Marmairo; Reflections on Tinian Marble

“Marmairo” is a collaborative project between Dr. Alexandra Antonopoulou from UAL-LCC, Eleni Glinou from University of West Attica and the designer Eva Temponera.

“Marmairo” is the Greek verb that the word marble derives from; it means ‘to shine’, ‘ to ‘sparkle’, to ‘reflect’. The project is itself a reflection on marble, the Tinian marble quarries and their extensions in the island’s socio-environmental life.

Marble’s common use in the local community has largely demystified its designs, yet marble is seen as a sacred material. For example, marble designs can be found everywhere in Tinian’s home, villages and churches. Despite the wide spread marble designs Tinians treat marble with admiration and care. To this date, all Tinians have relatives and friends who are mar- ble sculptors, marble historians or even marble conservators who worked in Acropolis and other miraculous sites abroad.

It is a paradox that Marble continues to reverberate in everyday life, despite the fact that most of the marble quarries are not in use these days.

During our research project we visited, worked and created video-performances at the Tinian marble quarries; By tracing
the rock surfaces on paper using charcoal and graphite, we found ourselves capturing traces of human intervention on nature. The physical action of hand-printing using the “frottage” technique in addition to the soundscapes created by the wind and the drawing material hitting the rock, can be seen seen as a ritualistic re-meterialisation of marble in charcoal and graphite. We contextualise our performative drawing interventions as de- sign based methods that visualise aspects of the Anthropocene.

Though this project, Tinos’ silent marble quarries have became creativity sites - open canvases for producing new aesthetic experiences for all.

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