Thessaloniki: A 25-year-old with Down syndrome paints the world and dreams of peace
“I feel safe when paint“, Says the 25-year-old Orestis Chiotisa young man with Down syndrome who dreams of never stopping painting. “I should never quit my job,” he says.
His paintings and mood are driven by the colors he loves so much. Especially the black, blue, yellow and red “of the explosion”, as it characterizes it.
The exhibition of Orestes, which opens today (Friday 18/03) at 19:00 in the art space “ro” (Romanou 5), begins with a volcano, continues with flowers that receive light from the day and follows a series of works with birds . .
Due to topicality, we stand more in the dove of peace. “A black night where the dove does not cry much, but is a little sad,” he describes the play. “Birds are like a religion to me. “When I see them, they bring me joy,” he explains.
The tour of the exhibition continues with the guardians. “It is night and the trees protect and help the people,” he describes.
Then there are the virtues. His favorite is Justice. Below is a woman who sees the moon and cries and next to her a colorful state.
Inspired by nature, sea and rain. “I like their sound,” he says. He listens to music from the Greek cinema and classical. He always listens when he paints – and paints for many hours every day. “I paint because I like it. Because I want it. When I paint, I feel a little sadness, a little joy, whatever goes with the color. I do not feel very uncomfortable. I feel safe”.
Several of Orestes’ works have been printed on mugs, earrings, T-shirts, pareos and handkerchiefs, which can be found in the “ro” art space.
The exhibition will run until March 28, 2022.
“The living dead”
On a black background, Orestes’s favorite color is also printed and his book “The Dead” (published by Paperback 2021) which is presented on Saturday, March 19, 2022 at 12.00 in the exhibition space.
“The dead are all people,” says Orestes, explaining that all people have pandemics, riots, noise, violence and war. That’s why his story focuses on virtues. “Virtues help people,” he says.
The book he made with the help and support of his professor from AKTO Thessaloniki where he studied Graphic Designer, Giannis Stamenitis, with whom he developed a very beautiful relationship.
She helped him complete his works, showed him new techniques, elements that suit him from Art History and suggested that he learn illustration, how words are combined with images.
Protagonist in a film of the 24th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival
Orestes is one of the protagonists, along with 6-year-old Anna Maria and 20-year-old Maria, in Argyris Liapi’s documentary “+1”, which is shown on the platform of the 24th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival (March 10-20, 2022) and as he says, he enjoyed . the shooting. “I was just happy. I liked it go – come with the director. The action”.
With the exhibition and the presentation of the book, the film, with the support of the Down Syndrome Association of Greece, will be screened on Sunday, March 20, 2022 at 11.00 at “Makedoniko”.