
The Circle of Wool
July 15, 2024
Art and everyday life are interwoven masterfully in the life of Argyris Hatzimallis. He was born in Mytilene, left it at the age of 18 to study in Athens and returned to his place of origin to finally write his personal history from scratch. Its main protagonist, apart from him, is also the loom. Argyris is the only man who deals with his art in Lesvos. It all started from the “intelligence” he saw in the structure, texture and details of traditional clothing. They charmed him. So, she began a long journey to learn to weave.
The loom is Argyris’ answer to fast fashion, which as he states “made us lose our uniqueness to a certain extent because everyone dresses the same”. He has not missed Athens at all. “Leaving for good is the best thing I could have done for my life,” he emphasized and shared the reasons that led him to this decision. Argyris Hatzimallis dreams of building a whole world with his loom. For some time now, with endless hours of work and study, he has already reached a level that makes him see another “sight”.
How it all started
I am 44 years old. I was born in Mytilini, I lived here until I was 18, then I left to study – Librarianship and Art Conservation – and work in Athens and for the last few years I have been a permanent resident here. I lived in Metaxourgeio, inside the cement. I felt that Nature missed me and I returned to my place of origin.

I am a traditional dancer. I have been dancing for 30 years in traditional groups. I got to know the magic of authentic traditional costumes, through my participation in performances. I really like the thread and the garment. A desire was born in me to “decompose” them to see how they are made. At first, I started crocheting, then learned to embroider and sew on my grandmother’s sewing machine and left the hardest part for last. The loom. I did research in Lesbos about this art, about a decade ago. Lesvos was a huge textile center in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They wove a lot, especially in the parts of Agiasos. Incredible plaids, kilims, fabrics.

I decided to look for the art in the villages and later found to my regret that this art had died. The old weavers left and the art was not continued by anyone.
With each garment, a new world is born
This art is awesome psychotherapy. The steps, this perpetual motion of the shuttle going back and forth on the warps, relaxes me incredibly no matter how tired I am. The sense of self-sufficiency is unique. The goal is to produce my own fabric. I tend not to buy clothes for myself anymore. I have a seamstress and she sews mine for me.With every garment you see being made in front of you, you also see a world being born.

In recent years, I see several movements to revive this art and there is an audience that supports it.A lot of people think it’s simple.Many man-hours are required to create a garment. The cost is high. For years, we have become accustomed to a fast consumption of clothes, with mass production and low quality. We all dress the same and the uniqueness has been lost.I am inspired by the Balkan tradition, either in motifs in the textiles, or in patterns. I weave accessories, such as scarves, and more utilitarian items, such as mobile or notebook cases. Most of my friends support me.

The hustle and bustle of Athens makes you miss the point
I am very happy in Mytilene. Leaving Athens is the best thing I’ve done in my life, I don’t miss anything. I left her because she didn’t have the quality of life I was looking for, there was no contact with nature. Its size and bustle confuses you, you lose the essence of your life.