Greek photographer Mixalis Kalaitzakis' dramatic shots are from an art performance / demonstration by expressionist artist and fellow Greek, Xristina Foitou. The event took place during the XV Biennale de la Mediterranée in Thessaloniki, Greece, in October & November 2011.
Xristina's technique is to transcribe the movement of her model, Natalia, while she is in motion, rather than from a still pose over several hours. The moving body also leaves traces on the paper, which the artist incorporates into the finished piece.
Mixalis' photographs not only capture the unique intimacy between the artist and model, they collapse the distance between the viewer and the 'performers'. The result is that the wild, ritualistic nature of the scene resembles that of an exorcism, an analogy that is perhaps highly appropriate for the creation of art.
MONOBLOG is proud to present Mixalis' series Xristina & Natalia for this edition.
All photos, copyright Mixalis Kalaitzakis, 2011
Mixalis 'Michael' Kalaitzakis was born in Chania, Crete.
He studied physics at the University of Crete ( Heraklion ), and has completed
postgraduate studies ( in Adult Education at the Open University ) on
“photography in education”. He has taught at the University of Crete's Photography Group ( in Heraklion ), and since 2005, teaches voluntarily in Fotoskiasi, the University's group based in Chania. From 2010 he has been organizing workshops on the techniques, aesthetics and history of photography, and his articles have been featured in the Chaniotika Nea newspaper's Diadromes supplement.
Mixalis has participated in 26 group and 4 solo
exhibitions, and has been published in the Greek press ( magazines
‘Photographer’, ‘Photonet’, ‘Stigmes’, etc. ).
His work is also in private collections.
