Sustainability. Acrylic and oil on canvas cardboard with parts of aluminium, 50 x 70 cm.
Conceptual description: A visual composition that aims to highlight Sustainability, which is the biggest challenge of our time. In front of a bombed city background and two helicopters flying menacingly in the sky, stands an anthropomorphic figure, emerging from a water fountain. This figure, formed with curved lines in a surreal-op-artistic manner, has the poise of the Venus de Milo, one of the most famous works of ancient Greek sculpture, appropriate to symbolize the Sustainability of Western civilization.
Water, as the most vital element for humans, occupies the central and larger area, within the space. The air and soil seem to be polluted, at the present by the war industry. The lines that form the body of Aphrodite, (Venus, goddess of beauty, love and fertility) in the upper right part, turn into sprouting branches and further emphasize the concept of Sustainability.
Sociopolitical facts about Sustainability: According to the UN definition, Sustainability means meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In addition to natural resources, we also need social and economic resources. Sustainability is not just environmentalism.
Numerous international organizations aim to support Sustainability in various fields. Mainstreaming, Acceleration and Policy Support (MAPS) is a common approach adopted by the UN system for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 17 SDGs are structured around the five pillars of the 2030 Agenda: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnerships. These 5 Ps highlight how the SDGs are an intertwined framework instead of a group of solo goals. The progress on one P must balance and support the progress on another.
At this point, we take out the P that stands for Peace and call on the political elites of the developed countries of the world, to support the goals of Sustainability and stop maintaining any war by making serious diplomatic efforts in order to achieve Peace in the world.
Keywords:smyrnios, painting, greek sculpture, venus de Milo, aphrodite, sustainability, civilization, heritage, people, planet, prosperity, peace, partnerships, surreal, op art.