, Sketches from Life, size 20×28, pages 240, NOMAS publications, 2024

Lina Stefanou, the Director of NOMAS Publication, notes, among others: “…Papaioannou effortlessly captures the essence of summer light through his black and white sketches. On the pages of his sketchbook, naked bodies with relaxed limbs bask in the sun, emanating a luminosity that seems to come from their shadows … With just a few bold strokes, Papaioannou conveys the fluidity of bodies and the serenity of the natural world. Thus the continuum between the choreographer’s sketches and the artist’s drawings remain unbroken….Sensuous agaves and resplendent resurrection flowers burst forth in a riot of colour. The sea is ever present. Water dominates his scenes. Even when not seen, the presence of the sea is so vividly implied one can almost feel its embrace upon closing the book…In this book, D.P. skillfully captures not just the light but also the essence of the summer, freezing it in time like a captive moment…” (Source: Sketches from Life, Editor’s note)

Anafi through the sketches by Dimitris Papaioannou in the issue of NOMAS magazine (Source: onassis.org). “All the bodies that I draw will grow old. I’d better be kind” (Dimitris Papaioannou)

Papaioannou notes, among others, that “this is a collection of drawings from the summers of 2021, ’22, and ’23 in Anafi. Every year I spend more and more time on the island. ΑΝΑΦΗ (Anafi), in the Cyclades, has become my summer hermitage. It is τhere that I restarted painting after a pause of two decade. I was in my late 20’s when I decided I was a better painter on stage than on paper and gradually left behind my visual arts and comics, dedicating myself to theater. The more my stage creations became global, programmed in major festivals and watched by hundreds of thousands, the more I crave a form of expression that is private, useless for the market and humble. My sketchbook has become my faithful companion in my days on Anafi. I always start on the last page. I’m left-handed man…”

Dimitris Papaioannou, Sketches from Life, 87, gouache and water soluble wax pastels, 36x50cm, 2021

“Drawing from Life used to be my favorite exercise when I was a nineteen year old student. We called it ΓΥΜΝΟ ΝΥΚΤΟΣ (Night Nude) at the Athens School of Fine Arts. In the afternoon there was a model for us to sketch. One nude body at the middle of an amphitheater full of clothed ones… On the beach we are all nude. Nude bodies bathing in the sun are my prey. Most of them are unaware that they are being drawn. This is an exercise on speed. Some offer a pose. This is an opportunity for detail. Some agree to a portrait. This is a study on connection. I use softer pencils as I proceed. They allow deeper tones in the detailed drawings and are good enough for the quickies. Water colours, gouache, and water-soluble wax pastels are in my toolbox as well. Last summer liquid graphite and magic markers were added to the mix. In 2022 I made a series of flower portrait studies, returning to the egg tempera technique I had learned as an iconographer”.

Dimitris Papaioannou, Sketches from Life, 53, pencil on paper, 18×25,5 cm, 2023 (upper), Sketches from Life, 55, pencil on paper, 36x28cm, 2023 (lower left), Sketches from Life, 91, egg tempera on paper, 36×25,5cm, 2022 (lower righ). The Benaki Museum Shop and NOMAS Publications collaborated to present selected prints of drawings by Dimitris Papaioannou from the collector’s edition Sketches from Life. A limited series of printed drawings — depictions of naked bodies and landscapes drawn in pencil in the notebooks that accompany him to the beach — are presented as poetic testimonies to the purity of the Greek landscape

Papaioannou also notes that “These summers, as I become that man with the sketchbook, strangers invited to my solitude and meditation has become an act of observing. Even though most of them have to be done fast – or even rapidly depending on the restleness of the unsuspecting model—the sketches are in the end a testimony to slow time in the Cycladic setting. It is there and then that the beauty of all manifests itself. These old-school studies from life, useless to the contemporary curator, were meant to be private, but here they are: A graphite diary for killing time, healing time, and embracing the human figure with a loving gaze” (Source: Sketches of Life, Dimitris’ note).

Dimirtris Papaioannou, Sketches from Life, 93, pencil on paper, 42x30cm, 2021(left), Sketches from Life, 11, pencil on paper, 42x30cm, 2021(Source: facebook.com/papaioannou.page )

Dimirtris Papaioannou, Sketches from Life, 74, liquid graphite on paper, 40×50, 2023

“He was going up and up but Kalamiotissa was only revealed at the final turn”, sketch for the Anafi Comic by Dimitris Papaioannou, Kontrasol, 1987, reprinted and included in the edition Sketches from Life

Dimitris Papaioannou, Postcard included in the edition Sketches from Life, Nomas Publication)

Born in Athens in 1964, Dimitris Papaioannou gained early recognition as a painter and comics artist, before his focus shifted to the performing arts, as director, choreographer, performer, and designer of sets, costumes, make up, and lighting. He was a student of the iconic Greek painter Yannis Tsarouchis before studying at the Athens School of Fine Arts. He formed Edafos Dance Theatre, in 1986 as an initial vehicle for his original stage productions, hybrids of physical theatre, experimental dance, and performance art. Papaioannou became widely known in 2004, as the creator of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Games. Papaioannou’s 25 productions range from mass spectacles with thousands of performers to intimate pieces and have appeared in a wide variety of venues. Among his major works are: MEDEA (1993), ‘2’ (2006), NOWHERE (2009), INSIDE (2011), PRIMAL MATTER (2012), STILL LIFE (2014), THE GREAT TAMER (2017), SINCE SHE (2018), INK (2020), and TRANSVERSE ORIENTATION (2021). (Source: https://www.dimitrispapaioannou.com/en/profile)

The island of Anafi is a pristine destination, known for its beautiful beaches with crystal clear waters and golden sand. According to Greek Mythology, the island emerged from the depths of the Aegean Sea to offer shelter to the Argonauts. The ancient Greeks dedicated the island of Anafi to Apollo, the God connected to Sun, Light and Music. When the visitor experiences the brilliant light of this small island, tucked away at the southern edge of the Cyclades, it becomes clear that its mythical connection is no coincidence. Anafi remains untouched by the rhythms of modern society. Visitors, after experiencing its unique landscapes and the warm hospitality of its inhabitants, often develop a lasting affection for the island. (Source: https://anafi.gr/en/)

The picture-perfect Chora village is built on the ruins of a Venetian castle and features whitewashed dome-roofed houses and narrow, stone-paved alleys. This charming setting once inspired the craftsmen who left their home island in the Cyclades for Athens, between 1860 and 1870, and built the scenic neighbourhood of “Anafiotika” at the base of the Acropolis Rock (Source: visitgreece.gr)

On the eastern side of the island, Kalamos rock stands as the second highest monolithic limestone in the Mediterranean, after Gibraltar – a must-see for climbers. Throughout the day, the rock changes colour with the shifting sunlight, giving it a uniquely striking appearance. At the foot of the rock lie the ancient temple of Apollo and the Monastery of Zoodochos Pigi (Source: https://www.visit-anafi.gr/).

The first beach visitors encounter upon arriving in Anafi is Kleisidi, known for its fine golden sand and the distinctive palm trees. It is one of the most popular destinations on the island, protected from wind and sun by tamarisk trees that offer natural shade (Source: https://www.visit-anafi.gr/ )

Roukounas is the most popular beach on the island – vast, with fine golden sand and tamarisk trees lining the shore, generously offering their shade to all visitors. From most parts of the beach, one can enjoy a distinctive view of the Kalamos monolith. (Source: https://www.visit-anafi.gr/ )

Anafi is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Watch the video “Anafi Island Cyclades Greece – by Drone” (Source anafi.gr/en/):