The idea of an "Elderly people's home - Unit against Pain" was inspired by a group of 16 elderly Paxiots who worked together in 2005 and 2006 during a European project called "Anchize". They travelled to Florence, Italy and collaborated with a group of Italian Elderly from Pergine Valdarno (Tuscany) and also visited Amsterdam and worked with a group of elderly from the village of Wijk aan Zee. They talked about their lives in their villages, commented on problems of the present and shared their dreams about their grandchildren and their hopes for the future. The Paxiot group helped us gather forgotten fairy tales, songs, dances and music of local culture. They remembered old games and taught them to school children of today. But most importantly they expressed their fear of being forced to abandon their beloved island and their homes if grave illness, loneliness, helplessness of any kind knocks on their door. Municipal authorities listened to their cry of agony. After a year of search and discussions, the church of St Charalabos agreed to donate a plot of land of approximately 4000 sq. meters to the Municipality of Paxos in order for such a Home to be built. Relevant authorities have controlled the particular property and approved it as suitable for such a purpose. On the 12 of June 2010 the official contract was signed between the Mayor of Paxos, Spyros Bogdanos as representative of the Local Council and Reverent, Charalabos Mastoras as representative of the Church of Agios Charalabos donating the land to the municipal authorities of Paxos with the sole purpose of building within the next 10 years the "Elderly People's Home - Unit against Pain". Lonely elderly, people of any age with incurable illnesses, the homeless and needy inhabitants of Paxos of any nationality will find a hospitable refuge at this much expected home. Local painter Vasilis Romanos very kindly decided to offer any proceeds from his paintings sold during the present exhibition to this purpose. The exhibition takes place between the 1st and 12th of August 2010 at the Local Council Chamber in Gaios. Oppening hours daily between 8 and 11 p.m. We thank him dearly and hope that more friends of Paxos will decide to contribute to the same cause. Board of Directors Poseidon Cultural Association Municipality of Paxos
Vasilis Romanos is a Greek islander with sea water in his veins, thirst for new experiences in his mouth, natural talent to distinguish beauty in his eyes. A citizen of the world, letting life and circumstance guide him, he came in contact with very different cultures, some of them as ancient as the Greek one.
Painting became an instinctive way of expressing his impressions of all he saw and touched quite early in his life.
Being a self taught painter, he was left free to experiment on techniques, methods, styles through his personal contact with world famous 20th century painters and his research on worldwide appreciated works without the restrictions and norms of art schools and fashionable styles.
His virgin artistic spirit as well as his adoration for his home - island's landscapes are evident in every period of his art.
From the tower - houses on cliff tops overlooking a sea painted intensely blue, that only a blowing mistral could turn so blue or the tiny villages, full of houses with a somehow individual personality, showered by a sunset light radiating warmth or the fishermen's huts with the grayish painted wooden boats, marking the loss of a fisherman in the family to the rich red, yellow, orange and purple thick brush strokes of ladies' forms, New Yorkers in suits, Afghans in turban or New Orleans saxophone players; whether it is geometric designs or his own cubism variations; whether it is Greek country landscapes or empty foreign city streets, Paxi, his home- island is always present through its light, its colors, through the memories the island has offered him, through the happiness that the island feels his heart with every time he gets out of bed in the morning.
Since 1995 V. Romanos lives and works on Paxos, occasionally taking part in exhibitions in Athens, Milan, Paris and Lecce. Every August the Municipality of Paxos organizes an exhibition of his work, the proceeds of which are offered to the realization of a cause concerning the local community.
Vasilis Romanos carries the soul of his island on his brush stroke: silent, harsh, proud, disobedient, lonely, distant but at the same time full of joy, warmth and inner beauty, available to anyone tenacious enough to get to know the artist, his work and Paxi.
Faye Lychnou
August 2007