A unique work of art, “The Sailor’s Wife”, has been adorning the land of Andros since last Saturday, June 29, in the Plakouras area, where sailors left and returned from the island.
This sculpture by acclaimed artist Vassilis Papasaikas is a sensitive portrayal of the sailor’s wife and the sacrifices she makes to keep the family together during the sailor’s absence. The work was donated by sisters Laskarina and Neni Karastami in memory of their parents.
The unveiling of the impressive bronze sculpture took place at an official ceremony hosted by the island’s President Theodosis I. Sousoudis, in the presence of sculptor Vassilis Papasaikas, donor sisters Laskarina and Neni Karastamati, Secretary General of Apodimos Hellenism and Public Diplomacy Ioannis Chrysoulakis, Archbishop Annas Vrettos, as well as many official guests.
The event was led by Georgios Tiniakos, president of the Pandria Seamen’s Association, and Eleni Beneki, historian, who spoke on the theme “The wives of the sailors of the ships of Andros”.
The mayor, among other things, emphasized the importance of the naval profession for Andros and the role of female sailors in the island’s society. “Tonight’s event is a tribute to the heroine Andriotissa, the wife who firmly holds the steering wheel of the house in her hands during the sailor’s absence,” said Theodosis I. Sousoudis.
The initiator of the idea and vision of the sculpture “Sailor’s Wife” was the mayor himself, who found a warm response from sisters Laskarina and Neni Karastami for the realization of this project.
Ioannis Chrysoulakis, Secretary General of Apodimos Hellenism and Public Diplomacy, highlighted the importance of the sailor’s wife as a “beacon of hope and stability for the family”. He expressed his gratitude to Mrs. Laskarina and Neni Karastami for the generous donation of the sculpture in memory of his parents. “A sailor’s wife is a source of comfort and support, keeping families together despite the distance,” said Chrysoulakis.
Mrs. Laskarina Karastami, in her moving speech, expressed her gratitude for the realization of this project, which honors both the memory of her parents and the maritime tradition of Andros. “Today’s event honors all the sailors, their families and especially the women who stay behind and support their families with strength and dedication,” said Mrs. Laskarina Karastami.
The presence of a large number of people and the exciting atmosphere of the event underlined the importance of female sailors for the local community of Andros and for Greek navigation in general.
The game
The work is composed of three faces, that of a young mother, the baby she holds in her arms and her five-year-old daughter who is to her right.
The composition portrays the image of the wife of the sailor Andriotis, as she climbs to a high point in the country of Andros with her two children and watches her husband’s ship set off on a long voyage. It tells the story of the reality of island society, where women, left behind, are necessarily and exclusively responsible for protecting and raising their children, since men are constantly at sea.
The means that the art of sculpture provides for the subsequent representation of this image are: the number of people represented, the age and physical structure of each one, the posture of the body and the expression of the face, the choices of clothing and finally the location of the project and its orientation.
The choice of the mother with two children echoes, on the one hand, the situation prevailing in Greece in the second half of the 20th century, where in most Greek families this is the number of children, on the other hand it does not comply with the need for a symmetrical number of people in the organization of the composition of the work, as it densifies the composition by focusing the viewer’s attention on what is symbolized, which would be difficult to happen with the enlargement of a multifaceted composition.
The creator portrays the woman as a young woman, with a courageous physique, stepping strongly with both feet, as he wants to symbolize strength and determination. The expression on her face is calm and at the same time hard and determined. Her profile bears all the genetic characteristics of our race. Her hair is tied in a small bun, which decently adds to the callousness and severity of her face.