Proceedings of The 6th International Academic Conference on Education
Year: 2023
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.33422/6th.iaceducation.2023.03.102
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The Greek War Of Independence (1821) And The Artwork Of Kostis Velonis. Art Practice And New Technologies In The Secondary Education
Dr. Dorotheos Orfanidis, Dr. Ifigeneia Vamvakidou
ABSTRACT:
In the 1970s, the research interest of historians concerning intellectual “foundamentals” increased. The study of memory as a scientific object started at the beginning of the 20th century, and the common denominator of the studies was the finding, that memory is not a anelastic storeroom, but an active process for meaning creation. It is determined by social contexts, i.e. language, time, space, experience and the materials offered by society and they are necessary to recognize memories. Collective memory constitutes a communicative process, which presupposes reference to a social group (social class, Church, family). The Greek revolution is a particularly complex historical event, which mobilized different iconic “figures”, intellectuals, social and religious personas, who they mainly participated at the comflicts in several notable events and battles. The Greek revolutionaries faced significant challenges, as they were initially outnumbered and lacked proper military resources. It is is seen as a symbol of national independence and the fight against oppression, inspiring other movements for independence and self-determination around the world. It is portraited as an heroic act of great historical and cultural significance. In our days, new representations of gorilla fighters of 1821 revolutionary war, are proposed by the artist Kostas Velonis (1968-), with eight funeral masks, as juxtapositions and correlations of the historical material that seek the unconventional approach of our national narrative. What might be an educational practice that connects the visual artwork with the historical discourse about the Greek Revolutionary War of 1821? And what can be the role of new technologies in education? Can they become the cornerstone in the educational practice?
keywords: Greek Revolution, sculpture, history, memory, 1821, fighters