Does Nature Mimic Art?
There’s a fascinating cave in Greece that has been forming for over 2,000,000 years. Filled with stunning stalactites and stalagmites, it’s a three-story marvel nestled inside a hill where… Nature Mimics Art! This is the Perama cave in Ioannina.
Locals discovered the cave during World War II while seeking refuge from Nazi airstrikes. They stumbled upon the first chamber and took shelter there. In the late 1950s, a brave individual, a cave scientist and professor of physical education, ventured through a narrow opening. He crawled about 120 meters and uncovered the full extent of the cave. This local “Indiana Jones” brought this natural gem to public knowledge.
In this vast cave, one of the largest in the Balkans, you can witness incredible natural creations. Stalagmites with diameters of several meters, stalactites resembling squids, broccoli, and grapes, and large rooms where “baby” stalagmites grow. Natural sculptures, with intricate details that took millions of years to form! However, what truly captivated my attention was a stalagmite resembling an ancient Greek or Roman statue, perhaps an emperor. The stalagmite looked calm and timeless, exactly like the Roman emperor.
We usually say that Art Mimics Nature and this is something that makes sense, since human imagination is vastly shaped by our observation of nature. Sometimes though the reverse seems also to hold! After all, creativity comes in many shapes and falling drops of water apparently share some of them.
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Cheers,
Ersi
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