Dinner Theatre: No Ham in the SoupPENNY Loizou directed Peter Shaffer’s Black Comedy for ACT at the Nicosia Hilton.Googie Withers (Dead of Night, Pink String and Sealing Wax) once appeared in a Dinner Theatre (with husband John Macallum) at the Nicosia Hilton. Yes she did. On interviewing her, she explained the difficulty of acting in a dining room and how another star went through agony before her entrance at a Dinner Theatre elsewhere. This was Claudette Colbert (It Happened One Night, Cleopatra) who was waiting to follow her leading-with-a-smile man but was forced to stay amongst the cutlery for quite a while as the audience kept on cheering, screaming and laughing for a long, long time but not actually for her. She eventually went into the dining room (the stage) to pick her co-star off the floor. He was quite big, too. Rex Harrison had upstaged her.Although the cast last Friday were, if they wished, passed titbits from the buffet before their performance not a single actor would miss a cue. After tucking in for one and half hours the ten to a table audience were told that the play was ready to start but desert - chocolate carre, vanilla panacota & lime mousse and coffee – would be served after the "Curtain Call".This is the hilarious play in which lights on (for the audience) means there is a power cut, while lights off means the space is flooded with light. Even the last line ends with the cast completely in the dark once the fuses have been mended. Brilliant. However at the final curtain call everyone could be seen and Penny was brought in from the dark of the dining table area to receive her well deserved bouquet.Everyone of the cast was excellent, movement outstanding, accents in class and other languages dead on. Faultless performances with every section of the acting area used to advantage. Top standard direction of course.Well here are the names of this great ensemble: Ricky Iacovou, Melanie Lovatt, Hilary Ives, Carlo Ioannou, James Mackay, Andrew Varley, Tessa Kolessides and John O’Donoghue.
Psathari’s Auction HouseThe creation of Psathari’s Auction house is substantially the extension of the work of Kypriaki Gonia Gallery which for fourteen years has served and serves with consistency the Art and Culture.The House aspires to serve the Art with the same zeal, contributing in the wider projection and promotion, in the formation of a new generation of votary of the Arts, in the creation of new collections, in the enrichment and renewal of old and still it provides the possibility for the votary of the Arts to invest in the Arts, creating the stock exchange of Arts.The House will deal with the auctioning of the work of Cypriot and Greek artists such as Kashelos, Votsis, Sergiou, Economou, Stass, Mytaras, Ioannides, Fassianos, Koukos, Charalambous, Tourou, Corbidge, Patsalos, Hadjikyriakos, Ghika, Chrysanthos and Sergiou. What a great Cypriot line-upThe auction will take place at the Hilton Hotel, on Nicosia, Wednesday, May 9, at 8pm. Enquiries and catalogues 99564131 or 24621109. And Cypris Auctions Greek & Cypriot Painting of the 19th and 20th hold a sale at the Hilton Hotel, Nicosia on May 23. The works will be exhibited in the Akamas Room from the 19th to the 23rd.
Nicos Papaloukas at ApocalypseTHIS exhibition continues until May 12 but luckily I have already seen it as it was hung before the opening.A splendid show. I believe the artist hails from Kyrenia originally but has been studying at Thessaloniki, where he gained excellent marks, comments and awards. Papaloucas captures space, the light and beauty of the environment. Years ago, I remember a critic calling a superb painting ‘haptic’ and this word (not in my dictionary however) appears to suit the work of Papaloukas. How fine to see yet another young artist using the simple, calm, uncluttered visuals of this country. And have readers noticed that figuration is back? Perhaps it never left.
Diadromes by DemetriadesSpyros Chryssis Demetriades is exhibiting at Pegasus Art Foundation until May 25. This brilliant artist of Cyprus is based in Limassol.Demetriades makes highly critical comments on this society, painted with great wit and visual accomplishment. Full report after I have seen the exhibition.It opened last night and is at Art Studio, which appears to be near the Rialto.
Art Aware timeART Aware is taking place on Sunday at 7pm at the Goethe Zentrum, Nicosia.This month’s participants are Vedia Okutan and Hourig Torossian.Vedia was born in Cyprus in 1980. She graduated from the Fine Arts Ceramic Department of Hacettepe University, Ankara. She started working in the same department as a research assistant in 2001. In 2004, she gained her MA degree.Verdia has participated in exhibitions in and out of Cyprus and has received prizes for art. In her work she studies the human body and variations of human bonds and turns these shapes into art forms with the help of the clay’s natural plasticity.She had her first solo exhibition in 2005 under the concept of ‘Unidentified Bodies’.Hourig says of her art: "My work has an autobiographical character and tends to focus on objects or images that have a direct relationship with my own history.""By using various means of reproduction (transformation), from painting to papier-mache, I am attempting to encounter and preserve traces of past events, and, in the process, explore the boundaries between experience and memory."
George SykopetritesGEORGE Sykopetrites is presenting Snakes and Ladders at the Panicos Mavrelis Cultural Centre, 71 Irini Street, Limassol.Sykopetrites is the most original of our contemporary artists. His paintings are richly-imaginative and painted with total command of technique and style. Do go and see them. His work expands out from this island with a global sensitivity but also goes deep into its soul.There will also be a book presentation; in Greek and English. Opening hours Friday 10am–1pm and 4pm-7pm, Saturday 10am–2pm. Full report next week.
And continuing… MIKE Marshall at Pharos centre of Contemporary Art, Nicosia exhibits until May 31. Marc-Alain Stamm has photographs at Leo Gallery 18 Amphitritis Street until May 19. Call 99511546 for personal appointment. More on this elsewhere. Nicos Tornaritis has opened an exhibition of paintings by Christos Charalambous and Gabriella and Vasso Papett at Kyklos Art Galley, Paphos. It will continue until May 20.Lefteris Olympios continues at Morphi Gallery, Limassol until May 5.The Leventis Museum of Nicosia’s exhibition on Samuel Beckett continues until May 6.
An Invitation to TravelThis exhibition, at Leo Gallery, 18 Amphitritis Street, Acropolis, Nicosia, is comprised of photographs by Marc-Alain Stamm.The subjects are of far-away places (Bali, Java Ecuador and Cuba) and have simple themes such as washing on a line.The artist obviously has a brilliant "eye" and the simplest of objects is seen with a new enrichment. They are printed on aluminium and the colour, detail and appearance of texture are quite staggering. Certainly one-up on your more than average oil seen in painting shows. The gallery is run by that very talented young artist Leo, who must not ignore his own work, however. Get him to talk on Stamm’s works, though. An exceptionally lively exhibition. Opening hours Wednesday-Saturday 6pm-9pm. For a personal appointment, call 99511546e-mail : leogallery@uscx.net
Thursday, July 30, 2009
26 April 2007
Surrealism reigns even when the sun is shining
GALLERIES here in Cyprus used to exhibit an artist’s work for about a month. Economically things appeared to have changed. Now it’s only about a week and a half instead before the next show. Just enough time for relatives to buy! Soon our artists will be having one night stands. Although this is not practical because our pavements are cluttered with cars. An alternative is to hang our canvases on the Green, Green Line.George Sykopetrites in LimassolTHE Panicos Mavrelis Cultural Centre is at 71 Irini Street, Limassol.Christia Ioannides Brooks will open this brilliant exhibition at 7.30 pm on Wednesday 2nd May. It will continue until Saturday 5th May. Sykopetrites is the most original of our contemporary artists. His paintings are richly imaginative and painted with total command of technique and style. Do go and see them. His work expands out from this island with a global sensitivity but also goes deep into its soul.There will also be a book presentation; in Greek and English. Other days: Thursday – Friday a.m 10:00 – 1:00 p.m and 4 pm – 7 pm. Saturday 10:00 a.m – 2:00 p.m.
The auction season is suddenly hereFIRST off the mark is Psathari’s Auction House. The creation of the House is substantially the extension of the work of Kypriaki Gonia Gallery which for fourteen years has served and serves with consistency the Art and Culture.The House aspires to serve the Art with the same zeal, contributing in the wider projection and promotion, in the formation of a new generation of votary of the Arts, in the creation of new collections, in the enrichment and renewal of old and still it provides the possibility for the votary of the Arts to invest in the Arts, creating the stock exchange of Arts.The House will deal with the auctioning of the work of Cypriot and Greek artists such as Michael Chr. Kashelos, Stelios Votsis, L Sergiou, L. Economou, Stass, Ted LLuyellen, D. Mytaras, V. Ioannides, A. Fassianos, D Koukos, A Charalambous, M Tourou, J. Corbidge, K Patsalos, Nicos Hadjikyriakos, Ghika, A Chrysanthos, L. Sergiou etc.The first auction will take place at the Hilton Hotel, Nicosia, 9th Wednesday of May 2007, 8.00 p.m. Viewing at Gallery Kypriaki Gonia, 45 Stadium str. 6020 Larnaca.Wednesday 2 May, 7.00 p.m. to 10.00 p.m.Thursday 3 May, 10.00 a.m. to 9 00 p.m.Friday 4 May, 10.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m.Saturday 5 May, 10.00 a.m to 9.00 pm.Sunday 6 May, 10.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m.Viewing at Hilton Hotel, Nicosia. Tuesday 8 May, 10.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m.Wednesday 9 May, 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. 8.00 p.m. the Auction.Reception at Hilton Hotel, Wednesday 9 May 6.00 pm to 8.00 pmAuction at Hilton Hotel, Wednesday 8.00 pm.Enquiries & Catalogues + 357 99 564131 or + 357 24 621109Communications Sponsor R I K
Yet another auctionCYPRIS AUCTIONS "Greek & Cypriot Painting of the 19th and 20th century" has its Auction at the Hilton Hotel, Nicosia on the 23rd May.The works will be exhibited in the AKAMAS ROOM from the 19.05.07 – 23.05.07.Consignments of paintings are invited until the 31.03.07More , More, Watch this Space
American International School ExhibitionTHE exhibition at The Melina Mercouri is now over. Last Tuesday’s opening was a wonderful evening with music too. Upstaging most adult shows in town. A most positive creative atmosphere filled the Melina. Very understanding and knowledgeable teaching from IB art teacher Michaela Marusak. Exceptionally progressive work. Every student searching themselves and understanding themselves and others through visual excellence. – Sam Allan - British - As well as a video which was played and admired throughout the opening evening, there were some excellent drawings too– Harriet Beckett-Butt: British - Some beautiful flower pictures and highly original clay sculptures– Maria Lukic: Serbian. In own space tucked in behind a ‘grotto’ some highly imaginative faces. Quite dramatic.– Kieran McLean South African/ Zimbabwean– The bed of chaos was stunning and strangely timely. Also excellent "out of Africa" visual comments. – Stacy Melvin - Scottish - Very good paintings. Broken glasss sculpture - sliced oranges - moving to new concepts.– Nicole Pekhazis Greek Lebanese. Excellent strange teapotty sculpture quite ominous amongst more pleasant imagery. – Sophie Pontikis - Cypriot-American - Superbly original and choch full of ideas and creative energy.– Maria Toumazou – Cypriot - Highly mature work with deep themes.– Ian Hanson Swedish. Good drawing - surreal eye on hand.– Rhea Lazarides - British Cypriot : very positive drawings of faces and also detailed close ups of butterflies.– Theresa Pross - German-British. Watch out Kandinsky! Strong. Extremely well coloured paintings.– Philip Weaver - Swedish- Danish. Confident, beautiful water colours.
Kyriaki Kosta’s Spring Summer collectionA PIECE of clothing is a code of communication for the national or local identity of people, their public or private lives, their sex and sexuality.Kyriaki Costa invites you to view her Spring Summer collection at her workshop28 April- 5 May. Saturday – Sunday from 11-6, Monday to Friday 4-8At 56 Griva Digeni Street , Kaimakli, Nicosia.Tel 99471107Email: kycosta@cytanet.com.cyIn designing clothes, Kyriaki Kosta imposes her own code of communication and invites us to reconsider our identity as the most multiform of constructs, made of aasorted fabrics, from a rural or urban space, from matter to withdrawal.The artist shows us ways of dressing and undressing our gendered roles as women and men, as adults and children. She also reminds us of the power of the senses and feelings hidden in an artifact made of cloth. Female friendship, a tender touch, as well as a loving glance towards everyday people, specify Costa’s symbolic, image-making language.Her clothes become the way through which we may tread the time and space of Nicosia, the town she inhabits. Every fold is a stroll down the neighbourhood. Every stitch a unifying thread in the body of a city that has long trained in holding onto, but also breaking through, its religious and national boundaries.Clothes of a specific provenance , but also of a cosmopolitan disposition, beyond specificity.In any case, the artist herself, as the subject of a late modernity, pierces through every concept of place and gender boundary, corroborating what has proved to be a prevailing feature of our time: That people put together a multitude if identities through practices and perceptions which, without refuting established values, open up to ‘other’, ‘different’ cultural particularities, dissolve limits, overturn stereotypes about what is ‘ beautiful’ and ‘feminine’, and especially turn their contemplative gaze towards the self.
Japanese Perspectives by Hirano Kae SHOWING at Technis Dromena gallery May 2 -12. Here is an exhibition of Paintings/Japanese buffet/Japanese film/ Japanese music/ Japan Info Stands and a sale of Japanese Books by Moufflon bookshop. In collaboration with the Embassy of Japan.This exhibition is aiming to serve as a cultural bridge between Cyprus and Japan. It provides an opportunity to enjoy and experience Japanese culture through various media thus enhancing the understandings of diverse points of view.Costas Galatariotis , the Honorary Consul-General of Japan in Limassol will make the opening speech.The film will be "Twilight Samurai" (“Tasogare Seibei”) 2002, directed by Yamada Yoji, Which was nominated for best foreign language film at the 76th Academy Awards.The painter Hirano Kae has lived in Nicosia for 2 years. She graduated at Waseda University Law Department in Tokyo. After holding several jobs in Tokyo, she studied in France before coming to Cyprus where she followed her heart to pursue her way in art.
Constantinos Kyrtis at Gallery kTHE Show is on at Gallery k in Nicosia April 25th – May 26th.Kyrtis’ work is populated with lively portraits .An old man with his bicycle, a young woman sitting on a couch holding a cup of coffee, a boy obstinately staring at the viewer, all real, almost tangible everyday people.At first, the artist’s portraits appear traditional, almost old fashioned. However Kyrtis’ work represents contemporary people with contemporary clothes and in contemporary settings.Constantinos Kyrtis graduated from the Art Institute of Southern California in 2003. There, he studied painting under Stephen W. Douglas, a leading L.A. painter and received the award ‘Best of Fine Arts’ in his sophomore as well as in his senior year, Constantinos Kyrtis also received the ‘Young Artist Award’ in 2006 in Cyprus.
Samuel Beckett (1906- 1989) THIS exhibition takes place at The Leventis Municipal Museum Temporary Exhibition Hall which is at 17 Hippocratis str, Laiki Yitonia. Nicosia until the 6th May. Very, very informative and well laid out
Here and thereAthina’s Berlin – in context at Omikron g Gallery, NicosiaThis excellent exhibition will continue until the 28th April Athina Antoniadou is showing paintings while Marina Shacola – photographsMike Marshall at Pharos centre of Contemporary Art exhibits until. 31st of May. Marc-Alain Stamm has photographs at Leo Gallery 18 Amphitritis Street until 19th May. Tel 99511546 for personal appointment. More on this later Nicos Tornaritis has opened an exhibition of paintings by Christos Charalambous and Gabriella & Vaso Papett at Kykklos Art Galley, Paphos. It will continue until the 20th of MayLefteris Olympios continues at Morphi Gallery, Limassol until 5th MayThe Leventis Museum of Nicosia’s exhibition on Samuel Beckett continues until the 6th of May.Don’t forget Black Comedy by Peter Shaffer will be performed at the Hilton on Friday (tonight) April 27th. For information and reservations tel 22377777. A Dinner Theatre production by ACT. From 10:00 to 17:00 hrs.
Vera Hadjida at Gloria’sVera’s exhibition – which opened on the 17th of the month - continues until the second of May. Here is a fine artist, and, I would say, one of the tops of her generation who is often underestimated. Outstanding use of pure paint application. The periods of decades in her work appear to repeat and this is surely because the island is continually under strife, stress and only surface change. Her succulent paintwork, however, bridges all our problems and it is Vera’s undoubted talent which continues as true art and not surface superficialities. Colour registers as a deep emotion and survives all our problems. An excellent exhibition.
Maria Hadjitophi at Opus 39YET another successful change-over at this most enterprising and energetic of galleries. It opens on Monday 30th of April and will continue until May 12.Lots of genuine Cypriot imagery such as weavings, baskets and fruits.Athena Schina says of Maria’s paintings:"Through outstanding painting and sensitive colour, Maria Hadjitophi deals, in an artistic way, with the vivid landscapes of memory, nostalgia, unsubdued desire and distant dreaming …"
An Invitation to Travel THIS exhibition is comprised of photographs by Marc-Alain Stamm. Show is at Leo Gallery 18 Amphitritis Street Acropolis, Nicosia.The subjects are of far-away places (Bali, Java Ecuador Cuba) and have simple themes such as washing on a line (in India) The artist obviously has a brilliant "eye" and the simplest of objects is seen with a new enrichment. They are printed on aliminium I think and the colour, detail and appearance of texture are quite staggering. Certainly one-up on your more than average oil seen in painting shows. The gallery is run by that very talented young artist Leo who must not ignore his own work however. Get him to talk on Stamm’s works.. An exceptionally lively exhibition. Opening hours Wednesday –Saturday 18;00 -21:00 and for personal appointment.Tel: 99511546 e-mail : leogallery@uscx.net
GALLERIES here in Cyprus used to exhibit an artist’s work for about a month. Economically things appeared to have changed. Now it’s only about a week and a half instead before the next show. Just enough time for relatives to buy! Soon our artists will be having one night stands. Although this is not practical because our pavements are cluttered with cars. An alternative is to hang our canvases on the Green, Green Line.George Sykopetrites in LimassolTHE Panicos Mavrelis Cultural Centre is at 71 Irini Street, Limassol.Christia Ioannides Brooks will open this brilliant exhibition at 7.30 pm on Wednesday 2nd May. It will continue until Saturday 5th May. Sykopetrites is the most original of our contemporary artists. His paintings are richly imaginative and painted with total command of technique and style. Do go and see them. His work expands out from this island with a global sensitivity but also goes deep into its soul.There will also be a book presentation; in Greek and English. Other days: Thursday – Friday a.m 10:00 – 1:00 p.m and 4 pm – 7 pm. Saturday 10:00 a.m – 2:00 p.m.
The auction season is suddenly hereFIRST off the mark is Psathari’s Auction House. The creation of the House is substantially the extension of the work of Kypriaki Gonia Gallery which for fourteen years has served and serves with consistency the Art and Culture.The House aspires to serve the Art with the same zeal, contributing in the wider projection and promotion, in the formation of a new generation of votary of the Arts, in the creation of new collections, in the enrichment and renewal of old and still it provides the possibility for the votary of the Arts to invest in the Arts, creating the stock exchange of Arts.The House will deal with the auctioning of the work of Cypriot and Greek artists such as Michael Chr. Kashelos, Stelios Votsis, L Sergiou, L. Economou, Stass, Ted LLuyellen, D. Mytaras, V. Ioannides, A. Fassianos, D Koukos, A Charalambous, M Tourou, J. Corbidge, K Patsalos, Nicos Hadjikyriakos, Ghika, A Chrysanthos, L. Sergiou etc.The first auction will take place at the Hilton Hotel, Nicosia, 9th Wednesday of May 2007, 8.00 p.m. Viewing at Gallery Kypriaki Gonia, 45 Stadium str. 6020 Larnaca.Wednesday 2 May, 7.00 p.m. to 10.00 p.m.Thursday 3 May, 10.00 a.m. to 9 00 p.m.Friday 4 May, 10.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m.Saturday 5 May, 10.00 a.m to 9.00 pm.Sunday 6 May, 10.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m.Viewing at Hilton Hotel, Nicosia. Tuesday 8 May, 10.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m.Wednesday 9 May, 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. 8.00 p.m. the Auction.Reception at Hilton Hotel, Wednesday 9 May 6.00 pm to 8.00 pmAuction at Hilton Hotel, Wednesday 8.00 pm.Enquiries & Catalogues + 357 99 564131 or + 357 24 621109Communications Sponsor R I K
Yet another auctionCYPRIS AUCTIONS "Greek & Cypriot Painting of the 19th and 20th century" has its Auction at the Hilton Hotel, Nicosia on the 23rd May.The works will be exhibited in the AKAMAS ROOM from the 19.05.07 – 23.05.07.Consignments of paintings are invited until the 31.03.07More , More, Watch this Space
American International School ExhibitionTHE exhibition at The Melina Mercouri is now over. Last Tuesday’s opening was a wonderful evening with music too. Upstaging most adult shows in town. A most positive creative atmosphere filled the Melina. Very understanding and knowledgeable teaching from IB art teacher Michaela Marusak. Exceptionally progressive work. Every student searching themselves and understanding themselves and others through visual excellence. – Sam Allan - British - As well as a video which was played and admired throughout the opening evening, there were some excellent drawings too– Harriet Beckett-Butt: British - Some beautiful flower pictures and highly original clay sculptures– Maria Lukic: Serbian. In own space tucked in behind a ‘grotto’ some highly imaginative faces. Quite dramatic.– Kieran McLean South African/ Zimbabwean– The bed of chaos was stunning and strangely timely. Also excellent "out of Africa" visual comments. – Stacy Melvin - Scottish - Very good paintings. Broken glasss sculpture - sliced oranges - moving to new concepts.– Nicole Pekhazis Greek Lebanese. Excellent strange teapotty sculpture quite ominous amongst more pleasant imagery. – Sophie Pontikis - Cypriot-American - Superbly original and choch full of ideas and creative energy.– Maria Toumazou – Cypriot - Highly mature work with deep themes.– Ian Hanson Swedish. Good drawing - surreal eye on hand.– Rhea Lazarides - British Cypriot : very positive drawings of faces and also detailed close ups of butterflies.– Theresa Pross - German-British. Watch out Kandinsky! Strong. Extremely well coloured paintings.– Philip Weaver - Swedish- Danish. Confident, beautiful water colours.
Kyriaki Kosta’s Spring Summer collectionA PIECE of clothing is a code of communication for the national or local identity of people, their public or private lives, their sex and sexuality.Kyriaki Costa invites you to view her Spring Summer collection at her workshop28 April- 5 May. Saturday – Sunday from 11-6, Monday to Friday 4-8At 56 Griva Digeni Street , Kaimakli, Nicosia.Tel 99471107Email: kycosta@cytanet.com.cyIn designing clothes, Kyriaki Kosta imposes her own code of communication and invites us to reconsider our identity as the most multiform of constructs, made of aasorted fabrics, from a rural or urban space, from matter to withdrawal.The artist shows us ways of dressing and undressing our gendered roles as women and men, as adults and children. She also reminds us of the power of the senses and feelings hidden in an artifact made of cloth. Female friendship, a tender touch, as well as a loving glance towards everyday people, specify Costa’s symbolic, image-making language.Her clothes become the way through which we may tread the time and space of Nicosia, the town she inhabits. Every fold is a stroll down the neighbourhood. Every stitch a unifying thread in the body of a city that has long trained in holding onto, but also breaking through, its religious and national boundaries.Clothes of a specific provenance , but also of a cosmopolitan disposition, beyond specificity.In any case, the artist herself, as the subject of a late modernity, pierces through every concept of place and gender boundary, corroborating what has proved to be a prevailing feature of our time: That people put together a multitude if identities through practices and perceptions which, without refuting established values, open up to ‘other’, ‘different’ cultural particularities, dissolve limits, overturn stereotypes about what is ‘ beautiful’ and ‘feminine’, and especially turn their contemplative gaze towards the self.
Japanese Perspectives by Hirano Kae SHOWING at Technis Dromena gallery May 2 -12. Here is an exhibition of Paintings/Japanese buffet/Japanese film/ Japanese music/ Japan Info Stands and a sale of Japanese Books by Moufflon bookshop. In collaboration with the Embassy of Japan.This exhibition is aiming to serve as a cultural bridge between Cyprus and Japan. It provides an opportunity to enjoy and experience Japanese culture through various media thus enhancing the understandings of diverse points of view.Costas Galatariotis , the Honorary Consul-General of Japan in Limassol will make the opening speech.The film will be "Twilight Samurai" (“Tasogare Seibei”) 2002, directed by Yamada Yoji, Which was nominated for best foreign language film at the 76th Academy Awards.The painter Hirano Kae has lived in Nicosia for 2 years. She graduated at Waseda University Law Department in Tokyo. After holding several jobs in Tokyo, she studied in France before coming to Cyprus where she followed her heart to pursue her way in art.
Constantinos Kyrtis at Gallery kTHE Show is on at Gallery k in Nicosia April 25th – May 26th.Kyrtis’ work is populated with lively portraits .An old man with his bicycle, a young woman sitting on a couch holding a cup of coffee, a boy obstinately staring at the viewer, all real, almost tangible everyday people.At first, the artist’s portraits appear traditional, almost old fashioned. However Kyrtis’ work represents contemporary people with contemporary clothes and in contemporary settings.Constantinos Kyrtis graduated from the Art Institute of Southern California in 2003. There, he studied painting under Stephen W. Douglas, a leading L.A. painter and received the award ‘Best of Fine Arts’ in his sophomore as well as in his senior year, Constantinos Kyrtis also received the ‘Young Artist Award’ in 2006 in Cyprus.
Samuel Beckett (1906- 1989) THIS exhibition takes place at The Leventis Municipal Museum Temporary Exhibition Hall which is at 17 Hippocratis str, Laiki Yitonia. Nicosia until the 6th May. Very, very informative and well laid out
Here and thereAthina’s Berlin – in context at Omikron g Gallery, NicosiaThis excellent exhibition will continue until the 28th April Athina Antoniadou is showing paintings while Marina Shacola – photographsMike Marshall at Pharos centre of Contemporary Art exhibits until. 31st of May. Marc-Alain Stamm has photographs at Leo Gallery 18 Amphitritis Street until 19th May. Tel 99511546 for personal appointment. More on this later Nicos Tornaritis has opened an exhibition of paintings by Christos Charalambous and Gabriella & Vaso Papett at Kykklos Art Galley, Paphos. It will continue until the 20th of MayLefteris Olympios continues at Morphi Gallery, Limassol until 5th MayThe Leventis Museum of Nicosia’s exhibition on Samuel Beckett continues until the 6th of May.Don’t forget Black Comedy by Peter Shaffer will be performed at the Hilton on Friday (tonight) April 27th. For information and reservations tel 22377777. A Dinner Theatre production by ACT. From 10:00 to 17:00 hrs.
Vera Hadjida at Gloria’sVera’s exhibition – which opened on the 17th of the month - continues until the second of May. Here is a fine artist, and, I would say, one of the tops of her generation who is often underestimated. Outstanding use of pure paint application. The periods of decades in her work appear to repeat and this is surely because the island is continually under strife, stress and only surface change. Her succulent paintwork, however, bridges all our problems and it is Vera’s undoubted talent which continues as true art and not surface superficialities. Colour registers as a deep emotion and survives all our problems. An excellent exhibition.
Maria Hadjitophi at Opus 39YET another successful change-over at this most enterprising and energetic of galleries. It opens on Monday 30th of April and will continue until May 12.Lots of genuine Cypriot imagery such as weavings, baskets and fruits.Athena Schina says of Maria’s paintings:"Through outstanding painting and sensitive colour, Maria Hadjitophi deals, in an artistic way, with the vivid landscapes of memory, nostalgia, unsubdued desire and distant dreaming …"
An Invitation to Travel THIS exhibition is comprised of photographs by Marc-Alain Stamm. Show is at Leo Gallery 18 Amphitritis Street Acropolis, Nicosia.The subjects are of far-away places (Bali, Java Ecuador Cuba) and have simple themes such as washing on a line (in India) The artist obviously has a brilliant "eye" and the simplest of objects is seen with a new enrichment. They are printed on aliminium I think and the colour, detail and appearance of texture are quite staggering. Certainly one-up on your more than average oil seen in painting shows. The gallery is run by that very talented young artist Leo who must not ignore his own work however. Get him to talk on Stamm’s works.. An exceptionally lively exhibition. Opening hours Wednesday –Saturday 18;00 -21:00 and for personal appointment.Tel: 99511546 e-mail : leogallery@uscx.net
19 April 2007
LYRAS AT OPUS 39Bring out the pegs, Dada GALLERIES here in Cyprus used to exhibit an artist’s work for about a month. Economically, things appear to have changed. Now it’s about a week and a half before the next show. Enough time for relatives to buy! Soon our artists will be having one night stands. This is not practical because our pavements are cluttered with cars. An alternative is to hang our canvases on the Green, Green Line.-
Great watercolours from Kyriacos
KYRIAKOS Lyros’s exhibition will continue at Opus 39 until April 28.These are excellent paintings of scenes, seen with a fond aesthetic eye.
GOING, GOING….
THE auction season is suddenly here.First off the mark is Psathari’s auction house.Psathari’s Auction house is substantially the extension of the work of Kypriaki Gonia Gallery which, for 14 years, has served and served art and culture in Larnaca.The House will deal with the auctioning of the work of Cypriot and Greek artists.The first auction will take place at the Hilton Hotel, Nicosia, on Wednesday, May 9, at 8pm. Viewing will be at Kypriaki Gonia, 45 Stadium Street, Larnaca, Wednesday, May 2, 7pm to 10pm; Thursday, May 3, and Friday May 4 10am to 9pm;; Saturday, May 5, and Sunday May 7, 10am to 9.00 pm.
Viewing at the Hilton: Tuesday, May 8, 10am to 9pm; Wednesday, May 9, 10am to 4pmCypris Auction’s ‘Greek & Cypriot Painting of the 19th and 20th Century’ takes place the Hilton, Nicosia on May 23. The works will be exhibited in the Akamas Room from May 19.
American International School Exhibition
A WONDERFUL exhibition at The Melina closes today 10am-1pm and 5pm – 8pm. This year’s group of young artists is made up of three Cypriots, three Britons, one Swede, one Serb, a South African, a Dane and a German.This range of nationalities gives an indication of the diversity of cultural experiences to be expected in this exhibition. As the name of the show (Cocktails) suggests, there is a variety of techniques ranging from sculptures to creative installations and paintings.Works will be displayed by Sam Allan, Harriet Beckettt-Butt, Maria Lukic, Kieran Mclean, Stacy Melvin, Nicole Pekhazis, Sophie Pontikis, Maria Toumazou, Ian Hanson, Rea Lazarides, Theresa Pross, and Philip Weaver.
Samuel Beckett at the Leventis THIS exhibition takes place at The Leventis Municipal Museum Temporary Exhibition Hall which is at 17 Hippocratis Street, Laiki Yitonia. Nicosia, until the May 6.-
Berlin in context
THIS exhibition at Omikron g Gallery, Nicosia, will continue until April 28. It is presented by Argo Gallery but Omikron g is at 2 Vasileos Pavlou, Nicosia (tel 22754009).Athina Antoniadou shows paintings while Marina Shacola shows her photographs.This is a very strong exhibition filling the large and often unused gallery (Omikron g) with images which relate. Space is very relevant in Athina’s huge paintings created from her studio in Berlin, while Marina Shacola shows beautifully-composed and executed photographs of Athina at her studio and also extending the painters imagery. In other words the two highly creative women overlap in the final results. This results in an excellent exhibition in which the space of the gallery contributes. Sometimes the two artist’s works are placed near each other giving much visual food for thought. In other parts of this spacious gallery the separate artists enjoy a visual privacy. In other words, an exhibition with more to say than is usual here.Excellently curated - a most positive move indeed in organization and co-operation.
Annita Georgiou at Technis Dromena
VASSOS Lyssarides honorary chairman of the Social Democrats Movement (EDEK) and no mean painter himself, opened the exhibition of Annita Georgiou at Technis Dromena Gallery. It will continue until April 28. -
Ruptures of dialogueDaphne Mavrovouniotis Trimikliniotis has an exhibition at Apocalypse Gallery which will continue until the 25th of the month.Brilliant figuration, meaningful themes, eloquent stories abound and all painted with great sensitivity and vigour.There is also a very informative book/catalogue available Here is a comment on a section of her work”A stroll down town becomes a bombardment of figures and slogans: “Sale” ,”Clearance”, “Reductions.”“The mannequins in shop windows appear identical, symmetrical copies in dummy-like worlds: products en masse, they reduce clones of an unreal and anorexic aesthetic. “They just pose there; next to each other, typical and vacuous, predictable, seemingly incapable, or better, unwilling to conceal the plastic nudity of the unreal.“Motionless, they gaze into the void without feeling; perhaps even without being. “An emptiness all over fills a life devoid of value or meaning.“Such was the stroll that gave birth to this series “Reductions in values and virtues; in friendship and love , life itself: human existence wholly devalued. And we are but spectators, and stooges in a life-long trade of souls.”All powerful stuff. Figuration and thought and concern rules you might say. And yet a very extra strength is given to these paintings by the artist’s actual, brilliant ability with the use of paint and subtle collage. In other words the aesthetics of abstraction gives to every painting yet another dimension. Go and look at ‘Ecological 3 – Burned Forest’ which is downstairs at the gallery. Every section in this masterpiece registers emotionally; even if it’s just a small area of applied canvas holding its own with the whole picture. Great.Daphne Mavrovouniotis Trimiklinitotis was born in Limassol and emigrated to London in 1959, where she studied at Hornsey College of Art, Middlesex University. She spent 35 years in London. She has had 14 solo exhibitions of her work in London, Greece and Cyprus, and took parting numerous group exhibitions. She is now the President of the Cyprus Chamber of Fine Arts. . Here and There Mike Marshall is at the Pharos Centre of Contemporary Art until May 31. Nedi Sakellaropoulou has icons until April 21 at Gallery k.Susan Vargas Stefani is at Kypriaki Gonia, Larnaca, until April 20.Marc-Alain Stamm has photographs at Leo Gallery 18 Amphitritis Street until May 19. Tel 99511546 for personal appointment.Nicos Tornaritis will open an exhibition of paintings by Christos Charalambous and Gabriella & Vaso Papetta tonight the 20th of the month at 7pm at Kykklos Art Galley, Paphos. It will continue until May 20.The Leventis Museum of Nicosia’s exhibition on Samuel Beckett continues until May 6. Why does the image sent by Morphi Gallery, Limassol of a painting by Lefteris Olympios so resemble one from an exhibition due to be held at Dromena next month? Lefteris’ exhibition continues until at Morphi Gallery until May 5. He is a very good painter? But hasn’t April past ?Don’t forget Peter Shaffer’s Black Comedy will be performed at the Hilton Cyprus on Thursday April 26 and Friday April 27. For information and reservations tel 22377777. A Dinner Theatre production by ACT. From 10am to 5pm.
Vera Hadjida at GloriasVERA’S exhibition – which opened on April 17 - continues until May 2. Here is a fine artist, and, I would say, one of the tops of her generation who is often underestimated. Full report next week when I would have seen her new work. But go. Now.- View of CyprusA PHOTOGRAPHIC Itinerary from the 19th to the 20th century at the Evagoras Lanitis Centre, Limassol, opening April 25 and continuing until May 27.The exhibition is based on the book “The island of Cypus, a photographic itinary from the 19th to the 20th Century.”The book is from Entipis publications and is by Lucie Bonito, Haris Yiakoumis and Kadir Kaba.On Saturday, April 28 at 2pm there will be a lecture by the curator of the exhibition, Dr Haris Yiakoumia - in Greek. .
ART AWAREDuring the time of April 1, I was invited to go on a bicycle ride (I was born in a bike shop actually but even as a toddler I kept falling off ) through The Bronx, New York but did not go. What I did miss though and am very, very sorry because the invite must have gone to Manhattan was to NOT KNOW about April’s ART AWARE. In which Angelo Evangelou participatedHere is an abridged version of her illustrated talk.“The earth and the soil attract us. “This gravitational pull, this attraction, is so powerful that we spend our entire life attached to the earth and all its products which nourish us – and when we die we enter deep within it, giving our body to the soil, to become one with its eco system. “Our life-long love affair with the earth culminates in a gift of our body to the earth and in a desire for rebirth and metamorphosis. Through burial and darkness, we make ourselves into a fetus in the womb of the earth, a pregnant seed awaiting rebirth and photosynthesis, opposing the finality of death, in an attempt to bring light again to the surface. “Seeds have been planted in the soil, growing as an intrinsic part of the art-work in a representation of the cycles of life.”Angelo is one of our best artists and dominated last autumn’s Inside The Walls Exhibition Sorry Angelo I would have loved to have been there. Could Nilgun Guney send the Arts Page some information on the other speaker that evening. PLEASE.-
10th European Dance Festival Limassol from tomorrow
Great watercolours from Kyriacos
KYRIAKOS Lyros’s exhibition will continue at Opus 39 until April 28.These are excellent paintings of scenes, seen with a fond aesthetic eye.
GOING, GOING….
THE auction season is suddenly here.First off the mark is Psathari’s auction house.Psathari’s Auction house is substantially the extension of the work of Kypriaki Gonia Gallery which, for 14 years, has served and served art and culture in Larnaca.The House will deal with the auctioning of the work of Cypriot and Greek artists.The first auction will take place at the Hilton Hotel, Nicosia, on Wednesday, May 9, at 8pm. Viewing will be at Kypriaki Gonia, 45 Stadium Street, Larnaca, Wednesday, May 2, 7pm to 10pm; Thursday, May 3, and Friday May 4 10am to 9pm;; Saturday, May 5, and Sunday May 7, 10am to 9.00 pm.
Viewing at the Hilton: Tuesday, May 8, 10am to 9pm; Wednesday, May 9, 10am to 4pmCypris Auction’s ‘Greek & Cypriot Painting of the 19th and 20th Century’ takes place the Hilton, Nicosia on May 23. The works will be exhibited in the Akamas Room from May 19.
American International School Exhibition
A WONDERFUL exhibition at The Melina closes today 10am-1pm and 5pm – 8pm. This year’s group of young artists is made up of three Cypriots, three Britons, one Swede, one Serb, a South African, a Dane and a German.This range of nationalities gives an indication of the diversity of cultural experiences to be expected in this exhibition. As the name of the show (Cocktails) suggests, there is a variety of techniques ranging from sculptures to creative installations and paintings.Works will be displayed by Sam Allan, Harriet Beckettt-Butt, Maria Lukic, Kieran Mclean, Stacy Melvin, Nicole Pekhazis, Sophie Pontikis, Maria Toumazou, Ian Hanson, Rea Lazarides, Theresa Pross, and Philip Weaver.
Samuel Beckett at the Leventis THIS exhibition takes place at The Leventis Municipal Museum Temporary Exhibition Hall which is at 17 Hippocratis Street, Laiki Yitonia. Nicosia, until the May 6.-
Berlin in context
THIS exhibition at Omikron g Gallery, Nicosia, will continue until April 28. It is presented by Argo Gallery but Omikron g is at 2 Vasileos Pavlou, Nicosia (tel 22754009).Athina Antoniadou shows paintings while Marina Shacola shows her photographs.This is a very strong exhibition filling the large and often unused gallery (Omikron g) with images which relate. Space is very relevant in Athina’s huge paintings created from her studio in Berlin, while Marina Shacola shows beautifully-composed and executed photographs of Athina at her studio and also extending the painters imagery. In other words the two highly creative women overlap in the final results. This results in an excellent exhibition in which the space of the gallery contributes. Sometimes the two artist’s works are placed near each other giving much visual food for thought. In other parts of this spacious gallery the separate artists enjoy a visual privacy. In other words, an exhibition with more to say than is usual here.Excellently curated - a most positive move indeed in organization and co-operation.
Annita Georgiou at Technis Dromena
VASSOS Lyssarides honorary chairman of the Social Democrats Movement (EDEK) and no mean painter himself, opened the exhibition of Annita Georgiou at Technis Dromena Gallery. It will continue until April 28. -
Ruptures of dialogueDaphne Mavrovouniotis Trimikliniotis has an exhibition at Apocalypse Gallery which will continue until the 25th of the month.Brilliant figuration, meaningful themes, eloquent stories abound and all painted with great sensitivity and vigour.There is also a very informative book/catalogue available Here is a comment on a section of her work”A stroll down town becomes a bombardment of figures and slogans: “Sale” ,”Clearance”, “Reductions.”“The mannequins in shop windows appear identical, symmetrical copies in dummy-like worlds: products en masse, they reduce clones of an unreal and anorexic aesthetic. “They just pose there; next to each other, typical and vacuous, predictable, seemingly incapable, or better, unwilling to conceal the plastic nudity of the unreal.“Motionless, they gaze into the void without feeling; perhaps even without being. “An emptiness all over fills a life devoid of value or meaning.“Such was the stroll that gave birth to this series “Reductions in values and virtues; in friendship and love , life itself: human existence wholly devalued. And we are but spectators, and stooges in a life-long trade of souls.”All powerful stuff. Figuration and thought and concern rules you might say. And yet a very extra strength is given to these paintings by the artist’s actual, brilliant ability with the use of paint and subtle collage. In other words the aesthetics of abstraction gives to every painting yet another dimension. Go and look at ‘Ecological 3 – Burned Forest’ which is downstairs at the gallery. Every section in this masterpiece registers emotionally; even if it’s just a small area of applied canvas holding its own with the whole picture. Great.Daphne Mavrovouniotis Trimiklinitotis was born in Limassol and emigrated to London in 1959, where she studied at Hornsey College of Art, Middlesex University. She spent 35 years in London. She has had 14 solo exhibitions of her work in London, Greece and Cyprus, and took parting numerous group exhibitions. She is now the President of the Cyprus Chamber of Fine Arts. . Here and There Mike Marshall is at the Pharos Centre of Contemporary Art until May 31. Nedi Sakellaropoulou has icons until April 21 at Gallery k.Susan Vargas Stefani is at Kypriaki Gonia, Larnaca, until April 20.Marc-Alain Stamm has photographs at Leo Gallery 18 Amphitritis Street until May 19. Tel 99511546 for personal appointment.Nicos Tornaritis will open an exhibition of paintings by Christos Charalambous and Gabriella & Vaso Papetta tonight the 20th of the month at 7pm at Kykklos Art Galley, Paphos. It will continue until May 20.The Leventis Museum of Nicosia’s exhibition on Samuel Beckett continues until May 6. Why does the image sent by Morphi Gallery, Limassol of a painting by Lefteris Olympios so resemble one from an exhibition due to be held at Dromena next month? Lefteris’ exhibition continues until at Morphi Gallery until May 5. He is a very good painter? But hasn’t April past ?Don’t forget Peter Shaffer’s Black Comedy will be performed at the Hilton Cyprus on Thursday April 26 and Friday April 27. For information and reservations tel 22377777. A Dinner Theatre production by ACT. From 10am to 5pm.
Vera Hadjida at GloriasVERA’S exhibition – which opened on April 17 - continues until May 2. Here is a fine artist, and, I would say, one of the tops of her generation who is often underestimated. Full report next week when I would have seen her new work. But go. Now.- View of CyprusA PHOTOGRAPHIC Itinerary from the 19th to the 20th century at the Evagoras Lanitis Centre, Limassol, opening April 25 and continuing until May 27.The exhibition is based on the book “The island of Cypus, a photographic itinary from the 19th to the 20th Century.”The book is from Entipis publications and is by Lucie Bonito, Haris Yiakoumis and Kadir Kaba.On Saturday, April 28 at 2pm there will be a lecture by the curator of the exhibition, Dr Haris Yiakoumia - in Greek. .
ART AWAREDuring the time of April 1, I was invited to go on a bicycle ride (I was born in a bike shop actually but even as a toddler I kept falling off ) through The Bronx, New York but did not go. What I did miss though and am very, very sorry because the invite must have gone to Manhattan was to NOT KNOW about April’s ART AWARE. In which Angelo Evangelou participatedHere is an abridged version of her illustrated talk.“The earth and the soil attract us. “This gravitational pull, this attraction, is so powerful that we spend our entire life attached to the earth and all its products which nourish us – and when we die we enter deep within it, giving our body to the soil, to become one with its eco system. “Our life-long love affair with the earth culminates in a gift of our body to the earth and in a desire for rebirth and metamorphosis. Through burial and darkness, we make ourselves into a fetus in the womb of the earth, a pregnant seed awaiting rebirth and photosynthesis, opposing the finality of death, in an attempt to bring light again to the surface. “Seeds have been planted in the soil, growing as an intrinsic part of the art-work in a representation of the cycles of life.”Angelo is one of our best artists and dominated last autumn’s Inside The Walls Exhibition Sorry Angelo I would have loved to have been there. Could Nilgun Guney send the Arts Page some information on the other speaker that evening. PLEASE.-
10th European Dance Festival Limassol from tomorrow
12 April 2007
Art
Great water colours
Kyriakos Lyros’ exhibition at Opus 39 will be opened by Akis Cleanthous the Minister of Education and Culture on Monday, April 16 and continue until the 28th of the month.
The artist considers this statement by the English academic Ken Howard matches his own philosophy and goals.
"I suppose my philosophy of paintings is very simple, particularly in this day and age. It is about three things really, it’s about revelation, it’s about communication and it’s about celebration. And if you take the first one, Revelation, what I mean by that is quite simply revealing to oneself through doing the painting, and thereby revealing to other people, a way of seeing the world. You open other people’s eyes to your way of seeing that is all-important.
Communication – very simple. I have always believed that art must communicate with a public. That’s not why you do it; you do it for yourself because you can’t help it. But, in a way, if your ideas are not communicated to other people then what is the point? You are just speaking to yourself; you are just contemplating your own navel.
The third one, Celebration, is one that I know a lot of people will argue with, but for me I like painting, music , literature, etc, to raise me above the norm, to raise my spirits and give me a sense of celebrating. I suppose for that reason my basic interest in paintings is light. I think light is celebration of nature. That to me is what I call celebration.
What I want my art to do, basically, is to make people feel elevated. To make them feel a sense of celebration about life, about the world, about them. And in this case when I work in Venice – a celebration of Venice, because of all the cities in the world, Venice is the one that celebrates life, it celebrates light, it celebrates art and it is a celebratory place."
********
Cocktails from the American International School
The Annual Art exhibition by the American International School in Cyprus (AISC) is always full of surprises, talent and great work.
Many of the students at AISC take the challenging International Baccalaureate Diploma and choose art as one of their subjects. The work on show is always representative of a great academic programme, good teaching and the freedom the young artists are given to produce original art,
This year, AISC will be presenting the accumulated studio work of 12 candidates graduating from the International Baccalaureate programme. The exhibition is entitled "Cocktails" and will run from April 17 to the 20 at the Melina Mercouri Hall near Famagusta Gate in Old Nicosia; viewing hours will be between 10:00 – 13:00 and 17:00 -20:00 daily. I will be opening the exhibition at 8 pm on the 17th and can’t wait to see what is on offer this year.
This year’s group of young artists is made up of three Cypriots, 3 British. 1 Swedish, 1 Serbian, 1 South African, 1 Dane and 1 German.
This range of nationalities gives an indication of the diversity of cultural experiences to be expected in this exhibition. As the name of the show suggests there will be a variety of techniques ranging from sculptures to creative installations and paintings.
Works will be displayed by – Sam Allan, Harriet Beckettt-Butt, Maria Lukic, Kieran Mclean, Stacy Melvin, Nicole Pekhazis, Sophie Pontikis, Maria Toumazou, Ian Hanson, Rea Lazarides, Theresa Pross, and Philip Weaver.
**********************
Samuel Beckett (1906-1989)
This exhibition will take place at The Leventis Municipal Museum Temporary Exhibition Hall which is at 17 Hippocratis str, Laiki Yitonia. Nicosia. Private reception 17th April then until the 6th May.
*****
Athina’s Berlin – in context
This exhibition opens tonight and will continue until the 28th April. It is presented by Argo Gallery but showing at Omikron g Gallery at Vasileos Pavlou 2, Nicosia (Tel 22754009 .)
Athina Antoniadou will show paintings while Marina Shacola – photographs.
**************
Annita Georgiou at Technis Dromena
Dr Vasos Lyssarides honorary chairman of the Social Democrats Movement (EDEK) and no mean painter himself will open the exhibition of Annita Georgiou on Wednesday 18th April at Technis Dromena Gallery. It will continue until April 28
********
Ruptures of dialogue
Daphne Mavrovouniotis Trimikliniotis at Apocalypse
Daphne Mavrovouniotis Trimikliniotis has an exhibition at Apocalypse Gallery which will be opened on tonight at 7.30 p.m by the President of the House of Representataives Demetris Christofias and will continue until the 25th of the month.
Daphne Mavrovouniotis Trimiklinitotis was born in Limassol and emigrated to London in 1959, where she studied at Hornsey College of Art, Middlesex University. She spent 35 years in London.
She has had 14 solo exhibitions of her work in London, Greece and Cyprus, and took part in numerous group exhibitions. She is now the President of the Cyprus Chamber of Fine Arts.
Daphne is returning to Nicosia after five years showing her work. Being aware of social and political issues influenced her creative process. Her anxieties and worries as well as her expectations and hopes, are reflected in her paintings.
New elements are being introduced into Daphne’s work, showing a new concept and philosophy. Elements, such as written dialogue, excerpts from love letters, words and slogans showing the general concern for the state of the world we live in, posing questions and trying to find answers for the way ahead.
*****************
Don’t miss …
-- Mike Marshall at Pharos centre of Contemporary Art exhibits from 12 April until the 31st .
-- Eleni Meli exhibits at the Melina Mercouri until the 14th of the month. Last Chance
-- Nedi Sakellaropoulou has icons until April 21 at Gallery k
-- Susan Vargas Stefani at Kypriaki Gonia, Larnaca until 20 April
-- Marc-Alain Stamm has photographs at Leo Gallery 18 Amphitritis Street until 19th May. Tel 99511546 for personal appointment.
-- Raymond Wilson and Michael Turner at Dinos Art Cafe until Sunday April 15.
__ I believe Vera Hadjidis’s exhibition opens at Gloria’s on Tuesday the 17th of the month.
*********
Henri Cartier-Bresson
This superb exhibition of photographs at the Hellenic Bank Cultural Centre at the corner of Limassol and Athalassa Avenues, Nicosia has hopefully been extended until later in the month – tel 22441571 for the latest information on this possible extension.
It has been presented by Hathor Productions as part of the current Francophonie Festival. Give yourself a few hours to take in this brilliant show.
There are also book on Bresson which you can aquire.
Note what Jean Clair writes in his book "Europeans":
"I find it easy to imagine him as a student at Cambridge, daintily pouring out tea for Lady Fraser, with the practiced composure of the ethnologist he had already become, preparing himself at the beginning of the thirties for his campaign on the territory of the working class."
*******************
Remember
Theatre Ena is also at Limassol (as well as Nicosia) and that is where "The Remains of the Day" Limassol is at on April 13 and 14. Limassol take note.
***************************
photo captions
Colour
1. in pics "Freefall"
Freefall by Sophie Pontikis at the American International School exhibition at the Melina.
2: Daphne Mavrovouniotis- Trimikliniotis at Apocalypse from tonight
7: Poetic Response
Kyriakos Lyras from Monday at Opus 39 from Monday
****
Black and white…
3: Athina’s Berlin
A photograph by Marina Shacola at Omikron g
4: Curves
Annita Georgiou at Tehnic Dromena
5: Samuel Beckett
The Levntis Municipal Museum
6: Henri Cartier-Bresson
at Hellenic Bank, Nicosia
ARTS
LIA
Great water colours
Kyriakos Lyros’ exhibition at Opus 39 will be opened by Akis Cleanthous the Minister of Education and Culture on Monday, April 16 and continue until the 28th of the month.
The artist considers this statement by the English academic Ken Howard matches his own philosophy and goals.
"I suppose my philosophy of paintings is very simple, particularly in this day and age. It is about three things really, it’s about revelation, it’s about communication and it’s about celebration. And if you take the first one, Revelation, what I mean by that is quite simply revealing to oneself through doing the painting, and thereby revealing to other people, a way of seeing the world. You open other people’s eyes to your way of seeing that is all-important.
Communication – very simple. I have always believed that art must communicate with a public. That’s not why you do it; you do it for yourself because you can’t help it. But, in a way, if your ideas are not communicated to other people then what is the point? You are just speaking to yourself; you are just contemplating your own navel.
The third one, Celebration, is one that I know a lot of people will argue with, but for me I like painting, music , literature, etc, to raise me above the norm, to raise my spirits and give me a sense of celebrating. I suppose for that reason my basic interest in paintings is light. I think light is celebration of nature. That to me is what I call celebration.
What I want my art to do, basically, is to make people feel elevated. To make them feel a sense of celebration about life, about the world, about them. And in this case when I work in Venice – a celebration of Venice, because of all the cities in the world, Venice is the one that celebrates life, it celebrates light, it celebrates art and it is a celebratory place."
********
Cocktails from the American International School
The Annual Art exhibition by the American International School in Cyprus (AISC) is always full of surprises, talent and great work.
Many of the students at AISC take the challenging International Baccalaureate Diploma and choose art as one of their subjects. The work on show is always representative of a great academic programme, good teaching and the freedom the young artists are given to produce original art,
This year, AISC will be presenting the accumulated studio work of 12 candidates graduating from the International Baccalaureate programme. The exhibition is entitled "Cocktails" and will run from April 17 to the 20 at the Melina Mercouri Hall near Famagusta Gate in Old Nicosia; viewing hours will be between 10:00 – 13:00 and 17:00 -20:00 daily. I will be opening the exhibition at 8 pm on the 17th and can’t wait to see what is on offer this year.
This year’s group of young artists is made up of three Cypriots, 3 British. 1 Swedish, 1 Serbian, 1 South African, 1 Dane and 1 German.
This range of nationalities gives an indication of the diversity of cultural experiences to be expected in this exhibition. As the name of the show suggests there will be a variety of techniques ranging from sculptures to creative installations and paintings.
Works will be displayed by – Sam Allan, Harriet Beckettt-Butt, Maria Lukic, Kieran Mclean, Stacy Melvin, Nicole Pekhazis, Sophie Pontikis, Maria Toumazou, Ian Hanson, Rea Lazarides, Theresa Pross, and Philip Weaver.
**********************
Samuel Beckett (1906-1989)
This exhibition will take place at The Leventis Municipal Museum Temporary Exhibition Hall which is at 17 Hippocratis str, Laiki Yitonia. Nicosia. Private reception 17th April then until the 6th May.
*****
Athina’s Berlin – in context
This exhibition opens tonight and will continue until the 28th April. It is presented by Argo Gallery but showing at Omikron g Gallery at Vasileos Pavlou 2, Nicosia (Tel 22754009 .)
Athina Antoniadou will show paintings while Marina Shacola – photographs.
**************
Annita Georgiou at Technis Dromena
Dr Vasos Lyssarides honorary chairman of the Social Democrats Movement (EDEK) and no mean painter himself will open the exhibition of Annita Georgiou on Wednesday 18th April at Technis Dromena Gallery. It will continue until April 28
********
Ruptures of dialogue
Daphne Mavrovouniotis Trimikliniotis at Apocalypse
Daphne Mavrovouniotis Trimikliniotis has an exhibition at Apocalypse Gallery which will be opened on tonight at 7.30 p.m by the President of the House of Representataives Demetris Christofias and will continue until the 25th of the month.
Daphne Mavrovouniotis Trimiklinitotis was born in Limassol and emigrated to London in 1959, where she studied at Hornsey College of Art, Middlesex University. She spent 35 years in London.
She has had 14 solo exhibitions of her work in London, Greece and Cyprus, and took part in numerous group exhibitions. She is now the President of the Cyprus Chamber of Fine Arts.
Daphne is returning to Nicosia after five years showing her work. Being aware of social and political issues influenced her creative process. Her anxieties and worries as well as her expectations and hopes, are reflected in her paintings.
New elements are being introduced into Daphne’s work, showing a new concept and philosophy. Elements, such as written dialogue, excerpts from love letters, words and slogans showing the general concern for the state of the world we live in, posing questions and trying to find answers for the way ahead.
*****************
Don’t miss …
-- Mike Marshall at Pharos centre of Contemporary Art exhibits from 12 April until the 31st .
-- Eleni Meli exhibits at the Melina Mercouri until the 14th of the month. Last Chance
-- Nedi Sakellaropoulou has icons until April 21 at Gallery k
-- Susan Vargas Stefani at Kypriaki Gonia, Larnaca until 20 April
-- Marc-Alain Stamm has photographs at Leo Gallery 18 Amphitritis Street until 19th May. Tel 99511546 for personal appointment.
-- Raymond Wilson and Michael Turner at Dinos Art Cafe until Sunday April 15.
__ I believe Vera Hadjidis’s exhibition opens at Gloria’s on Tuesday the 17th of the month.
*********
Henri Cartier-Bresson
This superb exhibition of photographs at the Hellenic Bank Cultural Centre at the corner of Limassol and Athalassa Avenues, Nicosia has hopefully been extended until later in the month – tel 22441571 for the latest information on this possible extension.
It has been presented by Hathor Productions as part of the current Francophonie Festival. Give yourself a few hours to take in this brilliant show.
There are also book on Bresson which you can aquire.
Note what Jean Clair writes in his book "Europeans":
"I find it easy to imagine him as a student at Cambridge, daintily pouring out tea for Lady Fraser, with the practiced composure of the ethnologist he had already become, preparing himself at the beginning of the thirties for his campaign on the territory of the working class."
*******************
Remember
Theatre Ena is also at Limassol (as well as Nicosia) and that is where "The Remains of the Day" Limassol is at on April 13 and 14. Limassol take note.
***************************
photo captions
Colour
1. in pics "Freefall"
Freefall by Sophie Pontikis at the American International School exhibition at the Melina.
2: Daphne Mavrovouniotis- Trimikliniotis at Apocalypse from tonight
7: Poetic Response
Kyriakos Lyras from Monday at Opus 39 from Monday
****
Black and white…
3: Athina’s Berlin
A photograph by Marina Shacola at Omikron g
4: Curves
Annita Georgiou at Tehnic Dromena
5: Samuel Beckett
The Levntis Municipal Museum
6: Henri Cartier-Bresson
at Hellenic Bank, Nicosia
ARTS
LIA
05 April 2007
Sergiou Writes on Crossings
CHARALAMBOS Sergiou is an artist and an embryologist living and working in Nicosia and has written some notes on the Crossings exhibition at the Power House for the Arts Page."Being a collector, I love the flea markets and, as I have missed the opening (when one could actually buy something from the flea market installation) of the show, I missed the opportunity to mix two sensations. "Firstly, trying to read a contemporary work of art and at the same time choosing to buy something for my collection by browsing at the floor stalls. I normally feel intense doing both but separately. I would have loved to match my feelings towards the subject by doing both at the same time. "Fortunately I had the opportunity to listen to Didier Courbot’s talk about his flea market experiences two days before and of course as it is so with most contemporary works, any pre-discussion on the concept especially involving the artist him/herself, makes a difference to the way the viewer is confronting and interpreting the realised pieces.Congratulations to the curators Yiannis Toumazis, and Androulla Michael and Fabrice Flabutez for their excellent choice of works and for organising a half day pre-congress before the opening exhibition introducing the work to the public. "It turned out to have been a successful meeting offering translational facilities. As it was a very specialised field, I would not have expected art lovers to be present but I would have liked to have seen more artists being there."The shop with the flags by Panayiotis Michael was an interesting summary of some of his work (see the Polish artist Tadeusz Kantor April 6, 1915-December 8, 1990 whose curiosity shop in 1963 marked the beginning of the use of the idea of the shop as an installation). "Panayiotis’ line of thought is very much of today and although we did see too many "shops" cropping up as installations lately (that I start to get the feeling that it is often the easy way out) Panayiotis’ installation happens to fit very well the general theme of the exhibition. "It was very well positioned next to the flea market.Serap Kanay’s family tree is a fine example of serious research leading to an image. So much research in science is often lost in works and how impressive it is that art can give it life and a soul!“Moving to the second part of the show there are two exceptional works. "The work of Andreas Savva is Wow, visually and conceptually. Do not be content to see it in the catalogue, you have to see it on site."The second work by Daniel Le is a UN prefab shed filled up with soil wearing an olive tree – pure poetry – heavy and light, mysterious and yet approachable and suddenly I was not interested in knowing more about it, as it has given me enough visually. "Reluctantly, I moved to the next section of the show as if I did not want to lose the sensation of the aesthetics that I have just experienced."I have already seen Lia Lapithi’s. installation at Gallery Pantheon a few months back so I just enjoyed it optically; well positioned, separating the big room like a river. Opposite on the left hand side a short and sweet video by Servet Koeyigit on nationalism is a good example of video art and how it should be (quick to register and respecting the time of the viewer at the same time)."Sapountzis Yiorgo’s videos with much humour, which is essential even in such dead-serious themes a the ones raised by the curators of the show has given me hope that art will be forever and constantly updated. It has also shown me that the "video" medium still has a role to play in the art world."The installation by Stephanos Karababas and Katerina Attalidou is transcending time. One may choose not to see behind the cabinet but remember that curiosity does not always kill the cat. Please go in and discover the after-cabinet. "Once inside, you may choose to merely experience the flotation or you can even go deeper and try to read the artist’s mind as the piece has a first, second and third level of understanding. If you don’t have the time, go again to reach the third floor."A very serious work by Eric Valette concerning a cemetery deserves more looking into. We all carry with us very private moments in cemeteries and for some people these are more marked, in time, than in others."There are, of course, more works that deserve mentioning and I certainly need to visit the show again."On my way out I could not resist and I secretly stole a minute in Christodoulous Panayiotou’s piece and danced with my wife." Ch. S.
A poem by Ahmad Aicha
AHMAD Aicha is a Syrian Cypriot whose son, Adonis, lives in Cyprus with his mother Kyproulla. Ahmad read this poem of his on World Poetry Day at Castelliotissa on March 21. ADONIS I played guitarBut you proved to play it betterPerhaps because your fingers are slimmer than mine.I stopped paintingWhen I saw that your abstract art was intuitive and mine was notLike the African who carved wood figures better than PicassoOr the villager in the Caucasus who wove designs that could rivalAnything achieved by Paul Klee.When we were fishing togetherYour attention was caught by a mouse, rather than a fishJust as my attention strayed from physics to girls when I was studying.Remember, when you were three, and you said‘The moon is walking with us’? Did you think you were at the centre of the world?Adonis, physically you bear a resemblance to your motherBut your character is closer to mineTo what destiny will it lead you ?I called you Adonis, thinking you would be eternalAs love is eternal…..And also because it is easier for me to create a god, than to be one.Ahmad Aicha
Ruptures of dialogueDAPHNE Mavrovouniotis Trimikliniotis has an exhibition at Apocalypse Gallery which will be opened on Friday, April 13, at 7.30pm, by House President Demetris Christofias.It will continue until the 25th of the month.Daphne Mavrovouniotis Trimiklinitotis was born in Limassol and emigrated to London in 1959, where she studied at Hornsey College of Art, Middlesex University. She spent 35 years in London and has had 14 solo exhibitions of her work in London, Greece and Cyprus as well as taking part in numerous group exhibitions. She is now the President of the Cyprus Chamber of Fine Arts.Daphne is returning to Nicosia after five years. Here awareness of social and political issues influenced her creative process. Her anxieties and worries as well as her expectations and hopes, are reflected in her paintings. New elements are being introduced into Daphne’s work, showing a new concept and philosophy. Elements, such as written dialogue, excerpts from love letters, words and slogans showing the general concern for the state of the world we live in, posing questions and trying to find answers for the way ahead. Here is what she has to say:"Before us, a ruptured world is questioning its very existence. Words, phrases, slogans, people-moments and events, are twisting and turning in our confused minds"All these compose an ever-changing scenery. It’s a dream-like world, turning nightmare at times, and into reality at others. This is the most horrifying and at the same time, most miraculous issue: we live at the MOMENT, where, the visual encroaches upon the real. "And yet, we can no longer locate the boundaries between the real and the false. How can we imagine a true world in the fragments and reflections of a phony and superficial life where all is for sale?"This is the MOMENT I strive to capture: as it emerges through the excerpts of letters – testimonies from the soul, letters of passion swearing eternal, undying love and sacrifice, letters of despair from shattered dreams …. Words flying the air… This is the Moment which forces upon us who we really are by gazing at the past, and think about the future that lies ahead."This scenery I try to recreate, to reconstruct in the hope that we will somehow manage to rethink and re-imagine the world. For moments such as these are ruptures in the continuity of the world; they are ruptures in a dialogue with the past and a potential world of the future."They are a dialogue with life itself."
Double exhibitionDORA Oronti’s and Andros Pavlides’s show at Technis Dromena Gallery is unfortunately now over. Pavlides is new to exhibitions but paints with vigour and has a strong feeling for pigmental use. He loves representational themes and is fond of texture and colour. Dora Oronti is, I would say, the best abstract artist of her generation and shows several of her very new works. Excellent.
New Shows MIKE Marshall is at the Pharos Centre of Contemporary Art from April 12 until May 31.Eleni Meli exhibits at the Melina Mercouri from Tuesday April10-14.
Happy Easter
Photo captions
CHARALAMBOS Sergiou is an artist and an embryologist living and working in Nicosia and has written some notes on the Crossings exhibition at the Power House for the Arts Page."Being a collector, I love the flea markets and, as I have missed the opening (when one could actually buy something from the flea market installation) of the show, I missed the opportunity to mix two sensations. "Firstly, trying to read a contemporary work of art and at the same time choosing to buy something for my collection by browsing at the floor stalls. I normally feel intense doing both but separately. I would have loved to match my feelings towards the subject by doing both at the same time. "Fortunately I had the opportunity to listen to Didier Courbot’s talk about his flea market experiences two days before and of course as it is so with most contemporary works, any pre-discussion on the concept especially involving the artist him/herself, makes a difference to the way the viewer is confronting and interpreting the realised pieces.Congratulations to the curators Yiannis Toumazis, and Androulla Michael and Fabrice Flabutez for their excellent choice of works and for organising a half day pre-congress before the opening exhibition introducing the work to the public. "It turned out to have been a successful meeting offering translational facilities. As it was a very specialised field, I would not have expected art lovers to be present but I would have liked to have seen more artists being there."The shop with the flags by Panayiotis Michael was an interesting summary of some of his work (see the Polish artist Tadeusz Kantor April 6, 1915-December 8, 1990 whose curiosity shop in 1963 marked the beginning of the use of the idea of the shop as an installation). "Panayiotis’ line of thought is very much of today and although we did see too many "shops" cropping up as installations lately (that I start to get the feeling that it is often the easy way out) Panayiotis’ installation happens to fit very well the general theme of the exhibition. "It was very well positioned next to the flea market.Serap Kanay’s family tree is a fine example of serious research leading to an image. So much research in science is often lost in works and how impressive it is that art can give it life and a soul!“Moving to the second part of the show there are two exceptional works. "The work of Andreas Savva is Wow, visually and conceptually. Do not be content to see it in the catalogue, you have to see it on site."The second work by Daniel Le is a UN prefab shed filled up with soil wearing an olive tree – pure poetry – heavy and light, mysterious and yet approachable and suddenly I was not interested in knowing more about it, as it has given me enough visually. "Reluctantly, I moved to the next section of the show as if I did not want to lose the sensation of the aesthetics that I have just experienced."I have already seen Lia Lapithi’s. installation at Gallery Pantheon a few months back so I just enjoyed it optically; well positioned, separating the big room like a river. Opposite on the left hand side a short and sweet video by Servet Koeyigit on nationalism is a good example of video art and how it should be (quick to register and respecting the time of the viewer at the same time)."Sapountzis Yiorgo’s videos with much humour, which is essential even in such dead-serious themes a the ones raised by the curators of the show has given me hope that art will be forever and constantly updated. It has also shown me that the "video" medium still has a role to play in the art world."The installation by Stephanos Karababas and Katerina Attalidou is transcending time. One may choose not to see behind the cabinet but remember that curiosity does not always kill the cat. Please go in and discover the after-cabinet. "Once inside, you may choose to merely experience the flotation or you can even go deeper and try to read the artist’s mind as the piece has a first, second and third level of understanding. If you don’t have the time, go again to reach the third floor."A very serious work by Eric Valette concerning a cemetery deserves more looking into. We all carry with us very private moments in cemeteries and for some people these are more marked, in time, than in others."There are, of course, more works that deserve mentioning and I certainly need to visit the show again."On my way out I could not resist and I secretly stole a minute in Christodoulous Panayiotou’s piece and danced with my wife." Ch. S.
A poem by Ahmad Aicha
AHMAD Aicha is a Syrian Cypriot whose son, Adonis, lives in Cyprus with his mother Kyproulla. Ahmad read this poem of his on World Poetry Day at Castelliotissa on March 21. ADONIS I played guitarBut you proved to play it betterPerhaps because your fingers are slimmer than mine.I stopped paintingWhen I saw that your abstract art was intuitive and mine was notLike the African who carved wood figures better than PicassoOr the villager in the Caucasus who wove designs that could rivalAnything achieved by Paul Klee.When we were fishing togetherYour attention was caught by a mouse, rather than a fishJust as my attention strayed from physics to girls when I was studying.Remember, when you were three, and you said‘The moon is walking with us’? Did you think you were at the centre of the world?Adonis, physically you bear a resemblance to your motherBut your character is closer to mineTo what destiny will it lead you ?I called you Adonis, thinking you would be eternalAs love is eternal…..And also because it is easier for me to create a god, than to be one.Ahmad Aicha
Ruptures of dialogueDAPHNE Mavrovouniotis Trimikliniotis has an exhibition at Apocalypse Gallery which will be opened on Friday, April 13, at 7.30pm, by House President Demetris Christofias.It will continue until the 25th of the month.Daphne Mavrovouniotis Trimiklinitotis was born in Limassol and emigrated to London in 1959, where she studied at Hornsey College of Art, Middlesex University. She spent 35 years in London and has had 14 solo exhibitions of her work in London, Greece and Cyprus as well as taking part in numerous group exhibitions. She is now the President of the Cyprus Chamber of Fine Arts.Daphne is returning to Nicosia after five years. Here awareness of social and political issues influenced her creative process. Her anxieties and worries as well as her expectations and hopes, are reflected in her paintings. New elements are being introduced into Daphne’s work, showing a new concept and philosophy. Elements, such as written dialogue, excerpts from love letters, words and slogans showing the general concern for the state of the world we live in, posing questions and trying to find answers for the way ahead. Here is what she has to say:"Before us, a ruptured world is questioning its very existence. Words, phrases, slogans, people-moments and events, are twisting and turning in our confused minds"All these compose an ever-changing scenery. It’s a dream-like world, turning nightmare at times, and into reality at others. This is the most horrifying and at the same time, most miraculous issue: we live at the MOMENT, where, the visual encroaches upon the real. "And yet, we can no longer locate the boundaries between the real and the false. How can we imagine a true world in the fragments and reflections of a phony and superficial life where all is for sale?"This is the MOMENT I strive to capture: as it emerges through the excerpts of letters – testimonies from the soul, letters of passion swearing eternal, undying love and sacrifice, letters of despair from shattered dreams …. Words flying the air… This is the Moment which forces upon us who we really are by gazing at the past, and think about the future that lies ahead."This scenery I try to recreate, to reconstruct in the hope that we will somehow manage to rethink and re-imagine the world. For moments such as these are ruptures in the continuity of the world; they are ruptures in a dialogue with the past and a potential world of the future."They are a dialogue with life itself."
Double exhibitionDORA Oronti’s and Andros Pavlides’s show at Technis Dromena Gallery is unfortunately now over. Pavlides is new to exhibitions but paints with vigour and has a strong feeling for pigmental use. He loves representational themes and is fond of texture and colour. Dora Oronti is, I would say, the best abstract artist of her generation and shows several of her very new works. Excellent.
New Shows MIKE Marshall is at the Pharos Centre of Contemporary Art from April 12 until May 31.Eleni Meli exhibits at the Melina Mercouri from Tuesday April10-14.
Happy Easter
Photo captions
29 March 2007
Nedi Sakellaropoulou, at Gallery k This exhibition continues until April 21. This is the first solo painting exhibition by Nedi Sakellaropoulou, who is respectfully following the path of the icon painting tradition of Cyprus, a country which can claim more than two hundred saints.And the artist follows the Byzantine canons and communicates the teachings of the Orthodox faith the way tradition hands it to us through the ages. She explains: "I grew up in an area with a rich tradition in Byzantine icon painting. The Solea valley, in the foothills of Troodos, is well known for its superb Byzantine churches which are protected by UNESCO as World Heritage sites. “In this environment, the natural beauty is in constant dialogue with the monuments created by human faith and it is here that I had my first contact with Byzantine iconography. “When I was very young I was visiting these unique churches and experienced their icons. "Their radiating peacefulness, their clean line, their symbolic elements and the strict rendering of the Saints aroused my interest and my curiosity."
Antonopoulos at Gloria’sAn exhibition of new works by Stavros Antonopoulos has already opened at Gloria’s and will continue until April 4.The artist shows dynamic large canvases often with the male nude reclining in splendour and drawn with great delicacy. Quite often a forbidding animal - such as a tiger or wolf – hovers expectantly. Very threatening, actually. There are also pillars with heads attached. All very theatrical, yet nearer to dreams perhaps. Brilliant draughtsmanship, quite disturbing. A high talent at his very best. Next at Gloria’s is Vera Hatzida on April 17.
CrossingsLAST Friday, elegant crowds of art lovers flocked from the earlier (and brilliant) Henri Cartier-Bresson ’Des Europeens’ exhibition at the Hellenic Bank high up on Athalassa Avenue to also see and enjoy the ‘Crossings – a contemporary view’ in the old town of Nicosia. Yiannis Toumazis has the right to be smiling. Proud indeed. The Power House is functioning again, and Manifesta is dead and buried. Cypriot Greeks and Cypriot Turks with other Europeans were exhibiting in the fabulous (almost on the Green Line) Power House, the Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre /Pierides Foundation. Curators are Yiannis Toumazis, and Androulla Michael Flabutez. Earlier visitors also found time to pop in at nearby Stoa Aeschylou (75) where Panicos Tembriotis’s studio had been converted into an excellent exhibition called SPACE WALK at which Demetris Neocleous, Katerina Attalidou, Stefanos Karababas, Sofia Kakoulli, Costas Evangelides, Vicky Pericleous, Myrto Makrides and Panicos have exciting new work on display. Back at The Power House. Well! YOU MUST GO.It is on until May 20.I thoroughly enjoyed myself and ended up buying a ceramic bowl from one of the market stalls (indoors) in which I will replace my bitter lemons with my now sweetened sour grapes. Happy at last. Cypriot art is alive and well again. Crossings is a contemporary view and is the third section of the project "Crossings: Movements of People and Movement of Cultures: changes in the Mediterranean from Ancient to Modern Times" whose leader is the Pierides Foundation. The project is organised within the framework of the European Union programme Culture 2000 and it is implemented with the participation of Cyprus, Greece, Malta, Italy and France.
OpusShowFROM April 2-14, Marina Emphietzi Harris (oil paintings) and Celia Potoudis Macpherson (pottery) are at Opus.Marina Emphietzi-Harris has lived and worked in Dubai since 1989. Her initial passion was for realistic paintings and in these paintings which are mostly oil on canvas, she tries to capture elements of Nature using natural, earth colours and creating compositons such as of rock stones and water. In 1998, she won the prize of merit during an exhibition held at the City Centre Hotel. Marina is teaching oil painting at the new Dubai community theatre and art centre in Dubai. Celia Potoudis Macpherson was born and brought up in Cyprus, with long stints of living in Kenya and UK and now living in Dubai. Celia’s multi-cultural awareness is tangible present in her work. She came to pottery from an academic background and holds an MA from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. Combining traditional hand building techniques with throwing on an electric wheel often on the same piece her current work demonstrates a fascination for tribal pattern work.
Discover CyprusThrough Art
DIACHRONIKI Gallery presents a new exhibition of contemporary art that will continue until April 7 at En Plo, the Municipality Exhibition Hall opposite Paphos Castle, yesterday and today through the arts and crafts.Works from Cypriot and visiting artists. The exhibition at Paphos explores the landscapes and people of the island, showing Cyprus as it was and how it is now. For further information, call 22680135. By the way, there are three Diachroniki galleries in the old town of Nicosia. Diachroniki Ledra, Arsinoe Street Diachroniki, Laiki Yitonia and Nea Diachroniki at Solonos 32.
Important workfrom Cubanartist
THE Weaver of Worlds exhibition at the North Hall of Famagusta Gate Gallery, Nicosia which had its vernissage on Monday, March 19 is by Cuban artist Jose Franco. The exhibition is on until March 30. Do not miss it. An exhibition full of energy with stunning surface textures and expressionistic forms. Jose Franco was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1956. After finishing regular schooling, he attended the San Alejandro Academy of Art in Havana, where he studied painting, drawing and history of art, obtaining a solid artistic and technical foundation. He has taken part in important exhibitions in Cuba, Argentina, Panama, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, the United States as well as Europe and also international events and biennales. The subject which has always fascinated him is the relationship between ecology, technology and art; he has dedicated a great deal of study to all types of chromatic and pattern relationships to be found in as well as the relationship between man and animal, trying to achieve work which carry an appeal to preserve nature as well as convey its beauty, something which modern life does not always allow us.
Simply Cypruson showPRINT Art Consultancy Giclee prints, in association with Curium Gallery, Limassol, are holding their Fourth ‘Simply Cyprus’ art exhibition at the En Plo in Paphos Harbour from Monday, April 9 until Monday, April 16. Open daily from 10am until 7pm, this annual exhibition has become very popular with established artists, as well as up and coming artists who otherwise would not have an outlet in Cyprus.The theme of ‘Simply Cyprus’ encourages the artists to look at the diverse and beautiful surroundings to be found all over the island. This year there will be over 25 artists exhibiting and the exciting variety of both subject matter and style should appeal to most tastes.
Still on Susan Vargas Stefani, at Kypriaki Gonia, LarnacaThese are serious paintings; strong, poetic and related to personal experiences: delved deeply and painted with aesthetic confidence. Susan’s exhibition will continue until April 20.Liana Spanou-Zanti, at Heliotropio Gallery, Larnaca. The Other Side. A remarkable exhibition with a knowing glance at absurdities in the "fine art" section of aesthetics. Painted by an artist "who can not remain untouched by the significant worldwide shift towards consumerism." Continues until the 31st of this month. Tereza Pilava, at Opus 39 Tereza titles her exhibition Butterflies and it will continue until the 31st of this month.Andreas Tazou is exhibiting at Morphi Gallery, Limassol, until April 6, Richard Wilson and Michael Turner are exhibiting until April 15 at Dinos Art CafE Limassol. Ina Constantinidou has an exhibition of paintings at Kyklos gallery, Paphos until April 4. The Marc-Alain Stamm photographic exhibition ‘An Invitation to Travel" continues at18 Amphitritis Street until May 19. Moussoulides’ 40 Years Journey With the Light photographic exhibition is at Castelliotissa, Nicosia. This exhibition closes tomorrow and is dedicated to Pefkios Georgiades. Pegasus Art Foundation continues its new series "Myth and Icon" until April.This is at Art Studio 55 near the Rialto, Limassol.
Bronx OpenHouse This Sunday is open house at the Bronx Museum of the Arts.Lori Salmon, Media Coordinator, writes to the Arts Page to say: "Here and Elsewhere features a range of work by 36 artists from throughout the Metropolitan area, all of whom have participated in the most recent incarnation of Artist in the Marketplace (AIM)." One artist is Ketta Ioannidou. Does that ring a bell? Can’t wait for the panel discussion "Understanding Housing Policies in the Bronx" with a tour on Saturday, April 14 to discover a wealth of historic networks through a number of architectural gems along the Grand Concourse, by foot or bike. There’s also Total Chaos: The Art and Aesthetics of Hip Hop on May 4. But don’t miss Sunday April 1, 2pm to 6pm. We’ll all be there.
PromisingDora Oronti and Andros Pavlides at Technis Dromena Gallery This most promising exhibition was opened on Monday by Ambassador Erato Kozakou-Marcoulli . More next week.
Antonopoulos at Gloria’sAn exhibition of new works by Stavros Antonopoulos has already opened at Gloria’s and will continue until April 4.The artist shows dynamic large canvases often with the male nude reclining in splendour and drawn with great delicacy. Quite often a forbidding animal - such as a tiger or wolf – hovers expectantly. Very threatening, actually. There are also pillars with heads attached. All very theatrical, yet nearer to dreams perhaps. Brilliant draughtsmanship, quite disturbing. A high talent at his very best. Next at Gloria’s is Vera Hatzida on April 17.
CrossingsLAST Friday, elegant crowds of art lovers flocked from the earlier (and brilliant) Henri Cartier-Bresson ’Des Europeens’ exhibition at the Hellenic Bank high up on Athalassa Avenue to also see and enjoy the ‘Crossings – a contemporary view’ in the old town of Nicosia. Yiannis Toumazis has the right to be smiling. Proud indeed. The Power House is functioning again, and Manifesta is dead and buried. Cypriot Greeks and Cypriot Turks with other Europeans were exhibiting in the fabulous (almost on the Green Line) Power House, the Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre /Pierides Foundation. Curators are Yiannis Toumazis, and Androulla Michael Flabutez. Earlier visitors also found time to pop in at nearby Stoa Aeschylou (75) where Panicos Tembriotis’s studio had been converted into an excellent exhibition called SPACE WALK at which Demetris Neocleous, Katerina Attalidou, Stefanos Karababas, Sofia Kakoulli, Costas Evangelides, Vicky Pericleous, Myrto Makrides and Panicos have exciting new work on display. Back at The Power House. Well! YOU MUST GO.It is on until May 20.I thoroughly enjoyed myself and ended up buying a ceramic bowl from one of the market stalls (indoors) in which I will replace my bitter lemons with my now sweetened sour grapes. Happy at last. Cypriot art is alive and well again. Crossings is a contemporary view and is the third section of the project "Crossings: Movements of People and Movement of Cultures: changes in the Mediterranean from Ancient to Modern Times" whose leader is the Pierides Foundation. The project is organised within the framework of the European Union programme Culture 2000 and it is implemented with the participation of Cyprus, Greece, Malta, Italy and France.
OpusShowFROM April 2-14, Marina Emphietzi Harris (oil paintings) and Celia Potoudis Macpherson (pottery) are at Opus.Marina Emphietzi-Harris has lived and worked in Dubai since 1989. Her initial passion was for realistic paintings and in these paintings which are mostly oil on canvas, she tries to capture elements of Nature using natural, earth colours and creating compositons such as of rock stones and water. In 1998, she won the prize of merit during an exhibition held at the City Centre Hotel. Marina is teaching oil painting at the new Dubai community theatre and art centre in Dubai. Celia Potoudis Macpherson was born and brought up in Cyprus, with long stints of living in Kenya and UK and now living in Dubai. Celia’s multi-cultural awareness is tangible present in her work. She came to pottery from an academic background and holds an MA from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. Combining traditional hand building techniques with throwing on an electric wheel often on the same piece her current work demonstrates a fascination for tribal pattern work.
Discover CyprusThrough Art
DIACHRONIKI Gallery presents a new exhibition of contemporary art that will continue until April 7 at En Plo, the Municipality Exhibition Hall opposite Paphos Castle, yesterday and today through the arts and crafts.Works from Cypriot and visiting artists. The exhibition at Paphos explores the landscapes and people of the island, showing Cyprus as it was and how it is now. For further information, call 22680135. By the way, there are three Diachroniki galleries in the old town of Nicosia. Diachroniki Ledra, Arsinoe Street Diachroniki, Laiki Yitonia and Nea Diachroniki at Solonos 32.
Important workfrom Cubanartist
THE Weaver of Worlds exhibition at the North Hall of Famagusta Gate Gallery, Nicosia which had its vernissage on Monday, March 19 is by Cuban artist Jose Franco. The exhibition is on until March 30. Do not miss it. An exhibition full of energy with stunning surface textures and expressionistic forms. Jose Franco was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1956. After finishing regular schooling, he attended the San Alejandro Academy of Art in Havana, where he studied painting, drawing and history of art, obtaining a solid artistic and technical foundation. He has taken part in important exhibitions in Cuba, Argentina, Panama, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, the United States as well as Europe and also international events and biennales. The subject which has always fascinated him is the relationship between ecology, technology and art; he has dedicated a great deal of study to all types of chromatic and pattern relationships to be found in as well as the relationship between man and animal, trying to achieve work which carry an appeal to preserve nature as well as convey its beauty, something which modern life does not always allow us.
Simply Cypruson showPRINT Art Consultancy Giclee prints, in association with Curium Gallery, Limassol, are holding their Fourth ‘Simply Cyprus’ art exhibition at the En Plo in Paphos Harbour from Monday, April 9 until Monday, April 16. Open daily from 10am until 7pm, this annual exhibition has become very popular with established artists, as well as up and coming artists who otherwise would not have an outlet in Cyprus.The theme of ‘Simply Cyprus’ encourages the artists to look at the diverse and beautiful surroundings to be found all over the island. This year there will be over 25 artists exhibiting and the exciting variety of both subject matter and style should appeal to most tastes.
Still on Susan Vargas Stefani, at Kypriaki Gonia, LarnacaThese are serious paintings; strong, poetic and related to personal experiences: delved deeply and painted with aesthetic confidence. Susan’s exhibition will continue until April 20.Liana Spanou-Zanti, at Heliotropio Gallery, Larnaca. The Other Side. A remarkable exhibition with a knowing glance at absurdities in the "fine art" section of aesthetics. Painted by an artist "who can not remain untouched by the significant worldwide shift towards consumerism." Continues until the 31st of this month. Tereza Pilava, at Opus 39 Tereza titles her exhibition Butterflies and it will continue until the 31st of this month.Andreas Tazou is exhibiting at Morphi Gallery, Limassol, until April 6, Richard Wilson and Michael Turner are exhibiting until April 15 at Dinos Art CafE Limassol. Ina Constantinidou has an exhibition of paintings at Kyklos gallery, Paphos until April 4. The Marc-Alain Stamm photographic exhibition ‘An Invitation to Travel" continues at18 Amphitritis Street until May 19. Moussoulides’ 40 Years Journey With the Light photographic exhibition is at Castelliotissa, Nicosia. This exhibition closes tomorrow and is dedicated to Pefkios Georgiades. Pegasus Art Foundation continues its new series "Myth and Icon" until April.This is at Art Studio 55 near the Rialto, Limassol.
Bronx OpenHouse This Sunday is open house at the Bronx Museum of the Arts.Lori Salmon, Media Coordinator, writes to the Arts Page to say: "Here and Elsewhere features a range of work by 36 artists from throughout the Metropolitan area, all of whom have participated in the most recent incarnation of Artist in the Marketplace (AIM)." One artist is Ketta Ioannidou. Does that ring a bell? Can’t wait for the panel discussion "Understanding Housing Policies in the Bronx" with a tour on Saturday, April 14 to discover a wealth of historic networks through a number of architectural gems along the Grand Concourse, by foot or bike. There’s also Total Chaos: The Art and Aesthetics of Hip Hop on May 4. But don’t miss Sunday April 1, 2pm to 6pm. We’ll all be there.
PromisingDora Oronti and Andros Pavlides at Technis Dromena Gallery This most promising exhibition was opened on Monday by Ambassador Erato Kozakou-Marcoulli . More next week.
22 March 2007
Crossings: Wait for the blockbusterThe Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre is the setting for a huge contemporary art exhibition. Entitled Crossings, it is a contemporary view and is the third action in the project "Crossings: Movements of People and Movement of Cultures: Changes in the Mediterranean from Ancient to Modern Times" whose leader is the Pierides Foundation. The project is organised within the framework of the European Union Culture 2000 programme and taking part are Cyprus, Greece, Malta, Italy and France.The show’s curators are Yiannis Toumazis and Androulla Michael, assisted by Fabrice Flahutez.The opening takes place on Friday, March 23, at 8pm and it will close of May 20.The themes of Crossings are the cultural interactions between the Occident and the Orient through the movements – organised or not – of people, goods and ideas via the Mediterranean basin. Crossings is a touring exhibition of contemporary art, which will demonstrate how the new generations of artists from various Mediterranean countries perceive issues relevant to cultural contact and interaction. Using mainly new media and technologies, artists from all five countries involved in the project as well as from other Mediterranean countries (Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Egypt and Tunisia) will present their own experience and understanding of interaction between cultures.Interaction and dialogue are the main axis of the exhibition, as well as identity, national or individual, natural and/non-natural boundaries amongst people, the emblematic "Other" and finally death, which compromises a common place of reconciliation for all humans. These are the main themes that artists present in this exhibition. The different social and ethnic background of the artists guarantees a dynamic forum.The aim of the exhibition is to encourage the mutual understanding of differences and similarities amongst European citizens as well as people from other Mediterranean countries. In particular, the exhibition will attempt to bring to the surface the multicultural character of modern European societies, to stress the necessity of bridging the gap between communities and to urge the establishment of relations based on mutual trust and understanding between Europe, the Near East and the northern coast of Africa.Yiannis Toumazis and Androulla Michael, the curators of the exhibition, note:"This exhibition endeavours to bring together artists whose work contains the very idea of crossings in the world of today, where cultural output is striving to achieve a dynamic but at the same time controversial role It is obvious that the satiation prevalent in the traditionally great powers of Western Europe has created a stagnancy which inevitably leads to a regurgitation of creativity and a recycling of ideologies."Nothing new appears to be able to shock the increasingly aware and parched public."This exhibition endeavours to examine how a number of contemporary artists comprehend this notion of movements and crossings. It aims at recording opinions, at listening, and tries to possibly open a window to honest and frank meetings of both likes and opposites."The participating artists are:Vince Briffa, Malta. Lives and works in MaltaDidier Courbot, France. Lives and works in ParisJoseph Dadoune, Israel. Lives and works in Israel and EuropeMarcel Dinahet, France. Lives and works in FranceHaris Epaminonda, Cyprus. Lives and works in Nicosia.Serap Kanay, Cyprus. Lives and works in Famagusta.Stephanos Karababas and Katerina Attalidou, Cyprus. Live and work in NicosiaServet Kocyigit, Turkey. Lives and works in Amsterdam.Phanos Kyriacou, Cyprus. Lives and works in CyprusLia Lapithi, Cyprus. Lives and works in CyprusDaniel Le, France. Lives and works in Paris.Panayiotis Michael, Cyprus. Lives and works in Nicosia.Christodoulos Panayiotou, Cyprus. Lives and works in Cyprus.Francoise Parfait, France. Lives and works in Paris.Pierre Portelli, Malta. Lives and works in Malta.Yorgos Sapountzis, Greece. Lives and works in Berlin.Andreas Savva, Cyprus. Lives and works in Athens.Nasan Tur, Germany. Lives and works in Frankfurt and LondonEric Valette, France. Lives and works in Paris.
The Other SideLIANA Spanou-Zanti’s work can be seen at Heliotropio Gallery, Larnaca. A very lively exhibition, indeed, by an artist who can not remain untouched by the significant worldwide shift towards consumerism. This new wave has affected our society tremendously and, as a result, we inevitably as individuals have adopted unfortunately most of its negative aspects. In other words, we have all been trapped in an endless chase of consumer goods which only leads to hallucination and an imaginary happiness. Our behaviour has reached the limits of idolatry.The title chosen - "The Other Side" - stands for a revelation that dares to liberate human beings of today from their passions, whatever those might be, by helping them feel self satisfied, within the limits of their natural capabilities.This exhibition continues until March 31.
Rose Theatre and The CrucibleTHE New Rose Theatre presents "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller at Technochoros (ETHAL), Franklin Roosevelt Ave Limassol.There are performances on March 29, 30,31 and April 1, at 8pm. Telephone Wendy for reservations on 99058394 Bryan Ayres comments: ‘The Crucible’ has been acclaimed as the finest American play of the 20th century. It is set in Salem, Massachusetts an English settlement in the 19th century."It is a hard life for these strict Puritans. When some rebellious girls hold orgies they are accused of witchcraft. They in turn accuse their elders – and a full witch hunt ensues”.Arthur Miller wrote "The Crucible" during the McCarthy anti-communist "witch trials" 50 years ago.
Vargas in the corner SUSAN Vargas Stefani’s show continues at Kypriaki Gonia, Larnaca.Here are more comments (from last week) on her new work by the author and Professor of Art, Caroline Frances:"Yes, there is a going in circles, becoming light-headed, becoming misplaced only to find ourselves rooted in the vertical trees and of boats halfway asleep. "And the sky disappears by the height of the dense trees. "The sky is not where you expect it to be – it has become our skin. So, becoming lost is a way of finding oneself again; it is a journey through the river, blending into the horizons the strokes on canvas become colours, edges, the vertical, the horizontal - a coming back to discover oneself. "Here one encounters an obsession with space – dynamic negative space – which is not just a pretext for serenity – it simply is. Space is away of questioning the world and art itself - one that mingles, reassembles intuitively her surroundings. "Now it is the Amazon, its diverseness and time without end. An unconscious link of the tropical the Mediterranean juxtaposition; it is so subtle and clean, yet one succumbs to the oils as the different worlds mix and melt into each other. " Susan Vargas Stefani studied fine arts in Syracuse University, USA, Austria and Colombia, she has shown her work in many solo exhibitions and also participated in many group exhibitions in Cyprus and abroad Her exhibition was opened by Marios Miltiadou, General Manager Cyprus Petroleum Storage Company Ltd, on Wednesday, and will continue until April 20.
Weaver of Worlds THE Weaver of Worlds exhibition, by Cuban artist Jose Franco, is at the North Hall of Famagusta Gate Gallery, Nicosia, with the vernissage on Monday, March 19.A full report next week on this most important event.The exhibition ends on March 30. Do not miss it.
Very new showsDora Oronti and Andros Pavlides, at Technis Dromena Gallery, this most promising exhibition will be opened on Monday, by Ambassador Erato Kozakou-Marcoulis and will continue until April 3.Tereza Pilava, at Opus 39: Tereza entitles her exhibition Butterflies. It opened this week and will continue until March 31.Andros Tazou, at Morphi Gallery, Limassol: This can be seen until April 6.An exhibition of new works by Stavros Antonopoulos has already opened at Gloria’s and will continue until April 4.The exhibition of new works by Raymond Wilson and Michael Turner continues at Dino’s Art CafE 62-66, Irinis Street, Limassol, until April 15.Ina Constantinidou has an exhibition of painting at Kyklos Gallery, Paphos until April 4.
Demosthenis Kokkinidesat C K Gallery THIS new and spacious gallery is very near the Nicosia Cleopatra Hotel. The Greek artist Demosthenis Kokkinides, who I believe teaches painting at the Athens University Art School, captures space and light with exceptional clarity.While at the opening, I met Cypriot artist Stavros Kikas who studied under Kokkinides and he said to The Cyprus Weekly: "Look a second time and you see a lot of world and colour."
Economou shines at ApocalypseLEFTERIS Economou is at the Apocalypse gallery, in an exhibition of paintings by an artists of the second generation.Economou was born in 1930 and his full retrospective will continue until April 4.Here is the artist who could (and still can) be seen painting in the streets of the old city. He really observes and has a superb sense of colour. Not only this but look at his portraits. Excellent. There are many wonderful landscapes on view at Apocalypse, as well. A whole selection. Take your choice. Also an outstanding array of our coastal scenes, with fisherman at their work. Do visit.
Retrospective in Larnaca
Vasso Kyriaki is at the Municipal Art Gallery, Larnaca, with a wonderful retrospective that continues until April 15.It covers 50 years of her work. Dora Bakoyianni, Mayor of Athens writes: "Her particular and poetic work underlines the consistency, the persistence and the artist’s complete devotion to art as a creative intervention to society." This is a fully comprehensive retrospective.Here are some notes on Kyriaki’s work by Nellie Kyriazi, Director of the Municipal Gallery of Athens, where this fully comprehensive exhibition was first presented:"The painting of Vasso Kyriaki began in the atmosphere of the late Greek "modernite." Being a student of Georgiades and Moralis at the School of Fine Arts she turns already in her student works to abstract tendencies. The works of her student years at the school of fine arts, with their familiar subjects of the portrait, of the nude and of the landscape reveal the ease of a mature artist with the experience of taming space and of colour rather than the uncertain attempts of a student."The relation between reality and its representations seems to preoccupy Kyriaki timely enough: a speculation that will develop through her work into a creation of pictures of inverted range, autonomous pictures that challenge the reality to interpret them when she presented in 1987 the elaborate constructions with poor materials – a work of ten years - she won the interest and the positive comments of the critics. "Her research was correlated then with the combines of Rauschenberg, who had incorporated a bed and a stuffed animal in the painting surface of his works during the Sixties in the USA.“In the Seventies, Kyriaki turned to materials that have nothing to do with painting. They are rough, insignificant parts of our everyday routine, taken for granted in their self evident use. "Rubber from car tyres, wood, string, worn out fabrics, metal sheets: these are the raw materials for remodelling."This adventure with the materials lasted more than 20 years."At the beginning of 2000, Kyriaki returned to painting"The style, purified from expressionist tensions and minimalising the chromatic tools, re-examines the plastic values and the phenomenon of visual perception in different interpretations, without detracting anything from its subjectivity."This wonderful show continues until April 15 at the Municipal Gallery, Larnaca.
The Other SideLIANA Spanou-Zanti’s work can be seen at Heliotropio Gallery, Larnaca. A very lively exhibition, indeed, by an artist who can not remain untouched by the significant worldwide shift towards consumerism. This new wave has affected our society tremendously and, as a result, we inevitably as individuals have adopted unfortunately most of its negative aspects. In other words, we have all been trapped in an endless chase of consumer goods which only leads to hallucination and an imaginary happiness. Our behaviour has reached the limits of idolatry.The title chosen - "The Other Side" - stands for a revelation that dares to liberate human beings of today from their passions, whatever those might be, by helping them feel self satisfied, within the limits of their natural capabilities.This exhibition continues until March 31.
Rose Theatre and The CrucibleTHE New Rose Theatre presents "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller at Technochoros (ETHAL), Franklin Roosevelt Ave Limassol.There are performances on March 29, 30,31 and April 1, at 8pm. Telephone Wendy for reservations on 99058394 Bryan Ayres comments: ‘The Crucible’ has been acclaimed as the finest American play of the 20th century. It is set in Salem, Massachusetts an English settlement in the 19th century."It is a hard life for these strict Puritans. When some rebellious girls hold orgies they are accused of witchcraft. They in turn accuse their elders – and a full witch hunt ensues”.Arthur Miller wrote "The Crucible" during the McCarthy anti-communist "witch trials" 50 years ago.
Vargas in the corner SUSAN Vargas Stefani’s show continues at Kypriaki Gonia, Larnaca.Here are more comments (from last week) on her new work by the author and Professor of Art, Caroline Frances:"Yes, there is a going in circles, becoming light-headed, becoming misplaced only to find ourselves rooted in the vertical trees and of boats halfway asleep. "And the sky disappears by the height of the dense trees. "The sky is not where you expect it to be – it has become our skin. So, becoming lost is a way of finding oneself again; it is a journey through the river, blending into the horizons the strokes on canvas become colours, edges, the vertical, the horizontal - a coming back to discover oneself. "Here one encounters an obsession with space – dynamic negative space – which is not just a pretext for serenity – it simply is. Space is away of questioning the world and art itself - one that mingles, reassembles intuitively her surroundings. "Now it is the Amazon, its diverseness and time without end. An unconscious link of the tropical the Mediterranean juxtaposition; it is so subtle and clean, yet one succumbs to the oils as the different worlds mix and melt into each other. " Susan Vargas Stefani studied fine arts in Syracuse University, USA, Austria and Colombia, she has shown her work in many solo exhibitions and also participated in many group exhibitions in Cyprus and abroad Her exhibition was opened by Marios Miltiadou, General Manager Cyprus Petroleum Storage Company Ltd, on Wednesday, and will continue until April 20.
Weaver of Worlds THE Weaver of Worlds exhibition, by Cuban artist Jose Franco, is at the North Hall of Famagusta Gate Gallery, Nicosia, with the vernissage on Monday, March 19.A full report next week on this most important event.The exhibition ends on March 30. Do not miss it.
Very new showsDora Oronti and Andros Pavlides, at Technis Dromena Gallery, this most promising exhibition will be opened on Monday, by Ambassador Erato Kozakou-Marcoulis and will continue until April 3.Tereza Pilava, at Opus 39: Tereza entitles her exhibition Butterflies. It opened this week and will continue until March 31.Andros Tazou, at Morphi Gallery, Limassol: This can be seen until April 6.An exhibition of new works by Stavros Antonopoulos has already opened at Gloria’s and will continue until April 4.The exhibition of new works by Raymond Wilson and Michael Turner continues at Dino’s Art CafE 62-66, Irinis Street, Limassol, until April 15.Ina Constantinidou has an exhibition of painting at Kyklos Gallery, Paphos until April 4.
Demosthenis Kokkinidesat C K Gallery THIS new and spacious gallery is very near the Nicosia Cleopatra Hotel. The Greek artist Demosthenis Kokkinides, who I believe teaches painting at the Athens University Art School, captures space and light with exceptional clarity.While at the opening, I met Cypriot artist Stavros Kikas who studied under Kokkinides and he said to The Cyprus Weekly: "Look a second time and you see a lot of world and colour."
Economou shines at ApocalypseLEFTERIS Economou is at the Apocalypse gallery, in an exhibition of paintings by an artists of the second generation.Economou was born in 1930 and his full retrospective will continue until April 4.Here is the artist who could (and still can) be seen painting in the streets of the old city. He really observes and has a superb sense of colour. Not only this but look at his portraits. Excellent. There are many wonderful landscapes on view at Apocalypse, as well. A whole selection. Take your choice. Also an outstanding array of our coastal scenes, with fisherman at their work. Do visit.
Retrospective in Larnaca
Vasso Kyriaki is at the Municipal Art Gallery, Larnaca, with a wonderful retrospective that continues until April 15.It covers 50 years of her work. Dora Bakoyianni, Mayor of Athens writes: "Her particular and poetic work underlines the consistency, the persistence and the artist’s complete devotion to art as a creative intervention to society." This is a fully comprehensive retrospective.Here are some notes on Kyriaki’s work by Nellie Kyriazi, Director of the Municipal Gallery of Athens, where this fully comprehensive exhibition was first presented:"The painting of Vasso Kyriaki began in the atmosphere of the late Greek "modernite." Being a student of Georgiades and Moralis at the School of Fine Arts she turns already in her student works to abstract tendencies. The works of her student years at the school of fine arts, with their familiar subjects of the portrait, of the nude and of the landscape reveal the ease of a mature artist with the experience of taming space and of colour rather than the uncertain attempts of a student."The relation between reality and its representations seems to preoccupy Kyriaki timely enough: a speculation that will develop through her work into a creation of pictures of inverted range, autonomous pictures that challenge the reality to interpret them when she presented in 1987 the elaborate constructions with poor materials – a work of ten years - she won the interest and the positive comments of the critics. "Her research was correlated then with the combines of Rauschenberg, who had incorporated a bed and a stuffed animal in the painting surface of his works during the Sixties in the USA.“In the Seventies, Kyriaki turned to materials that have nothing to do with painting. They are rough, insignificant parts of our everyday routine, taken for granted in their self evident use. "Rubber from car tyres, wood, string, worn out fabrics, metal sheets: these are the raw materials for remodelling."This adventure with the materials lasted more than 20 years."At the beginning of 2000, Kyriaki returned to painting"The style, purified from expressionist tensions and minimalising the chromatic tools, re-examines the plastic values and the phenomenon of visual perception in different interpretations, without detracting anything from its subjectivity."This wonderful show continues until April 15 at the Municipal Gallery, Larnaca.
15 March 2007
Lefteris Economou, at ApocalypseTHIS is an exhibition of paintings by an artist of the 2nd generation, Lefteris Economou, who was born in 1930 and now has a full retrospective at Apocalypse Gallery, Nicosia , It opened earlier in the week and will continue until April 4.
Weaver of worldsTHIS most important exhibition at the North Hall of Famagusta Gate gallery, Nicosia with the vernissage on Monday, March 19, is by Cuban artist Jose Franco.The opening addresses are by:Eleni Mavrou, Mayor of Nicosia, H.E. Mr Pablo Rodriguez Vidal, Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba in Cyprus, George Perdikis, MP, Secretary General of the Cyprus Green Party and Nicholas Panayi, artist, Secretary of the Chamber of Fine Art Cyprus.The duration of the exhibition is from Tuesday the March 20 until 30. Do not miss it.
CROSSINGS - Wait for the Blockbuster
THE Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre (The Old Power House) associated with the Pierides Foundation, have a huge contemporary art exhibition. Enitled Crossings, it is a contemporary view and is the third action of the project "Crossings: Movements of People and Movement of Cultures: Changes in the Mediterranean from Ancient to Modern Times" whose leader is the Pierides Foundation. The project is organised as part of the European Union’s Culture 2000 programme and it is implemented with the participation of Cyprus, Greece, Malta, Italy and France.Curators are Yiannis Toumazis and Androula Michael, while the assistant curator is Fabrice Flahutez.Opening: Friday, March 23, 8pm.Duration of the exhibition: March 23-May 20.(More next week, with full list of artists).A round table will be organised within the framework of the exhibition on Thursday, March 22, at the Amphitheatre hall of the Pancyprian Gymnasium in Nicosia (10am-2pm). Speakers, amongst others, will be Stephen Wright, philosopher and contributor to the Parachute magazine, Francoise Parfait, video theorist, artist and collaborator at the Georges Pompidou Centre, Brent Klinkum, curator and art critic, director of Transart (Caen) and the artists and the curators of the exhibition. During the workshop there will be instant translation in Greek, English and French.
Vasso Kyriaki in Larnaca THIS wonderful retrospective at the Municipal Art Gallery, Larnaca, continues until April 15 and covers 50 years of the work of Vasso Kyriaki. Dora Bakoyiannis, Mayor of Athens, writes: "Her particular and poetic work underlines the consistency, the persistence and the artist’s complete devotion to art as a creative intervention to society." More next week. This is a fully-comprehensive retrospective.
Susan Vargas Stefani
HERE are comments on Susan Vargas Stefani’s new work at Kypriaki Gonia Larnaca, by the author and Professor of Art, Caroline Frances: "Susan’s most recent work is a return to the ‘abstract’ although very much unlike her previous period, in which shapes touched one another symbiotically. "Her new work is surer of itself, more established, full of change and imbued with a confident abstraction. It has acquired a keen sense of the fragile world around her; matches her inner sensibility. Compounded, her work has evolved into elemental forms, grounded with a voice and strokes; she distils art into its essence (as well as multi-dimensionality)."These paintings, imbued by the Amazon basin, uncannily play with space. For her, space seems to be indeterminate and she confronts it with grace and rhythm; the vertical-trees, symbols, and then the horizontal – mainly shapes of boats and canoes – all infused by the strength of the river. "At times, she will revert from nature and simplicity to buildings and figures. Perhaps they become a counterpoint, signifying a contradictory world. "When there is movement, it is delicate and free, disorienting. Shapes, like the canoes, are brought together creating harmony, juxtaposed against a stark background. This in itself creates a melodic sense as colours inform, confuse and transform the viewer. "To look at the trees – that upward glance into infinity – makes one lightheaded and furthermore – the Amazon, the jungle, envelop the viewer, almost making one dizzy. "One feels the ancient Amazon transposed (juxtaposed) at the same time with the modern. Or just the inverse. She wants one to stare until you can feel and sense the jungle where one loses sense of cardinal points – north nor east or matter; it all seeps into freedom – it doesn’t matter who or where one is."Susan Vargas Stefani studied fine arts in Syracuse University, USA, Austria and Colombia, she has shown her work in many solo exhibitions and also participated in many group exhibitions in Cyprus and abroad Her exhibition will be opened by Marios Miltiadou General Manager Cyprus Petroleum Storage Company Ltd, on Wednesday, March 21 and will continue until April 20.
The Other Side
LIANA Spanou-Zanti writes of her work at Heliotropio Gallery, Larnaca.As an artist, I could not remain untouched by the significant worldwide shift towards consumerism. This new wave has affected our society tremendously and, as a result, we inevitably as individuals have adopted unfortunately most of its negative aspects. In other words, we have all been trapped in an endless chase of consumer goods, which only leads to hallucination and an imaginary happiness. Our behaviour has reached the limits of idolatry. We have forgotten our human nature and its basic needs, We have become and move like machines, like robots. The daily small pleasures of life and basic human relations have been eliminated and thus have become non-existent.The title chosen - "The Other Side" - stands for a revelation that dares to liberate human beings of today from their passions, whatever those might be, by helping them feel self-satisfied, within the limits of their natural capabilities."This exhibition opened on Wednesday, March 14, and continues until the 31st.
From the Darkness to the Light
NICHOLAS Panayi’s exhibition has opened at Alpha Gallery and continues until March 17. It is a MUST.Artist and critic Jane Walker writes more on Nicholas’s art :"Parallel with his projects are the developing works, where human faces are beginning to gaze out of the canvases – often emerging from a complex mesh of figures, the totality slowly revealing itself to the viewer and some are in this Darkness to Light exhibition. “We see an interesting development. A huge compassionate face dominates the composition, seeming to suffer all the troubles of the world, like the passion of Christ. Just as his figures are always stretching and struggling, Nicholas Panayi has been reaching towards this. “A human being is looking straight out at us. It may be something new for the artist: but tragedy, transgression and hope are as present as ever."
Last days
THE Seals, Rodoula Lioliou Anastasiou, at Studio Gallery, 65 Pericleous (Old Nicosia /Within The Walls). Angels, at Gallery k. This is continuing until March 17 and the gallery is aflutter with art under the theme angels. It has truly taken wing; wonderful, enlightening with an exceptional variety.
Kashalos at Opus 39
THAT excellent artist and teacher Susan Kerr was at the opening of this exhibition and jotted down some appreciative notes down for us on her invitation .No 3: A genuine abstraction in the textural rendering of the cornfield – shifts of compositional balance with diagonal movement in the sheaves of corn. Clear cut figures on a textural background.No 8: Rich detail and texture giving depth and substance to the composition. Clear narrative showing the making of the basket from canes in the field. Delightful.No 12: Charming rendering of the almond blossom – great design – and this brings the beauty of the natural environment in Cyprus - home to us.No 19: Lovely winter atmosphere and rich texture in landscape.Susan considers the work generally covers all aspects and acrivities of Cyprus tradition.The next exhibition at Opus 39 is Butterflies, by Tereza Pilavi, opening on Monday, March 19.
Yiannis Pelekanos THE lovely Ledras gallery is right in the middle of old Nicosia, an extension of the other Diachroniki gallery in town and the Dhali Gallery.It is here that Yiannis Pelekanos has his new show.First Lady Fotini Papadopoulou opened the exhibition.It continues until March 27.
Panos Stephanides A SUPERB exhibition of paintings with an almost Pollockian love of painterly values. They flow. They get caught and composed. They delicately swing between humour and horror. Is this the mood of the times? All on the verge of change. In safe aesthetical hands.
Eraclis Mavrommatis at Technis Dromena
THIS exhibition will continue until March 17.The artist was born in Nicosia. He studied photography in keeping with the family tradibtion, working for 25 years from manual to digital photography.At the same time, he also took up painting and combined the two arts to produce photography with collage, with painting and works of painting with photographic input.Eraclis has taken part in 3 group exhibitions in Greece and Cyprus.‘Naked Truth is the title of his second solo exhibition where "through a blending of arts he takes us on a trip of human shapes".A very lively show. Figuration is certainly making a triumphant comeback.
Hadjisavvas
EXCELLENT use of texture with rich detail by Erato Hadjisavvas at Gloria’s. Great understanding of use of paint. Variety, too. Yet another new talent.
Dinos Art Cafe RAYMOND Wilson and Michael Turner, both members of the Cinema 1 group, are exhibiting at Dinos Art CafE in Irinis Street, Limassol (close to the castle).This will run until April 15. Must get down to Limassol. The show has much promise.
Ingar Gullers returns THAT most positive of artists from Sweden, Ingar Gullers, is here again, at Larnaca. She will exhibit her lovely paintings at Kition Hotel/Apts 35 King Paul Square, Larnaca, from Saturday and Sunday, March 17 and 18, from 12-5pm.
Weaver of worldsTHIS most important exhibition at the North Hall of Famagusta Gate gallery, Nicosia with the vernissage on Monday, March 19, is by Cuban artist Jose Franco.The opening addresses are by:Eleni Mavrou, Mayor of Nicosia, H.E. Mr Pablo Rodriguez Vidal, Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba in Cyprus, George Perdikis, MP, Secretary General of the Cyprus Green Party and Nicholas Panayi, artist, Secretary of the Chamber of Fine Art Cyprus.The duration of the exhibition is from Tuesday the March 20 until 30. Do not miss it.
CROSSINGS - Wait for the Blockbuster
THE Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre (The Old Power House) associated with the Pierides Foundation, have a huge contemporary art exhibition. Enitled Crossings, it is a contemporary view and is the third action of the project "Crossings: Movements of People and Movement of Cultures: Changes in the Mediterranean from Ancient to Modern Times" whose leader is the Pierides Foundation. The project is organised as part of the European Union’s Culture 2000 programme and it is implemented with the participation of Cyprus, Greece, Malta, Italy and France.Curators are Yiannis Toumazis and Androula Michael, while the assistant curator is Fabrice Flahutez.Opening: Friday, March 23, 8pm.Duration of the exhibition: March 23-May 20.(More next week, with full list of artists).A round table will be organised within the framework of the exhibition on Thursday, March 22, at the Amphitheatre hall of the Pancyprian Gymnasium in Nicosia (10am-2pm). Speakers, amongst others, will be Stephen Wright, philosopher and contributor to the Parachute magazine, Francoise Parfait, video theorist, artist and collaborator at the Georges Pompidou Centre, Brent Klinkum, curator and art critic, director of Transart (Caen) and the artists and the curators of the exhibition. During the workshop there will be instant translation in Greek, English and French.
Vasso Kyriaki in Larnaca THIS wonderful retrospective at the Municipal Art Gallery, Larnaca, continues until April 15 and covers 50 years of the work of Vasso Kyriaki. Dora Bakoyiannis, Mayor of Athens, writes: "Her particular and poetic work underlines the consistency, the persistence and the artist’s complete devotion to art as a creative intervention to society." More next week. This is a fully-comprehensive retrospective.
Susan Vargas Stefani
HERE are comments on Susan Vargas Stefani’s new work at Kypriaki Gonia Larnaca, by the author and Professor of Art, Caroline Frances: "Susan’s most recent work is a return to the ‘abstract’ although very much unlike her previous period, in which shapes touched one another symbiotically. "Her new work is surer of itself, more established, full of change and imbued with a confident abstraction. It has acquired a keen sense of the fragile world around her; matches her inner sensibility. Compounded, her work has evolved into elemental forms, grounded with a voice and strokes; she distils art into its essence (as well as multi-dimensionality)."These paintings, imbued by the Amazon basin, uncannily play with space. For her, space seems to be indeterminate and she confronts it with grace and rhythm; the vertical-trees, symbols, and then the horizontal – mainly shapes of boats and canoes – all infused by the strength of the river. "At times, she will revert from nature and simplicity to buildings and figures. Perhaps they become a counterpoint, signifying a contradictory world. "When there is movement, it is delicate and free, disorienting. Shapes, like the canoes, are brought together creating harmony, juxtaposed against a stark background. This in itself creates a melodic sense as colours inform, confuse and transform the viewer. "To look at the trees – that upward glance into infinity – makes one lightheaded and furthermore – the Amazon, the jungle, envelop the viewer, almost making one dizzy. "One feels the ancient Amazon transposed (juxtaposed) at the same time with the modern. Or just the inverse. She wants one to stare until you can feel and sense the jungle where one loses sense of cardinal points – north nor east or matter; it all seeps into freedom – it doesn’t matter who or where one is."Susan Vargas Stefani studied fine arts in Syracuse University, USA, Austria and Colombia, she has shown her work in many solo exhibitions and also participated in many group exhibitions in Cyprus and abroad Her exhibition will be opened by Marios Miltiadou General Manager Cyprus Petroleum Storage Company Ltd, on Wednesday, March 21 and will continue until April 20.
The Other Side
LIANA Spanou-Zanti writes of her work at Heliotropio Gallery, Larnaca.As an artist, I could not remain untouched by the significant worldwide shift towards consumerism. This new wave has affected our society tremendously and, as a result, we inevitably as individuals have adopted unfortunately most of its negative aspects. In other words, we have all been trapped in an endless chase of consumer goods, which only leads to hallucination and an imaginary happiness. Our behaviour has reached the limits of idolatry. We have forgotten our human nature and its basic needs, We have become and move like machines, like robots. The daily small pleasures of life and basic human relations have been eliminated and thus have become non-existent.The title chosen - "The Other Side" - stands for a revelation that dares to liberate human beings of today from their passions, whatever those might be, by helping them feel self-satisfied, within the limits of their natural capabilities."This exhibition opened on Wednesday, March 14, and continues until the 31st.
From the Darkness to the Light
NICHOLAS Panayi’s exhibition has opened at Alpha Gallery and continues until March 17. It is a MUST.Artist and critic Jane Walker writes more on Nicholas’s art :"Parallel with his projects are the developing works, where human faces are beginning to gaze out of the canvases – often emerging from a complex mesh of figures, the totality slowly revealing itself to the viewer and some are in this Darkness to Light exhibition. “We see an interesting development. A huge compassionate face dominates the composition, seeming to suffer all the troubles of the world, like the passion of Christ. Just as his figures are always stretching and struggling, Nicholas Panayi has been reaching towards this. “A human being is looking straight out at us. It may be something new for the artist: but tragedy, transgression and hope are as present as ever."
Last days
THE Seals, Rodoula Lioliou Anastasiou, at Studio Gallery, 65 Pericleous (Old Nicosia /Within The Walls). Angels, at Gallery k. This is continuing until March 17 and the gallery is aflutter with art under the theme angels. It has truly taken wing; wonderful, enlightening with an exceptional variety.
Kashalos at Opus 39
THAT excellent artist and teacher Susan Kerr was at the opening of this exhibition and jotted down some appreciative notes down for us on her invitation .No 3: A genuine abstraction in the textural rendering of the cornfield – shifts of compositional balance with diagonal movement in the sheaves of corn. Clear cut figures on a textural background.No 8: Rich detail and texture giving depth and substance to the composition. Clear narrative showing the making of the basket from canes in the field. Delightful.No 12: Charming rendering of the almond blossom – great design – and this brings the beauty of the natural environment in Cyprus - home to us.No 19: Lovely winter atmosphere and rich texture in landscape.Susan considers the work generally covers all aspects and acrivities of Cyprus tradition.The next exhibition at Opus 39 is Butterflies, by Tereza Pilavi, opening on Monday, March 19.
Yiannis Pelekanos THE lovely Ledras gallery is right in the middle of old Nicosia, an extension of the other Diachroniki gallery in town and the Dhali Gallery.It is here that Yiannis Pelekanos has his new show.First Lady Fotini Papadopoulou opened the exhibition.It continues until March 27.
Panos Stephanides A SUPERB exhibition of paintings with an almost Pollockian love of painterly values. They flow. They get caught and composed. They delicately swing between humour and horror. Is this the mood of the times? All on the verge of change. In safe aesthetical hands.
Eraclis Mavrommatis at Technis Dromena
THIS exhibition will continue until March 17.The artist was born in Nicosia. He studied photography in keeping with the family tradibtion, working for 25 years from manual to digital photography.At the same time, he also took up painting and combined the two arts to produce photography with collage, with painting and works of painting with photographic input.Eraclis has taken part in 3 group exhibitions in Greece and Cyprus.‘Naked Truth is the title of his second solo exhibition where "through a blending of arts he takes us on a trip of human shapes".A very lively show. Figuration is certainly making a triumphant comeback.
Hadjisavvas
EXCELLENT use of texture with rich detail by Erato Hadjisavvas at Gloria’s. Great understanding of use of paint. Variety, too. Yet another new talent.
Dinos Art Cafe RAYMOND Wilson and Michael Turner, both members of the Cinema 1 group, are exhibiting at Dinos Art CafE in Irinis Street, Limassol (close to the castle).This will run until April 15. Must get down to Limassol. The show has much promise.
Ingar Gullers returns THAT most positive of artists from Sweden, Ingar Gullers, is here again, at Larnaca. She will exhibit her lovely paintings at Kition Hotel/Apts 35 King Paul Square, Larnaca, from Saturday and Sunday, March 17 and 18, from 12-5pm.
08 March 2007
Alpha GalleryNicholas Panayi’s exhibition, From the Darkness to the Light, opened on Tuesday at Alpha Gallery and continues until the 17th of the month.On Tuesday March 13, of the month at 7.30 p.m. the artist will give a lecture on the subject "Expressionist Influences".Artist and critic Jane Walker writes on Nicholas’s art:Nicholas Panayi is an artist of the human figure, encompassing all its physicality, humanity and spirituality. The human being, no less. It is a huge subject, which some might call the greatest of challenges. Who art we? Who am I? Why….?A while ago I was sitting with him in Au Bon Plaisir talking about living the working life of an artist. We agreed about some essential preconditions for making art which we called the "five Hs": honesty, hunger, humanity and – a slightly cheating one but you can’t leave it out – hard work. Not only does Panayi aspire to all these conditions but he meets them with continual reassessment and redefinition. Honesty means never making a mark that could have arisen out of automatic gesture rather than intention. Humility is the only approach that suppresses the ego and connects the artist to the universal. Hunger is not of the body but that appetite of the spirit for artistic expression which must be satisfied. Humanity is the connection with our fellow man which moves us through compassion to expression. Finally, hard work, which is a commitment not just of one’s time but every atom of energy one can summon.That energy is there in the powerful sense of future and onward momentum in Panayi’s work. His ideas develop so fast that it seems he is always on the threshold of new discovery. In recent years, we have seen his work move through many modulations encompassing the use of light in various ways, live music and video projection – all ventures into media that add depth to pre-existing visions and not at all a kind of experimentation for its own sake or a slavish following of artistic fashion. Although there is a steady evolution, looking back over his whole output, it becomes clear that the work always has a consistency, belonging within tradition but with a handwriting so strong and sui generis that one could virtually never mistake one of his paintings for that of another artist. “Of a recent exhibition he said: "Try and see it as a whole and see what it does to you. That’s what I advise." “I could second that advice. I remember at the opening of the Generations exhibition in 2004, standing in a space filled with work, feeling that combined energy and passion of all those rhythmically linear figures and almost hearing the paintings crying out the same message to the world: hope – another word beginning with H that is rather more specific to Panayi. The viewer sees tragedy, then transgression, and is moved to hope.Nicholas Panayi has lived through a time when his home on the island of Cyprus was never without struggle and human conflict or the day to day reality of the ‘Cyprus Problem.’ His art speaks to this struggle and the tragic condition of the ‘hurt generations’ affected by the war. He makes a response while only occasionally treating the subject in any literal sense. Central to his work is the desire for peace and reconciliation in the world in general as well as Cyprus in particular. The purpose of his work is not to record and rebuke but to arouse emotion and sensitise the viewer …."Even though I use these so called negative events that are happening," Panayi says, "I think the message eventually is positive."
The SealsRODOULA Lioliou Anastasiou presents The Seals at Studio Gallery. This is at 65, Pericleous, within the walls of Old Nicosia.It will be opened on Saturday, March 10 (tomorrow) at 7.30pm by Nicholas Panayi, and will continue until March 16.Through the use of mixed media, Rodoula Lioliou Anastasiou will present her paintings. Her search for "The Seal" takes both a concrete and symbolic form, revealing all aspects of its understanding and existence. The introversive struggle between the rare virtues and the vices, in desperate hope that the first will succeed, has a direct and indirect effect in human relationships from generation to generation. This individual, self-gnostic attempt for a catharsis and understanding of self-existence is the balance between the rational and spiritual, the overpowering of "good over evil"."
Mavrommatisat TechnisERACLIS Mavrommatis has photographs at Technis Dromena Gallery.Pablo Rodriguez, the Ambassador of Cuba opened this exhibition, which will continue until March 17 and will be covered next week.Eraclis Mavrommatis was born in Nicosia. He studied photography in keeping up with the family tradition, working 25 years from manual to digital photography.At the same time he also took up painting and combined the two arts to produce photography with collage, with painting and works of painting with photographic input.Eraclis has taken part in 3 group exhibitions in Greece and Cyprus."Naked Truth" is the title of his second solo exhibition where "through a blending of arts he takes us on a trip of human shapes".
30 GloriousyearsLAST Friday Gloria Kassianides celebrated 30 years of her reign as Queen of Galleries of Contemporary Art. She holds second place (only) to the Nicosia Museum for historical value. There we all were. All the hundreds of gallery goers photographed by her during exhibitions. If you are not in this photographic exhibition where on earth have you been? The stunning (really stunning) show of "all our creative lives" caught by Gloria’s candid flash is (was – it’s all down now) surely the exhibition of the year. There must be a book. Books, in fact. With many (extra) discs to be placed safely in/on our archeological sites, for posterity to appreciate what really went on and what we looked like in this vital period of the island.Next at Gloria’s: Erato Hadjisavvas.Inter-disciplinary performance‘ON WEIGHT’ an inter-disciplinary piece inspired by fragments from Jeanette Winterson’s book " Weight" will have its Premiere on Sunday, March 11, at 8.30pm at the RIALTO THEATRE, LimassolThere will also be performances in Nicosia on March 30 and 31 at Ayios Andreas Market Theatre It is part of the Cyprus Dance Platform, organised by the Cyprus Ministry of Culture.For more information, phone the Rialto theatre on 25 343900 or 77 77 27 17
Another Assia manIN ADDITION to the exhibition of Kyriacos Michael Kashalos, son of the naOve painter Michael Chr. Kashalos, another artist from Assia is exhibiting in town. This is Yiannis Pelekanos, whose exhibition opened last Friday at Diachroniki Gallery, Ledras.This lovely gallery, which is right in the middle of old Nicosia is an extension of the other Diachroniki Gallery in town and the Dhali Gallery. Last Friday Fotini Papadopoulou opened the exhibition by Yiannis Pelekanos.The artist was born in Assia in 1937. He attended Assia Primary School from 1945 to 1951, but was unable to continue his studies due to financial difficulties within the family. Thus, he ended up following the tradition of that period and became a builder, and at a later stage, a building contractor. He is an entirely self-made man who transforms his memories of occupied Assia into painting. With nostalgia, he describes neighbourhoods that no longer exist; the habits, traditions and hard labour of the inhabitants of Assia, whilst continuing to look to the future.He has had ten personal exhibitions since 1989 and has also taken part in many group exhibitions.The exhibition continues until March 27.
Angels at Gallery kCONTINUING until March 17. The gallery is aflutter with art under the theme Angels. It has truly taken wing; wonderful, enlightening with an exceptional variety.
Panos Stephanidesat ApocalypseA SUPERB exhibition of paintings with an almost Pollocian love of painterly values. They flow. They get caught and composed. They delicately swing between humour and horror. Is this the mood of the times? All on the verge of change. In safe aesthetical hands. Is this really the last day?
The SealsRODOULA Lioliou Anastasiou presents The Seals at Studio Gallery. This is at 65, Pericleous, within the walls of Old Nicosia.It will be opened on Saturday, March 10 (tomorrow) at 7.30pm by Nicholas Panayi, and will continue until March 16.Through the use of mixed media, Rodoula Lioliou Anastasiou will present her paintings. Her search for "The Seal" takes both a concrete and symbolic form, revealing all aspects of its understanding and existence. The introversive struggle between the rare virtues and the vices, in desperate hope that the first will succeed, has a direct and indirect effect in human relationships from generation to generation. This individual, self-gnostic attempt for a catharsis and understanding of self-existence is the balance between the rational and spiritual, the overpowering of "good over evil"."
Mavrommatisat TechnisERACLIS Mavrommatis has photographs at Technis Dromena Gallery.Pablo Rodriguez, the Ambassador of Cuba opened this exhibition, which will continue until March 17 and will be covered next week.Eraclis Mavrommatis was born in Nicosia. He studied photography in keeping up with the family tradition, working 25 years from manual to digital photography.At the same time he also took up painting and combined the two arts to produce photography with collage, with painting and works of painting with photographic input.Eraclis has taken part in 3 group exhibitions in Greece and Cyprus."Naked Truth" is the title of his second solo exhibition where "through a blending of arts he takes us on a trip of human shapes".
30 GloriousyearsLAST Friday Gloria Kassianides celebrated 30 years of her reign as Queen of Galleries of Contemporary Art. She holds second place (only) to the Nicosia Museum for historical value. There we all were. All the hundreds of gallery goers photographed by her during exhibitions. If you are not in this photographic exhibition where on earth have you been? The stunning (really stunning) show of "all our creative lives" caught by Gloria’s candid flash is (was – it’s all down now) surely the exhibition of the year. There must be a book. Books, in fact. With many (extra) discs to be placed safely in/on our archeological sites, for posterity to appreciate what really went on and what we looked like in this vital period of the island.Next at Gloria’s: Erato Hadjisavvas.Inter-disciplinary performance‘ON WEIGHT’ an inter-disciplinary piece inspired by fragments from Jeanette Winterson’s book " Weight" will have its Premiere on Sunday, March 11, at 8.30pm at the RIALTO THEATRE, LimassolThere will also be performances in Nicosia on March 30 and 31 at Ayios Andreas Market Theatre It is part of the Cyprus Dance Platform, organised by the Cyprus Ministry of Culture.For more information, phone the Rialto theatre on 25 343900 or 77 77 27 17
Another Assia manIN ADDITION to the exhibition of Kyriacos Michael Kashalos, son of the naOve painter Michael Chr. Kashalos, another artist from Assia is exhibiting in town. This is Yiannis Pelekanos, whose exhibition opened last Friday at Diachroniki Gallery, Ledras.This lovely gallery, which is right in the middle of old Nicosia is an extension of the other Diachroniki Gallery in town and the Dhali Gallery. Last Friday Fotini Papadopoulou opened the exhibition by Yiannis Pelekanos.The artist was born in Assia in 1937. He attended Assia Primary School from 1945 to 1951, but was unable to continue his studies due to financial difficulties within the family. Thus, he ended up following the tradition of that period and became a builder, and at a later stage, a building contractor. He is an entirely self-made man who transforms his memories of occupied Assia into painting. With nostalgia, he describes neighbourhoods that no longer exist; the habits, traditions and hard labour of the inhabitants of Assia, whilst continuing to look to the future.He has had ten personal exhibitions since 1989 and has also taken part in many group exhibitions.The exhibition continues until March 27.
Angels at Gallery kCONTINUING until March 17. The gallery is aflutter with art under the theme Angels. It has truly taken wing; wonderful, enlightening with an exceptional variety.
Panos Stephanidesat ApocalypseA SUPERB exhibition of paintings with an almost Pollocian love of painterly values. They flow. They get caught and composed. They delicately swing between humour and horror. Is this the mood of the times? All on the verge of change. In safe aesthetical hands. Is this really the last day?
01 March 2007
Here againArt Aware is at the Goethe Zentrum.This month’s Art Aware is on Sunday, March 4, at 7pm.Carla Abrantes is a Portuguese artist who has recently set up a studio in Cyprus, after dividing her career between her country of origin and the United States. Her work displays contemporary awareness, whether in its visual language, conceptual platform or usage of materials. The work process is usually quite long, studied and intricate, involving an exaggerated sense of layer in the formal results and main idea. In her last series of work the main materials have been paper, vellum, fabric and plexiglass in order not only to produce two dimensional work but also installation pieces and performance. Whether two, three or four dimensional, Carla Abrantes’s body of work focuses on peripheral issues of change, about internal and external processes of transition which usually perspire in deep conflict. The artist uses her own life episodes as base-examples for displaying the poetry and the contradictions of the rituals of change, loss trauma and un-healed memory. She has yet to exhibit in Cyprus (apart from her own studio space) but is preparing her first solo show in Nicosia to take place in October of the current year at Argo gallery. Atesh Kozal graduated from the Radio, TV and Film Studies Department, experimenting with video. Some time later he found himself showing his video projects in the exhibitions as video art. "In Art Aware I will show and talk about three video projects. The first is ‘Wish You Were Not Here’. "I produced it for the EMAA Exhibition in 2005 with the concept of ‘Island/Border’. "The whole video is shot in a small box, its size is about 10cm X10cmX10cm. I used symbols to describe the division. In the video there is war, division, the power that other countries have over Cyprus, struggle of reunification, religion, referendum and media. "It was also shown in France in an exhibition called Chypre/Cyprus and it attracted a lot of attention there."The second video is "Gece Boyle Biseymi?" It’s a video that I produced for the EMMA exhibition in 2006 with the concept of "Dalgada Bulut". It’s a phrase that you say if someone is drunk. Visually the movie is just a sunrise. There is this man watching the sunrise and talking to himself and he is totally drunk. “What he is saying is that he is not sure if the sunrise is the morning of the night that he got lost or if it’s the morning after some other nights.“The third video is "Dance". I have been DJ-ing for many years and see people dance. I wanted to make an entertaining video about social dance and also make music for it. “It was shown in Erdogan Uzunahmet’s studio in at the opening of Buyuk Khan.“I also make the visuals for our band, DEEP. It’s a kind of video performance synchronised with music in the concerts, It’s all about the visual reflection of what we are saying with the music. “So, you can also find a couple of music videos at Art Aware this month."
DemetrisConstantinouDemetris Constantinou exhibition at Gloria’s closes today. Here are some comments on the artist and his work by Dr Antonis Danos.Demetris Constantinou is a member of the generation of Cypriot artists born in the inter-war period, a group of whom aimed, from the late 1950s through the early ’70s, for the ‘synchronisation’ of Cypriot art with international developments. This process came to an abrupt end with the events of 1974. When Cypriot art returned to a state of ‘normalcy’, at around 1980, most of these artists produced work that not only did not follow international artistic expressions any more, but, on the contrary, constituted a ‘conservative’ regression, in relation to what they had created in the pre-1974 era.Constantinou is among the few exceptions. His post-1974 work, though no longer aiming at following current international developments, amounts to a smooth progression from his 1960s creations and, at the same time, a very interesting case of modernist sculpture, which successfully claims a place in the contemporary era.Constantinou’s first encounter with the international avant-garde took place with his ‘articulated’ or ‘mobile’ sculptures, from the 1960s and onwards. During the same decade, another part of his work developed in parallel to international Minimalism, both with the repetition of geometric forms and volumes, as well as with the exploration of the interaction between these forms and volumes with the surrounding space.In the post-1974 era, he continued the explorations and expressions of his earlier work, moving, at the same time, toward new ones. From the late ’70s and, especially, the early ’80s onwards, his sculpture acquires a new, monumental character, which is manifested in works where geometric volumes dominate.In this later work by Constantinou, compact, solid volume takes centre place, and now greater emphasis is placed on the solidity and robustness of the material itself. The focus is on the ‘presence’ of the material, whether in relation to form or with regard to the presence of the object in space. The latter element was given prominence among the artist’s explorations, with the geometric volumes deconstructing or developing in space. Thus the works give the impression of constituting stills from an on-going process of deconstruction and reconstruction of (geometrically defined) matter in the void.This process calls upon us to reconsider our views on, and ways of perceiving both the form and volume of the piece, and the surrounding space, as well as the interaction between them.The entire oeuvre by Constantinou constitutes a very important contribution to the development of the art of sculpture.Constantinou’s current exhibition at Gloria’s continues until tonight Friday, March 2, which is also the 30th anniversary of the first opening of Gloria Gallery. See you there. Snaps of the past on the wall. From Tuesday, March 6, there will be an exhibition of work by Erato Hadjisavva to be opened by the Bishop of Kykko at Gloria Gallery.
Andreas at AlphaANDREAS Karayan is at Alpha Gallery. First presentation in Cyprus of the artist’s work that represented Cyprus at the 49th Venice Biennale. Continuing until March 3.Art historian Niki Loizidou writes:"These works should not be viewed as portraits of young handsome men, which are characterised by intense and remote melancholy. These faces here are something like "maps of the world", psychographies, and simultaneously are unknown, enchanting and mysterious, earthly and at the same time unearthly landscape."Here, discreet sensuality co-exists freely with the deeply experienced feeling of the end and with melancholy. It is a tribute to life through death, about a condensing of memory from images, rites of worship and experiences, very deep and very distant, which converse with death without fear, but also without expectation. "Here, I meet a brave, dignified and deeply poetic acceptance of death that brings me closer to ur Byzantine icons and even to those exquisite classical Greek funeral steles."These works make me think that the feeling of melancholy comes at precisely the moment of great joy, of the almost absolute culmination of joy."
Vassilis Karakatzanis at ArgoTHIS outstandingly brilliant exhibition is titled "Urban Materials and the Unknown Land" and continues until March 10. Entirely original.Vassilis is a very welcome visitor, indeed, always turning up from Greece with new ideas that relate and impress. Exceptional colour with sensitive application.It is also a rare occasion. There is something entirely new in certain works.The artist appears to be moving into a phase of painting which I have never experienced before. You could call it post Vassarely or post-Bridget Riley, or, op art goes representational.Go to Argo for a visual awakening.
Marlen in Transition MARLEN Karletidou has an art exhibition and improvisation dance and music event at Pantheon Gallery.The new work, under the title Transition, is that of a mature painter whose thoughts and problems concerning opportune matters create the image direct, with fantasy and unexpected surrealistic elements. People, butterflies, birds, animals and psychic creatures mix and mingle, play and dream in a continuous flow of movement.The idea of the artwork came out at the moment of the opening between the two parts in Nicosia, at the Ledra Palace barricade. At that point, which the painter named the Little UN Blue and White House, many kinds of feelings, emotions and meetings came up in a concentrated moment giving singularity in the place, space and time. The Transition is completed in many different ways.Following the opening at 9pm there was an original artistic event at which the figurative arts met with music and dance. The musician Agni Sakka and the choreographer-dancer Evi Dimitriou infiltrate in the new figurative work of Marlen Karletidou, they become spectators and witnesses of new reality and self improvisation with ancient sounds and movement that comes straight from the soul.Agni Sakka used musical implements, such as the didgeridoo, India crust and Tibetan bowls in rhythms that spring from depths of the ground and expres the various races of the planet. At the same time, Evi Dimitriou self improvised dancing within the forms of modern and creative dance.This was a wonderful evening. The paintings are of an exceptionally high standard, full of empathy, brilliant colour and a deep, deep message.Marlen’s Pantheon show continues until March 11.She was born in Nicosia in 1961. She studied painting at the Athens University, School of Fine Arts between 1979 and 1985. Marlen lives and works in Cyprus and has exhibited her work in solo shows in Cyprus and participated in group exhibitions both in Cyprus and abroad (Greece, France, Switzerland, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, China, U.S.A.)The artist was awarded a prize in drawing at the 18th Biennale of Alexandria, Egypt.More next week with some visuals.
All Women4 You THE "Pegasus Art Foundation" to mark Woman’s Day, still have an exhibition continuing at Art Studio, 55 Heroes Square, until Saturday, March 10.Their positive blurb mentions that the newer generation of women artists was shaped in the decades of 1980-2000 and they constitute the expression of Newer Art; bold enough to exceed the cultural isolation and hemming that is imposed by our small space, and articulate a word in the new European multi-cultural environment in dialogue with all nationalities.Pegasus AF wishes particularly to promote the creations of women artists and has organized the project "All Women 4 You" and will establish it as an annual event.-
In memory of Michael Chr. Kashialos (1885 -1974)This exhibition, at Opus 69, of naive painting will be opened by the President of the Pierides Foundation, Demetris Z. Pierides at 7.30 on Monday.Kyriacos Michael Kashialos was born in 1931 in Ashia and is the son of the naOve painter Michael Chr Kashialos. After finishing primary school in Assia, he tried his hand at various occupations. He took up art after 1967, having observed his father’s career and accompanying him to various exhibitions. His work depicts traditional customs as well as scenes from his village rural life. His exhibition continues until March 17.
Last daysPAMBOS Mirianthous’exhibition of paintings at Kyklos Art gallery, Paphos continues until March 2.Katie Sabry and Kelly Norman continue at Dino’s Art CafE, Limassol Old Town with "Coast Town" until March 4.Don’t miss the angels at Gallery k. Apocalypse, Panos Stephanides: A superb exhibition of paintings is on at Apocalypse by Panos Stephanides. They have an almost Pollocian love of painterly values. They flow. They get caught and composed. They delicately swing between humour and horror. Is this the mood of the times? All on the verge of change. In safe aesthetic hands.
Angels at Gallery kCONTINUING until March 17, the gallery is packed with art under the theme ANGELS. It has truly taken wing; wonderful, enlightening with an exceptional variety.
DemetrisConstantinouDemetris Constantinou exhibition at Gloria’s closes today. Here are some comments on the artist and his work by Dr Antonis Danos.Demetris Constantinou is a member of the generation of Cypriot artists born in the inter-war period, a group of whom aimed, from the late 1950s through the early ’70s, for the ‘synchronisation’ of Cypriot art with international developments. This process came to an abrupt end with the events of 1974. When Cypriot art returned to a state of ‘normalcy’, at around 1980, most of these artists produced work that not only did not follow international artistic expressions any more, but, on the contrary, constituted a ‘conservative’ regression, in relation to what they had created in the pre-1974 era.Constantinou is among the few exceptions. His post-1974 work, though no longer aiming at following current international developments, amounts to a smooth progression from his 1960s creations and, at the same time, a very interesting case of modernist sculpture, which successfully claims a place in the contemporary era.Constantinou’s first encounter with the international avant-garde took place with his ‘articulated’ or ‘mobile’ sculptures, from the 1960s and onwards. During the same decade, another part of his work developed in parallel to international Minimalism, both with the repetition of geometric forms and volumes, as well as with the exploration of the interaction between these forms and volumes with the surrounding space.In the post-1974 era, he continued the explorations and expressions of his earlier work, moving, at the same time, toward new ones. From the late ’70s and, especially, the early ’80s onwards, his sculpture acquires a new, monumental character, which is manifested in works where geometric volumes dominate.In this later work by Constantinou, compact, solid volume takes centre place, and now greater emphasis is placed on the solidity and robustness of the material itself. The focus is on the ‘presence’ of the material, whether in relation to form or with regard to the presence of the object in space. The latter element was given prominence among the artist’s explorations, with the geometric volumes deconstructing or developing in space. Thus the works give the impression of constituting stills from an on-going process of deconstruction and reconstruction of (geometrically defined) matter in the void.This process calls upon us to reconsider our views on, and ways of perceiving both the form and volume of the piece, and the surrounding space, as well as the interaction between them.The entire oeuvre by Constantinou constitutes a very important contribution to the development of the art of sculpture.Constantinou’s current exhibition at Gloria’s continues until tonight Friday, March 2, which is also the 30th anniversary of the first opening of Gloria Gallery. See you there. Snaps of the past on the wall. From Tuesday, March 6, there will be an exhibition of work by Erato Hadjisavva to be opened by the Bishop of Kykko at Gloria Gallery.
Andreas at AlphaANDREAS Karayan is at Alpha Gallery. First presentation in Cyprus of the artist’s work that represented Cyprus at the 49th Venice Biennale. Continuing until March 3.Art historian Niki Loizidou writes:"These works should not be viewed as portraits of young handsome men, which are characterised by intense and remote melancholy. These faces here are something like "maps of the world", psychographies, and simultaneously are unknown, enchanting and mysterious, earthly and at the same time unearthly landscape."Here, discreet sensuality co-exists freely with the deeply experienced feeling of the end and with melancholy. It is a tribute to life through death, about a condensing of memory from images, rites of worship and experiences, very deep and very distant, which converse with death without fear, but also without expectation. "Here, I meet a brave, dignified and deeply poetic acceptance of death that brings me closer to ur Byzantine icons and even to those exquisite classical Greek funeral steles."These works make me think that the feeling of melancholy comes at precisely the moment of great joy, of the almost absolute culmination of joy."
Vassilis Karakatzanis at ArgoTHIS outstandingly brilliant exhibition is titled "Urban Materials and the Unknown Land" and continues until March 10. Entirely original.Vassilis is a very welcome visitor, indeed, always turning up from Greece with new ideas that relate and impress. Exceptional colour with sensitive application.It is also a rare occasion. There is something entirely new in certain works.The artist appears to be moving into a phase of painting which I have never experienced before. You could call it post Vassarely or post-Bridget Riley, or, op art goes representational.Go to Argo for a visual awakening.
Marlen in Transition MARLEN Karletidou has an art exhibition and improvisation dance and music event at Pantheon Gallery.The new work, under the title Transition, is that of a mature painter whose thoughts and problems concerning opportune matters create the image direct, with fantasy and unexpected surrealistic elements. People, butterflies, birds, animals and psychic creatures mix and mingle, play and dream in a continuous flow of movement.The idea of the artwork came out at the moment of the opening between the two parts in Nicosia, at the Ledra Palace barricade. At that point, which the painter named the Little UN Blue and White House, many kinds of feelings, emotions and meetings came up in a concentrated moment giving singularity in the place, space and time. The Transition is completed in many different ways.Following the opening at 9pm there was an original artistic event at which the figurative arts met with music and dance. The musician Agni Sakka and the choreographer-dancer Evi Dimitriou infiltrate in the new figurative work of Marlen Karletidou, they become spectators and witnesses of new reality and self improvisation with ancient sounds and movement that comes straight from the soul.Agni Sakka used musical implements, such as the didgeridoo, India crust and Tibetan bowls in rhythms that spring from depths of the ground and expres the various races of the planet. At the same time, Evi Dimitriou self improvised dancing within the forms of modern and creative dance.This was a wonderful evening. The paintings are of an exceptionally high standard, full of empathy, brilliant colour and a deep, deep message.Marlen’s Pantheon show continues until March 11.She was born in Nicosia in 1961. She studied painting at the Athens University, School of Fine Arts between 1979 and 1985. Marlen lives and works in Cyprus and has exhibited her work in solo shows in Cyprus and participated in group exhibitions both in Cyprus and abroad (Greece, France, Switzerland, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, China, U.S.A.)The artist was awarded a prize in drawing at the 18th Biennale of Alexandria, Egypt.More next week with some visuals.
All Women4 You THE "Pegasus Art Foundation" to mark Woman’s Day, still have an exhibition continuing at Art Studio, 55 Heroes Square, until Saturday, March 10.Their positive blurb mentions that the newer generation of women artists was shaped in the decades of 1980-2000 and they constitute the expression of Newer Art; bold enough to exceed the cultural isolation and hemming that is imposed by our small space, and articulate a word in the new European multi-cultural environment in dialogue with all nationalities.Pegasus AF wishes particularly to promote the creations of women artists and has organized the project "All Women 4 You" and will establish it as an annual event.-
In memory of Michael Chr. Kashialos (1885 -1974)This exhibition, at Opus 69, of naive painting will be opened by the President of the Pierides Foundation, Demetris Z. Pierides at 7.30 on Monday.Kyriacos Michael Kashialos was born in 1931 in Ashia and is the son of the naOve painter Michael Chr Kashialos. After finishing primary school in Assia, he tried his hand at various occupations. He took up art after 1967, having observed his father’s career and accompanying him to various exhibitions. His work depicts traditional customs as well as scenes from his village rural life. His exhibition continues until March 17.
Last daysPAMBOS Mirianthous’exhibition of paintings at Kyklos Art gallery, Paphos continues until March 2.Katie Sabry and Kelly Norman continue at Dino’s Art CafE, Limassol Old Town with "Coast Town" until March 4.Don’t miss the angels at Gallery k. Apocalypse, Panos Stephanides: A superb exhibition of paintings is on at Apocalypse by Panos Stephanides. They have an almost Pollocian love of painterly values. They flow. They get caught and composed. They delicately swing between humour and horror. Is this the mood of the times? All on the verge of change. In safe aesthetic hands.
Angels at Gallery kCONTINUING until March 17, the gallery is packed with art under the theme ANGELS. It has truly taken wing; wonderful, enlightening with an exceptional variety.
22 February 2007
Demetris Constantinou, Gloria Gallery
THIS is a superb exhibition by Dimitris Constantinou. As Haris Kambourides, curator of the Museum of Modern Greek Art writes in a new excellent book “Dimitris Constantinou” edited by Voula Kokinou and Savas Kokkinos for En Tipis writes:“What deeper messages are offered us today, at the dawn of the 21st century, by the works and route of a modern sculptor? What is the relationship of geometry to our experiences and our fate?What is the specific and also international importance of an artistic deposition which developed with such success in Greece, Cyprus and the broader European stage?The biggest part of Constantinou’s work is geometric art. Shapes like the square and the circle are illusory, outside the natural form that we come across every day life. Usually they declare an art that is abstract, cerebral, laboratory like. It is true that geometry is an old cience born, it is said in ancient Egypt, when the floods of the Nile destroyed field boundaries, and mathematicians developed methods with which they could find them after the waters had returned to the river bed.On the other hand, geometry is not just a menal pursuit but also experimental, since it applies to natural space an concerns the users, us humans who live in it. At the same time it hides inside of it movement, opposing directions, life itself. While writing these observations I immediately feel that they concern Constantinou’s work His geometric forms contain man, it is not abstraction for the sake of abstraction, form for the sake of form.The vocabulary: Vision, touch, understanding, feeling and materials”.There is another period of his work which is different. After the terrible events of 1974 the artist showed in the foyer of the Nicosia Municipal Theatre. They were sculptures of army shirts; crumpled and torn. He an be an artist for all seasons.His current exhibition continues until Friday the 2nd of March which is also the anniversary of the first opening of Gloria Gallery.
Angels, Gallery K
CONTINUING until the 17th of March the gallery is packed with art underthe theme Angels.It has truly taken wing; wonderful, enlightening with an exceptional variety. Good to see that Christina Constantinou Giusti who lives in Italy and is a daughter of Demetris Constantinou is participating with a couple of beautiful imaginative pieces.Since opening its door in Nicosia in 1999, Gallery k has invited artists to participate in themed group shows. The theme gives them an inspirational idea, and this year’s - which also celebrates St. Valentine’s day is The Angel. Drawings, paintings, sculpture, ceramics and photography by 30 artists, bringing to the exhibition their own fascinating ideas.“For mellennia The Angel has been a recurring mage in the visual artsof any civikizations and culture - from the earliest Sumerian images of 4000 BB to the great Gothic cathedrals of Europe. The Symbolism is at itsmost elaborate in the Islamic, jewish and Christian faiths. Supernatural winged deities in human form, they appear in many different roles; as god-like messenger of divine orders, as the personification of inspiration, ecstasy and love - sacred or profane. They can be protective guardians, or the les welcome angels of death.Today, the concept of The Angel has transmuted into song lyrics, TV shows, cinema foods and advertising campaigns. Yetdespite all the angel’s aqn embodiment of purity prevails andstill has the power to evoke awe and wonder.This exhibition contains something for everyone. A captivating collection of imaginative poetic and powerful images, eloquently demonstrating that The Angel is a true testament to the universal power and fascinating of artistic creation.
Archetypal LandscapeJohn Warren, Kypriaki Gonia LarnacaTHESE expert landscapes are beautifullly observed. There are some abstract ones too which is a leasing development for the subject. The exhibition continues until the 27th of the month.
TransitionMarlen Karletidou, Pantheon GalleryART Exhibition and Improvisation Dance and Music Event.Pantheon Gallery is to host Marlen Karletidou’s art exhibition tomorrow Saturday 24th February at 7pm.The new work by the artist Marlen Karletidou under the title Tansition is one of a mature painter whose thoughts and problems concerning opportune matters create the imagedirect, with fantasy and unexpected surrealistic elements.People, butterflies, birds, animals and psychic creatures mix and mingle, pay and dream in a continuous flow of movement.Theidea of the artwork came out at the moment of the opening betwween the two parts in Nicosia, North-South, at the Ledra Pallace barricade. At the point, which the
THIS is a superb exhibition by Dimitris Constantinou. As Haris Kambourides, curator of the Museum of Modern Greek Art writes in a new excellent book “Dimitris Constantinou” edited by Voula Kokinou and Savas Kokkinos for En Tipis writes:“What deeper messages are offered us today, at the dawn of the 21st century, by the works and route of a modern sculptor? What is the relationship of geometry to our experiences and our fate?What is the specific and also international importance of an artistic deposition which developed with such success in Greece, Cyprus and the broader European stage?The biggest part of Constantinou’s work is geometric art. Shapes like the square and the circle are illusory, outside the natural form that we come across every day life. Usually they declare an art that is abstract, cerebral, laboratory like. It is true that geometry is an old cience born, it is said in ancient Egypt, when the floods of the Nile destroyed field boundaries, and mathematicians developed methods with which they could find them after the waters had returned to the river bed.On the other hand, geometry is not just a menal pursuit but also experimental, since it applies to natural space an concerns the users, us humans who live in it. At the same time it hides inside of it movement, opposing directions, life itself. While writing these observations I immediately feel that they concern Constantinou’s work His geometric forms contain man, it is not abstraction for the sake of abstraction, form for the sake of form.The vocabulary: Vision, touch, understanding, feeling and materials”.There is another period of his work which is different. After the terrible events of 1974 the artist showed in the foyer of the Nicosia Municipal Theatre. They were sculptures of army shirts; crumpled and torn. He an be an artist for all seasons.His current exhibition continues until Friday the 2nd of March which is also the anniversary of the first opening of Gloria Gallery.
Angels, Gallery K
CONTINUING until the 17th of March the gallery is packed with art underthe theme Angels.It has truly taken wing; wonderful, enlightening with an exceptional variety. Good to see that Christina Constantinou Giusti who lives in Italy and is a daughter of Demetris Constantinou is participating with a couple of beautiful imaginative pieces.Since opening its door in Nicosia in 1999, Gallery k has invited artists to participate in themed group shows. The theme gives them an inspirational idea, and this year’s - which also celebrates St. Valentine’s day is The Angel. Drawings, paintings, sculpture, ceramics and photography by 30 artists, bringing to the exhibition their own fascinating ideas.“For mellennia The Angel has been a recurring mage in the visual artsof any civikizations and culture - from the earliest Sumerian images of 4000 BB to the great Gothic cathedrals of Europe. The Symbolism is at itsmost elaborate in the Islamic, jewish and Christian faiths. Supernatural winged deities in human form, they appear in many different roles; as god-like messenger of divine orders, as the personification of inspiration, ecstasy and love - sacred or profane. They can be protective guardians, or the les welcome angels of death.Today, the concept of The Angel has transmuted into song lyrics, TV shows, cinema foods and advertising campaigns. Yetdespite all the angel’s aqn embodiment of purity prevails andstill has the power to evoke awe and wonder.This exhibition contains something for everyone. A captivating collection of imaginative poetic and powerful images, eloquently demonstrating that The Angel is a true testament to the universal power and fascinating of artistic creation.
Archetypal LandscapeJohn Warren, Kypriaki Gonia LarnacaTHESE expert landscapes are beautifullly observed. There are some abstract ones too which is a leasing development for the subject. The exhibition continues until the 27th of the month.
TransitionMarlen Karletidou, Pantheon GalleryART Exhibition and Improvisation Dance and Music Event.Pantheon Gallery is to host Marlen Karletidou’s art exhibition tomorrow Saturday 24th February at 7pm.The new work by the artist Marlen Karletidou under the title Tansition is one of a mature painter whose thoughts and problems concerning opportune matters create the imagedirect, with fantasy and unexpected surrealistic elements.People, butterflies, birds, animals and psychic creatures mix and mingle, pay and dream in a continuous flow of movement.Theidea of the artwork came out at the moment of the opening betwween the two parts in Nicosia, North-South, at the Ledra Pallace barricade. At the point, which the
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