YIORGOS
Digital print and screen print over composite banner material
In this amalgamated composite image print, I combined elements from two of my works exploring identity. (From ‘Map’ and ‘The Deeper the Roots the Stronger the Tree’).
In these works, a map of my hometown is a narrative history of the various civilisations that existed side by side or sequentially on the island of Crete. It is combined with a self-portrait in which the beard is made up of tiny migrating figures and the leaves seen in the background contain images of ancestors.
It felt right that these two prints should come together at this juncture, when I am re-examining what it means to create a new life but retain the narratives that travel with us. The title ‘Yiorgos’ is the Greek version of my name, seldom used in the UK, but exclusively used when I return to Greece.
The title and the imagery comment on the complexity and tension of defining an individual in terms of their place of origin, alone.
Professor Stuart Hall, a prominent cultural theorist, indeed contributed significantly to the concept of intersectionality. Intersectionality refers to the idea that individuals' social identities, such as race, gender, class, sexuality, and nationality, intersect and interact with one another, shaping their experiences and social positions in complex ways. Rather than viewing these identities as separate and independent, Hall emphasized the interconnectedness and overlapping nature of various aspects that define us.
In the discussion between Salman Rushdie, the renowned author, and Amartya Sen, the Nobel laureate economist and philosopher, they explored the notion that a single dominant identity can lead to the marginalization or erasure of other important aspects of an individual's identity, thereby hindering a nuanced understanding of their experiences and perspectives. By recognizing and appreciating the intersectionality of identities, we can better grasp the diverse and multifaceted nature of human existence, fostering empathy, inclusivity, and a more comprehensive understanding of social dynamics.