TAKI 183

Article about TAKI 183 in Ta Nea, www.tanea.gr/politismos/article/?aid=4645221

Gallery of his graffiti, http://www.taki183.net/#gallery

Biography, http://www.taki183.net/#biography

See also The History of American Graffiti [www.cantabpublishing.com/blog/?p=4619] for a Forward by TAKI 183

Visualizing Identity in U.S. Greek Festivals

Hybridity in Greek America

Drawn by an anonymous Greek-American student at Ohio State University (OSU) (circa mid1990s), the figure at the bottom above combines symbols of ethnic and regional identity. The traditional dress as well as the exclamatory OPA clearly point to Greek ethnic identity. The buckeye nut, on the other hand, which figures as the headpiece of the dancing figure, is the symbol of the State of Ohio, and OSU athletics. Note that the OPA is also entangled in the dual symbolism. The decorative buck eye brings attention to the O which itself is drawn in a manner to replicate the letter as it commonly appears in OSU prints.

The popular artist here draws from two ubiquitous images: the ezvone (pervasive as an expression of Greek-American male identity in U.S. Greek festivals, and symbol of Greek national identity); and the Brutus Buckey, the athletics mascot of The Ohio State University. The "Buckeyes" is a term referring to OSU's intercollegiate sport teams and players. The image gives expression to a Greek-Ohio-American identity, in fact a Greek-American Buckeye.

The image is a great example of hybridity, which refers to cultural forms combining elements of more than one culture. As such it invites further commentary. What does a hybrid identity mean? Should we value it or not? Why? Is it a progressive cultural form, or not?

But I resist to offer my own thoughts as I am primarily interested in your own comments. How does the image make you feel? What kind of thoughts does it trigger? Is this image significant, and in what way?

Representing Greek Americans in Greek Movies

Για λόγους αποκλειστικά επαγγελματικού καθήκοντος αναφέρομαι στις παρακάτω ταινείες που θα ενδιαφέρουν ερευνητές που ασχολούνται με την απεικόνιση των Ελληνοαμερικανών στην Ελληνική κοινωνία:

I Love Karditsa, www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqiJfIuSyi8

Ρόδα, Τσάντα και Κοπάνα, www.youtube.com/watch?v=spDJ6Ywxg3s

Greek American Poetry in Astoria

queenscouncilarts.org/sing-in-me-oh-muse-greek-american-poetry-in-astoria/

For a video see,

www.thenationalherald.com/video/2011

Diaspora and the Greek Crisis

www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_17/07/2011_398713

«Μνήμη Νίκου Σπάνια» – Τάσος Κόρφης

Δεν μπόρεσα να διαβάσω το γράμμα σου: Επαναλήψεις και

σβησίματα

Ψηφία και λέξεις ενωμένες, η σπουδή

για ένα στερνό μήνυμα, μεσάνυχτα,

Νεκρός, σχεδόν, σ΄ένα πάρκο της Νέας Υόρκης.

Τώρα στην ξενητιά αποκρυπτογραφώ τις λέξεις του,

Μαθαίνω τα συνώνυμα της ερημιάς, τη σημασία

Των μεγάλων προτάσεων, που άδικα τρεκλίζουν

Σ' έναν αδιέξοδο μονόλογο, βλέπω

Την έντρομη σκιά σου στο γραμμένο χαρτί.

Και είναι, όπως τότε, μεσάνυχτα σε σπίτι τυφλών

Με το σκυλί να ουρλιάζει κυνηγώντας την ουρά του,

Με το λευκό τοίχο να υψώνεται και να κλείνει το δρόμο,

Με τον τρελό βιολιστή να παίζει τον ίδιο σκοπό,

Και τα τραίνα να φεύγουν,

Περνώντας πάνω από το σώμα μου.

Από το βιβλίο Τάσος Κόρφης, Ποιήματα - Β΄

Εκδ. Πρόσπερος, 1997.

Πηγή, http://poem-for-you.blogspot.com/

Visualizing Greek Identity in the Diaspora

Advertisement of the Taste of the Danforth event in Toronto, Canada

Featured in The National Herald Online, 07/16/2011

Images of Greece in the U.S.

"Buses in Washington, D.C. carry messages warning Americans that raising the debt ceiling without cutting spending could soon result in a situation similar to that of Greece."

Source: The National Herald Online, 07/16/2011

McCarthyism and Greek America

www.tanea.gr/vivliodromio/?aid=4642527