Artwork
Κοινοί Τόποι VI
Κοινοί Τόποι VI is a drawing by Ioannis Belimpasakis. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Organisation of Museums of Visual Arts of Thessaloniki – MOMus.
About this work
Overview
Ioannis Belimpasakis’s work “Κοινοί Τόποι VI” belongs to his “Common Places” series, which re‑examines historic visual narratives through abstraction. The piece is an image on white paper, composed of dark, fragmented forms that suggest the remnants of a larger composition rather than a recognizable scene.
Subject & Meaning
The artwork references Jean‑Louis‑Théodore Géricault’s 19th‑century canvas “The Raft of the Medusa,” a depiction of the 1816 shipwreck and its desperate survivors. By dismantling that composition, Belimpasakis evokes a world stripped of its former anchors, highlighting contemporary anxieties such as migration, instability and the threat of violence across the Mediterranean.
Technique & Style
Employing a stark monochrome palette, the artist renders jagged edges, shadows and texture that recall broken puzzle pieces. The lack of figurative detail and the emphasis on line and surface create a sense of disintegration, while the careful handling of paper and ink underscores a high level of technical control.
Context
The series situates a historic tragedy within present‑day discourses on displacement and humanitarian crises. By abstracting a well‑known historical image, the work invites viewers to consider how collective memory and visual representation shift when confronted with modern forms of suffering.
Legacy
“Κοινοί Τόποι VI” continues Belimpasakis’s exploration of how canonical artworks can be reinterpreted to comment on current social issues. Its fragmented visual language contributes to ongoing dialogues in contemporary art about the role of history, migration and the politics of representation.
Artist & collection
Artist
Museum
Metropolitan Organisation of Museums of Visual Arts of Thessaloniki – MOMus
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