21 September 2006

V.P. Vasuhan’s Third Exhibition in Paris
I GOT on the plane at Larnaca which was full of tanned holidaymakers returning to Heathrow.
I got out – with 19 others all carrying their own bags _ at Brussels, Belgium.
Took a bus – no toilet – no water across that country.
Through Picardy and thought of the First World War. Flat landscapes, the sort Mondrian could have been inspired by, but the feeling was more of Magritte. Flanders came to mind, too.
A Turkish Cypriot lady gave us homemade grape/nut chewies. The bus went on. Mobile phones were on the go. Crossed a border. We are on the way, hope to make dinner tonight. A taxi picked some of us up at Charles de Gaulle airport after 9 hours from home.
Later, I looked out of my hotel window (it appeared I had stayed their when in the RAF in 1949) on Rue de Dunkerque and saw the Gare du Nord, where the trains now go to Ashford and Waterloo.
Paris is a lovely city. So far away – this time.
I had come to open V.P. Vasuhan’s exhibition at Bayadere, 23 Rue Louis Blanc, whose director is Anic Garin.
Vas used to paint in my studio in Nicosia, but is now in Paris and this was his third exhibition there.
With the deputy Mayor of Mairie de Saint Ouen, Valerie, and Aravinde Appathurai, a poet from Madras, I was to open the exhibition.
Valerie and myself found a new urgency in Vas work, which appeared to relate to world stress. Aravinde observed how the artist had developed and found his way in Paris. Amongst the guests were a film director, Raj, who had directed "Beyond the Mirror", a chap from the Herald Tribune, a lady who sounded like Audrey Hepburn whose father had a Welsh landscape by Cyffyn Williams, whom I had met in London more than half a century ago, TV producers and an Irish woman called Patricia who still has a lovely lilt to her French; plus lots of Sri Lankan friends of Vas’s, including Yapa Senarath who was here in Cyprus.
Vas’s father, Vellupillai Poobalasingham, had managed to make the exhibition, too.
He had turned up from Canada, where his daughter was married and was now on his way home to Sri Lanka
The new urgency in Vasu’s paintings.
The title Kamathenu-Ox, a mythical/bullish animal with the top part of the body female more than hinted at our current complexities.
A major work,’Diary’ (10), for example, had the strength of an Easter Island head but was far from resting.
In fact it had a considerable growl, a compulsive bite.
Even ‘Kamathenu’(13), with its feminine silk adornments had fierce horns. ‘Live Wire’(6) had considerable spring to its sharp barbed bite. ‘Papillon’ (7) was erotically charged, while ’Petale’ (8), was as ambiguous as can be, and ‘Mischief’ (15) quite delightfully obvious.
‘Une Langue’ (20) a reminder of our Babel of confusions spelt clear. ‘Dances with Rat’(19), twists and turns with speed.
The artist’s love of nature was predominant in ‘Lavende de Giorde’ (32), ‘Van Gogh’ (33), a memory of a garden in Kaimakli, ‘Tulip de Mon Jardin" (34 ) and ‘Hibiscus, from Jafna’(35). Memories not at rest. A deep and moving exhibition .



Spirit of Place
JENNIFER Harding and Geoffrey Rigden are having an exhibition at Kypriaki Gonia Gallery,45 Stadium Street, Larnaca until the 30th of the month. The exhibition was opened by the Minister of Education and Culture Pefkios Georgiades.
Jennifer Harding was born in 1956 in Fordingbridge, Hampshire.
She studied at Salisbury College of Art then at Canterbury College of Art, where Stass Parakos was Head of the Painting Department.
She completed the Post-Graduate Diploma Course in Paphos in 1979 and was at the John Moores 22, in Liverpool.
Jennifer is currently engaged in writing a study of the work of Costas Economou
Geoff Rigden was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, in 1943 and studied at Somerset College of Art and the Royal College of Art, London 1963-66.
He has taken part in innumerable group exhibitions such as the 1965 John Moores Liverpool, where he was a prizewinner
Both artists have kept their connection with Paphos and have been a considerable influence on keeping up international standards here.
These are very serious paintings indeed.
Later at this gallery, from October 6 until the 20th, an exhibition by Demetres Menikou titled Invisible Dialogues will take place
The artist quotes Freidrich Neitzsche: "The body is a big sagacity, a plurality with one sense, awar and a peace, a flock and a shepherd."

Kyklos Two
JOHANNA Almeida and her daughter Brigida will be exhibiting at Kyklos Gallery, Paphos, from next Friday, September 29, continuing until October 14. More next week

MARINA Kassianidou is at Gloria Gallery.
This beautiful exhibition was opened by Dr Stavros Zenios, Professor at the University of Cyprus and will continue until the 29th of the month.
The show is really excellent.
Buoyant, textural and with brilliant surfaces behind which her art rests secure.
Marina’s exhibition is a superb debut .
The lightness is its strength. The rooms float with energy

Orpheus Gallery’s Summer Exhibition
Orpheus Gallery’s summer exhibition includes works by Colombian artist Luis Guzman and emerging Cypriot artist Alexis Vayianos.
Both artists are taking part in the Orpheus Summer exhibition until September 30 and alongside are well-known Cypriot artists George Erotokritou, George Gerondides, Panikos Tsangara and international artists Jeron Geronomides (Brazil), Miriam McConnon (Ireland) and many more.
The exhibition includes original paintings, original and limited edition sculpture and glass
Monday-Wednesday and Saturday, 10am-1.30pm.
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 10am-1pm& 5pm– 7pm.
Last days for Paphos Open studios
MORE than forty artists from the Paphos region have agreed to open their studios and workplaces to the public during the first four weekends of September.
Not every artist in the eastern end of the island is participating but there are talents galore with the excellent illustrated guide of artists and locations saying that many of them enjoy an international reputation.
They also come from many ‘different backgrounds and cultures to make the event truly cosmopolitan’.
Artists from across the Paphos region are opening their studios to the public from 10am until 6pm. Last days September 23-24.
Web-site: www.openstudioscy.com
There is an excellent guide
Try the organisers
Nic Costa 26933356, Sue Harding 26221301, David Lester 26621130, Mary Beth Trotter 99752687, Marina Zach 99699380.
Pambos Michlis at Diachroniki
PAMBOS’S exhibition continues until September 28.
The gallery is now at 84 Arsinoes Street, Old Nicosia, which is very close to Debenhams.
Michlis was born in Achna, in the district of Famagusta in 1947. At the age of 20 he moved to Famagusta, where he set up his first studio and started to exhibit.
Since 1974, he has lived and worked in Limassol, starting the Art Workhop in 1980, along with Xenia Panteli and other artists, followed by his own workshop in 1985.
This marked the start of the artist’s involvement with material and sculpture.
Michlis has taken part in more than 30 exhibitions on Cyprus, and in 1987 he exhibited in London along with Toulla Mala and Demetris Michlis.
His most recent wok took him back to his home village to erect his ‘Monument to the Refugees’, a commission from Paralimni Municipality to remember 1974 and to celebrate the talent born there.
An exciting exhibition, with lively sculptures and sensitive paintings.
Das Party at Argo
THIS mysterious event was last night at Argo and will be written about next week
Open College of the Arts
BRITAIN’S Open College of the Arts is launching a new photography course for beginners in Paphos this month.
The course is taught in English and is aimed at adults who want to learn how to take better photographs without overdosing on a lot of technical jargon
Photography for beginners has been running successfully in Britain for over 20 years, but this is the first time the OCA has offered it in Cyprus. According to George Apostoli, the Development Manager of the OCA, ‘you don’t need a fancy camera, you don’t need a dark room and you don’t need to be a genius. All you need is a bit of enthusiasm and a willingness to try something new’.
Most people taking the course do so for the fun and to meet new people, but it also carries credit points that can be used to help get a degree from the Open University or any British university.
For more information, telephone Mary-Lynne Stadler on 26642690
Workshops for Young People at Theatre Antidote
AS WELL as providing the main platform of professional theatre performances for young people, Antidote Theatre offers children and teenagers the chance to play, improvise and create, devising their own theatre together and making performances for parents and friends.
Over the year, from September through to June, Antidote theatre provides a comprehensive programme of theatre games, voice, rhythm and movement exercises, mime, stage combat, improvisation, basic set and costume design, rehearsal, contemporary dance, all of which culminate in a theatre performance in late Spring.
Workshops take place throughout the week but each age-group gets a two-hour session once a week.
Anyone is welcome between the ages of 5-18 years, no previous experience necessary. The classes are divided into three different age groups: 5- 7 years, 8-11 years,11+.
Also available to the Youth Theatre 11+, is the chance to enroll on the Guildhall school of Music & Drama examinations course, grades 4-8 which are taken at the beginning of June and are recognised by British Universities as equivalent to O-level and AS levels.
Workshops went back into operation on Monday September 4, but don’t worry, it’s never too late to join!
If you would like to find out more information about the workshops, and registration please call Antidote on 24 822677 or 99446067.
If you would like to try it out just turn up at:
Antidote Young People’s Arts Centre, 7 – 11 Ayias Elenis Street 6021 Larnaca.