Nestled amidst the Aegean Sea, the ancient island of Delos emerges as a timeless testament to human ingenuity and the harmonious interplay between architecture and nature, in this captivating series of photographs shared with ArchDaily for the International Day of Photography by artist Erieta Attali, along with the insightful voice of Brazilian architect Angelo Bucci. Inspired by Attali's work, Bucci crafts a narrative that explores the profound connection between architecture and the environment, echoing the ethos of Delos itself.
Afloat | The Shifting Landscapes of Delos, by Angelo Bucci on Erieta Attali
Half desert and half sea, so was the world that her eyes saw first. The Mediterranean Sea and the Negev desert in Israel were her first landscapes. Then, a narrow sea between two worlds, the Bosporus, and a city that serves as a bridge between East and West, compressed between two seas, the Marmara and Black. Istanbul was the childhood of her eyes since they emerged from Greece, where they learned how to see.
Still, there is Athens, the place where her eyes reached youth when a very special way of seeing was consolidated. There, the Greek land was so scattered amid the sea that it is possible to imagine that one can spend life as a newly landed: the ground moves in waves beneath the feet.
In that condition, maybe the most reliable fixed point is the eye itself leveled by its own orbit. Everything outside is in motion. What the eye sees moves in space, or displaces; also moves in time, or changes. But mainly moves through images imprinted on the back of the eye, or expands one’s symbolic repertoire. In that context, the line which defines the boundary between architecture and landscape begins to blur. As if the mountain were the temple’s eve or as if the temple in ruins were stones decomposing back to its origin. Or vice versa...
This series of photos was made possible thanks to the support and collaboration of several individuals and organizations. We extend our gratitude to the Greek Ministry of Culture, EFA École française d'Athènes, the dedicated staff and night guards of Delos ancient island, as well as Yorgos Samoladopoulos and Attali's assistants and friends who accompanied her on this mission. Their contributions, including the archaeological diary and equipment carrying in the harsh conditions of the island, were invaluable. We'd like to acknowledge the efforts of Asgeir Brynjar Torfason , Economist (Iceland); Yannis Tournikiotis, Art Historian (France); and Lukas Walcher, Architect (Germany), for their significant roles in making this photographic exploration possible.
