Wood carving has been one of the oldest occupations of a man. At Matala, the woodcut of Spyros Stefanakis stands as a custodian of its art.
It is not by chance that the children of the flowers lived here…it is not by chance that here, gazing at the sea, they envisioned a future based on love, life, friendship, peace. Close your eyes, fall in love. Live today….live eternity in the magic of this blessed place, the only one in the universe….Matala.
In this small excerpt, the Cretan artist Spyros Stefanakis unfolds the aspects of his great love for Matala, a love that was transformed into a wood carving of enormous dimensions and amazing beauty adorning the entrance of the village of Matala.
The wood carving, a gift to the village of the municipality of Phaistos, depicts four of the gods of Olympus and each of its branches represents a relief depiction of mythology and Greek culture.
With a strong desire to make a new start in his life, he was troubled when he was informed that the 600-year-old olive tree that stood at the entrance to the village was destined to be turned into six tons of firewood.
He asked for and received permission from the president of Matala to proceed with the transformation of the century-old olive tree as an offering to the residents of his beloved village.
The huge tree was 6 meters high and 3 meters wide. He started by chainsawing the thick pieces and then carved out the details with a chisel.
The base of the tree depicts 4 faces and is 2.20 meters high. The central figure is the god Dionysos, the spirit of revelry, the personification of youth and the joy of Life.
Next to him is Zeus, protector of law, order, justice and hospitality.
Behind him at the wood carving, the fearsome Poseidon, symbolizes the sea, the warm Libyan Sea that closes Matala and creates the unique beach gazing at its crystal waters while Mercury stands on the left, the patron of Arts and Commerce. Mercury reminds us of the high Art that created the Summer of Love, and that carried the children of the flowers to the beach of Crete. At the same time, Mercury is also the helper of the Merchants, reminding that Matala is a source of growth and enrichment, if they remain together with Art.
Following in the footsteps of a idiosyncratic “hippie-trail”, a large stream of travelers, who became known in the history of the place as hippies, arrived in South Crete in the 60s and 70s, where, adopting a natural way of life, they engaged in music, meditation, painting , poetry, philosophy and fishing, enjoying the clear blue sea, the warm nights and the sandy beach.
The moon is the universe, the dolphin symbolizes life’s journeys and the elders wisdom. Above, there is a meander, separating ancient from modern Greece, and there spread eight large branches, each carrying a distinct symbolism.
One of them has the shape of two young people in love, another a snake with an apple, a third a huge owl, another a huge dolphin with a trident and the last one a Cycladic figure that reflects Greek culture.
On the inner sides of the branches, the Cretan artist carved Heraclitus’ saying ‘everything flows’, but also the words peace, love, happiness, friendship.
At the nooks of the branches he has screwed pebbles, like stars, which symbolize the universe with Matala giving the impression to the visitor of being the very center of the Earth.
In addition to the carved tree, which stands proudly welcoming travelers to Matala, Spyros Stefanakis has created dozens of other wood carvings on old trees, trunks and pieces of wood. He prefers to sculpt faces with their eyes closed and smiling while their hair blows.
The themes that dominate his wood carvings are love, youth, but also proud old age, expressing for him two valuable advisors in a person’s life, experience and wisdom. He is fascinated by the universe, planets and mythology. He has carefully and elegantly crafted well-formed granite sculptures, such as the face of an old man, which adorns a wall in Matala, completing it in one month, in the summer of 2014.
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