Mural of 108th Elementary School in Athens by Thomas Economacos

Peace mural of the 108th Elementary School in Athens 2007

"The Children of the 108th Elementary School - the Power of Abstraction" by Thomas Economacos

"The power of abstraction" by

Thomas Economacs and reflected upon by Hatto Fischer

Children of the 108^th Elementary School of Athens created under the coordination of Thomas Economacos for the Kids’ Guernica exhibition opening at Zappeion, Oct. 18, 2007 in conjunction with the ECCM Symposium ‘Productivity of Culture’ a special mural.

108 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OF ATHENS
CLASS Ε₁
1.	Ali Pamela	Teacher: George Michalopoulos
2.	Ardiol Luka
3.	Assenova Camelia
4.	Vassilopoulos Akis
5.	Voglis Marios
6.	Getsi Steven
7.	Ivanova Theodora
8.	Kiorai Entri
9.	Konomi Elena
10.	Konomi John
11.	Mangou Effie
12.	Mertiri Elena
13.	Mouskas Orestis
14.	Bissara Katerina
15.	Bobeika Adrian
16.	Pappa Vassiliki
17.	Rashid Roman
18.	Roussiti Christina
CLASS Ε₂
1.	Vessai Piro	Teacher: Vassiliki Gavriilidou
2.	Villios Andreas
3.	Georgadellos Thanos
4.	Koroudi Agelos
5.	Douri Polichronis
6.	Papas Agelos
7.	Vassilopoulou Katerina
8.	Theodoropoulou Ioanna
9.	Kleftoyanni Giota
10.	Kolokouri Eleni
11.	Kirli Fei
12.	Metjo Maria
13.	Mitopoulou Mirto
14.	Pattakou Athina
15.	Karavokiri Despina
16.	Gevorgian Diana
17.	Deliou Maria
18.	Vogli Ioanna
19.	Atanasoaie Victor
We are particularly thankful to the primary school teacher Mr. Ioannis Fotinos

According to Thomas Economacos, a first design of the peace mural was produced after children had made sketches on their own, at home or while in class, as to what made up their world.

They were then asked to ‘clean up’ their sketches. This prompted a movement towards abstraction, so the interpretation by Hatto Fischer.

By way of illustration as to how the mural came about, following sketch shows how things started to become very interesting.

The drawing reveals a convergence of spheres; equally it can be perceived as a move away from a centre of gravity. The drawing conveys a strong sense of a centrifugal power and makes the movement of spheres all the more interesting.

Such abstract spheres appear like beautiful bodies way out in the universe. They can only be concretized by the stretch of the imagination. It shows that children can go beyond what they see in their immediate surroundings.

Such abstraction brings them closer to what scientists and philosophers know about the beauty of truthful relationships between spheres and mathematical figures. It was underlined by Einstein saying, ‘God does not play dice!’

A key aim of this pictorial presentation of knowledge was to approach the mysteries of life and universe openly. It is done best by becoming rational insofar objects are shown by avoiding fluke projections upon the world. Its existence is not only about causal relationships.

Abstraction means exactly to explain the unknown by what can be known and nothing more. This is being rational. It lets the imagination become a torch in an otherwise dark world. Putting light to things is to start making discoveries. It begins by seeing the beauty of the universe. All what it requires is to put this in a frame and give it some reference.

To abstract from the real world around oneself, there has to exist above all trust. Only then it is conceivable to go forward even though there is no certainty. The only possibility to express something is to trust the pencil. A drawing comes about by letting the thoughts and with it the pencil go freely ahead. All impressions created speak for themselves. It does require letting go the hand. Only then can it become a free drawing. In this way the children enter a process of abstraction. A single ball can become an expression of such an abstraction.

From the spheres of abstraction as if in outer space the children return back to earth. Once back they come up with a new concept of the complex world they face daily around them. Only now they face the disorder of the real world with a different attitude due to having gained through the abstraction a calm and peaceful mind.

After that everything became easier. They children could go from the concrete through the abstract to something more conceptual in terms of discovered beauty. It includes a lovely face now perceived differently since the resemblance to those abstract spheres is known.

The children incorporated wonderful details into their mural. The little designs they noticed before were transferred onto the huge canvas after they had found through the abstraction a power to order things. They found a free expression in accordance to their own imagination of a beautiful life. Literally they spilled this wonder out onto the huge canvas to show another order in a disorder.They could do so after they had discovered the power of abstraction as a liberation from a world which usually clogs up their minds.

Thomas Economacos with the children in front of their mural

The children, 200 of them, made a tremendous contribution by greeting the participants of the ECCM Symposium 'Productivity of Culture' and together they traveled from mural to mural, as if different locations where wishes for peace have started to blossom like flowers in the spring.

Putting on a finishing touch on the mural

Likewise one of the girls from the school

Some of the boys

Thomas Economacos - artist, Greece

For further documentation of the mural go to

http://poieinkaiprattein.org/kids-guernica/peace-murals/108th-elementary-school-of-athens/

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Mural of 108th Elementary School in Athens by Thomas Economacos

"The Children of the 108th Elementary School - the Power of Abstraction" by Thomas Economacos