Oedipus

Oedipus

Oedipus — approximately 95 x 136 cm
from the “Oedipus & The Sphinx” 3D mixed media diptych
by Pantelis Melissinos
Athens 1990

Oedipus by Pantelis Melissinos presents the tragic hero as a charged, theatrical figure caught between fate, knowledge, violence, and revelation.

The crimson body, angular mask-like face, and sharp projecting forms give Oedipus an explosive physical presence. His arrow-like extensions and fragmented contours suggest movement, conflict, and the piercing force of destiny.

Behind him, swirling abstract shapes, cryptic Greek lettering, and bold graphic elements create a psychological landscape where thought, prophecy, and chaos collide. The figure seems both heroic and wounded — a man advancing through the very riddle that will destroy him.

As part of the “Oedipus & The Sphinx” diptych, this work captures Oedipus not simply as a mythological character, but as a symbol of the human struggle to confront truth, identity, and the terrifying consequences of self-knowledge.