Acrylic and chalk on canvas, 150 x 200 cm
GLIAUGIR writes about it:
"We come from the sea.
Our core of being, the 'pillar of our life', makes it clear:
"Individually we are one with everything, as in small and large.
As above, so below we return, forward into the light darkness.
A dolphin leads us to the 'Island of the Blessed'. A new beginning?"

Greek mythology refers to the "Island of the Blessed" as Elysion or Elysium. It lies in the west of the known world and was originally reserved for heroes, the favourites of the gods. Today it is assumed that the Greeks could have meant Madeira, the Azores, the Canary Islands or Cape Verde Islands with this island. However, Elysion, with its lush nature, the carefreeness of existence and the absence of earthly suffering, comes close to paradise. Dolphins also play a very positive role in Greek mythology as animals of the goddess Demeter.

Volker Schmidt-GLIAUGIR (*1954 in Saarbrücken, Germany) lives and works in Saarbrücken. The versatile graduate designer paints, draws, illustrates, conceives performances, gives concerts, organises ART events, exhibits internationally and is a lecturer at various creative workshops. He has been working with the Europäische Akademie Otzenhausen for a long time in various constellations. For example, he acted as artistic consultant for the project Cerda & Celtoi and designed the book and flyer for the project. GLIAUGIR is the most frequently represented artist here with over 40 works (after Alfred Fuchs) and has exhibited several times at the academy: 1978 (together with Tom Gundelwein and Claus C. Krisch), 1990, 2005 ("Antikquarius") and 2015 ("Bitu Matos"). Even though he was at times particularly committed to Celtic culture, his name is borrowed from Germanic mythology: "Gliaugir, the one with the gleam in his eyes, or the one with the sharp look".