Because his museum, for complicated reasons, is not open to the public or even the village, far too little is known of the laic sculptor Aristedes Metallinos, whose work
Linda and I first saw before last Christmas, with our friend Cinty, as guests of Angeliki Metallinos and her parents Anna, and Andreas, the sculptor's son. We were entranced, intrigued, amused and enthused.
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| Aristedes Zak. Metalllinos - Αριστείδη Ζαχ. Μεταλληνος 1908-1987* |
Imagine then my delight at seeing that Thanassis, who runs the village website, has just posted a piece about his fellow villager, including two images of the sculptor's many reliefs.
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19.06.14
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Η επίσκεψη ήταν μια επιθυμία ετών, από τότε που ζούσε ακόμη ο Αριστείδης Μεταλληνός και μια πρόσκλησή του στο εργαστήριό του αποκάλυψε ένα σπουδαίο ταλέντο στη γλυπτική τέχνη. Ως ανάμνηση, ξεθωριασμένη εικόνα στο νου, είχε απομείνει κάτι από τη θέαση μερικών γλυπτών πάνω σε πέτρα, που απεικόνιζαν επαγγέλματα του χωριού. Πριν από μερικές μέρες ο υιός Ανδρέας Μεταλληνός προσέφερε την ευκαιρία για μια νέα ματιά στο σύνολο της σημαντικής δουλειάς του πατέρα του, μερικές εκατοντάδες κομμάτια, που συνθέτου ένα πραγματικό θησαυρό της λαϊκής μας κληρονομιάς και κοσμούν τους τοίχους ενός Μουσείου που δεν έχει ακόμη λειτουργήσει.
Ανάμεσα στα πολλά έργα, σε περίοπτη θέση, βρίσκεται και μια αναπαράσταση του "Κορακιανίτικου Χορού" ... (my translation) Folk tradition. The visit was desired for years; since Aristides Metallinos was still alive. An invitation to the workshop revealed a great talent for sculptor. There was a hazy memory of having viewed sculptures in stone depicting village occupations. A few days ago his son, Andreas Metallinos, offered the opportunity for a fresh look at all the important work of his father, a few hundred pieces that make up a real gem of our folk history, adorning the walls of a museum that is not even open...Among the many works displayed is a representation of 'Korakiana Dancing' ![]() |
Σταυρωτός χορόςΆνω Κορακιάνας 1985 - Ano Korakiana circle dance |
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It seems that the safest, perhaps the wisest, way to bring the sculptor wider attention is to focus on his role in depicting tradition - the work of a pastoral village society, known to him through childhood and middle age but almost disappeared by the time he began, late in life, to work in stone and marble. He celebrated his wife and children, motherhood, the beautiful costumes that villagers - men and women - don, even now, for dancing and singing. These are the work shown in one of the few academic papers about the man (
Efrithiki Antzοulatοu-Retsila (2005) ‘The folklore of Corfu in the art of the traditional stone-sculptor Aristidi Metallinou’, in Efrithikis Antzοulatοu-Retsila (editor), Culture and Heritage Combined, Papazisi Publications, Athens, pp. 47-70 [ISBN: 960-02-1860-9]} -
Trickier is knowing that the village's sculptor, as well as recording tradition - the laic element of his work - was also using his hammer and chisels to create a commentary on human nature and the world - pungent, erotic and ribald. This is why, before we saw the museum inside, some described his house as 'the naughty museum' or remarked "Isn't he the one who made all those sexy sculptures?""Didn't he do pornography?"
Have a second glance at the relief of traditional olive pressing - seated centre, the man in his boater, the supervising arm of
one in charge. Aristedes worked marble with passionate force; depicting depravity; man's voracious and feckless appetite for cruelty, gluttony and meanness; the oppressive wheel, the butcher's shop, the Procrustean bed...How troubling for a village proud and glad of its history and traditions, its ceremonies and celebrations, to find an address for the recalcitrant stone worker on
Democracy Street...![]() |
| The use of woman - the start of a sequence of works depicting gradual emancipation |
*Images of the village artist and his work posted on Democracy Street with permission from Andrea and Anna Metallinos, for which many thanks!
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Pizza and salad for supper. Lin carefully rescues an exquisite little snail -
Helix aspersa - nestling in the remains of Lollorosso from a friend's allotment.
