Michelle Echenique
Artist

Created on the island of Lesvos, Greece The Seaview Trail is influenced by Greek myth, history, culture and the island surroundings.

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Ranging from the grand and ornate to the humble and compact an abundance of churches dot the island. These sanctuaries are open to the public. All have common elements: icons, a place to make an offering and sit. I decided to create a chapel on theart residence property. I kept the form, but rather than venerating Christian saints and the deity, I chose to celebrate the environment and tap into Greek mythology.

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The trail passes through an olive grove with adjacent vineyards. With that in mind, I created a chapel dedicated to Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and Athena, the Greek Goddess who created the olive tree.

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A cardboard carpet welcomes walkers; the flattened boxes retain elements of their source a reminder that as an island much of what is consumed arrives via ships from the sea. The refurbished chairs, placed for perfect viewing of the sea and the icon of Athena, have as their seats and backs reclaimed life jackets making a physical, watery association.

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