SENSI MENTAL SENSI MENTAL SENSIMENTAL is an exercise

“SENSI MENTAL”

SENSI MENTAL SENSI-MENTAL is an exercise which has never been presented in public. It’s a study which despite the absence of any etymological basis, becomes a wordplay involving the terms sentimental, sense (feeling) and mental (rational). This small series of works is characterized by its strong emotional content, deriving from its experiential origin, as well as by my rational approach to matters which awaken my feelings. It will comprise new works, which will be produced as a continuation of the extensive series "Parallel Notions", and will be addressing the concepts of sleep - death - solitude - abandonment. Solitude will be the dominant element, expressing my melancholy when faced with the state of solitary or lonesome and defenceless people who are victims of their own options, diseases or coincidence. It further expresses my puzzlement/ over/ their abandonment by their "fellow-people" who do not accept those who are "different" and "weak" and thus lead them to a life on the fringe. My feelings and thoughts also embrace the victims of mass catastrophes inflicted by groups of people on "opposing" groups over ideological, religious, economic, personal or other issues. The latter originate from an anthropocentric individualism and I find that the cruelty of their consequences on people's biological and emotional balance is truly overwhelming. I have the feeling that people parody the use of the term communication; we thus confine it almost exclusively to the extraction of goods and power to such an extent that we do not care that these are attained through the abuse and violation of human rights and liberties. The antipode of this is the view that communication is not merely an exchange of information, but the expression of the virtue which is inherent in the human species and helps in understanding "the others". This breeds a peaceful environment which contributes to the abatement of distress for individuals and social groups. By creating isolated beds, I refer to various states of the individual, primarily photographing one's personal loneliness. By composing groups of beds and organizing environments, I comment on the loneliness of the individual as a member of the social web, identifying "places" and "causes" where Man, as a social being, feels alone and isolated. I express, in the most poetic way that I can, my feelings before images of people who are bedridden in hospitals and institutions, in refugee and army camp barracks, images of plundered desolate buildings, and I state my concern for people who are insane, sick or weak, and for minorities. Yorgos Kypris December 2002

The Works