The performance The Vitruvian Woman is a work that aims to explore the relationship between the female body and the geometry of proportions, as derived from Leonardo da Vinci’s historical drawing The Vitruvian Man, which served as my inspiration.

The initial challenge was to integrate my own body into this famous composition, giving the seemingly rigid dimension of geometric construction a purely experiential artistic aspect. The entire process, from preparation to final execution, functioned as a means of self-observation, physical exploration, and visual commentary on proportionality and female identity.

For this purpose, I had to study theories related to anthropometry and the relationship between the human body and space and to literally position myself within the geometric boundaries of a carefully designed circle and square, reminiscent of Leonardo’s iconic work.

However, beyond the technical aspect, the questions that I was interested in exploring were: How does our perception change both as creators and as viewers when a woman is placed within a framework that historically depicts a man? What new narratives emerge through this reconstruction?

Creator: Despina Chaidogiannou
Supervising Professor: Christina Mitsani
Ionian University-Audio and Visual Arts
Bibliography:
Da Vinci, Leonardo. Vitruvian Man. 1490. Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice.
Hansen, Heather. "Emptied Gestures
https://www.heatherhansen.net/emptied-gestures.
 
Vitruvius. De Architectura. Μετάφραση από τον Morris Hicky Morgan. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1914.
Kavatziklis Dimitris, https://mikropragmata.lifo.gr/zoi/i-simasia-tou-anthropou-tou-vitrouviou-tou-leonarnto-nta-vintsi/ 
Vazouki Eudokia https://www.monopoli.gr/2021/03/19/istories/art-culture-sub/460720/apo-ti-frinta-kalo-mexri-ti-gennisi-tis-afroditis-to-gynaikeio-soma-stin-texni-se-ekthesi-tou-protou-psifiakou-mouseiou-voma/ 
Paizi Despina, Human body and Space, Theories of architecture