Lefteris Economou, at Apocalypse
THIS 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 worlds
THIS 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.