Landscape of Ydra 2001

Panayiotis Tetsis created this oil painting of the Landscape of Ydra using bold brushstrokes to capture the essence of the island. The painting's composition is divided into three horizontal bands: the dark, textured landmass in the foreground, the cool blue sea, and the pale sky above. Tetsis' technique emphasizes materiality; thick, visible strokes of paint create a tactile surface, almost like the rough texture of the island itself. The brushwork is particularly expressive in rendering the foliage and the rugged coastline, giving the landscape a dynamic, almost turbulent feel. The colours, while muted, are applied in layers, suggesting depth and form. This invites a reading of the landscape not just as a visual scene, but as a constructed space, one where the artist's process is as important as the subject matter. Tetsis challenges the traditional landscape genre, using painterly gestures to explore the relationship between representation and abstraction. The visual structure destabilizes fixed meanings and highlights the act of seeing and interpreting.