The Alpha Bank collection: Greek art from 1950 to date

On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of its establishment in Cyprus, Alpha Bank is organising an exhibition consisting of paintings and engravings from its collection.

The exhibition entitled "The Alpha Bank Collection. Greek Art from 1950 to date" will be presented in Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca. It is a selection of 65 artworks created by Greek artists during the last 50 years.

The exhibition comprises works by the most prominent artists of the post-war era such as J. Spyropoulos, A. Condopoulos, V. Caniaris, N. Kessanlis, S. Vassiliou, P. Tetsis, D. Perdikidis, T. Stamos, J. Molfessis, O. Zouni, K. Mortarakos, et al.

The prints section contains works by E. Papadimitriou, G. Velissaridis, A. Tassos, V. Katraki, T. Katsoulidis, V. Tsalamata, L. Calligas et al.

At the same time, as a tribute to the great Cypriot artist Tilemachos Kanthos, a group of eleven of his most representative prints from the Bank’s Collection has been compiled and will be exhibited.

The Alpha Bank art collection numbers 4,000 items: paintings, prints and sculptures by Greek artists and narrates in its own fashion the history of modern Greek art.

It includes paintings by Greek artists ranging from the close of the 19th century to date. Similarly, the collection of prints follows the course of this art in Greece from the beginning of the 20th century and includes prints, folios, drawings and books.

In Nicosia, the exhibition is organised in collaboration with the Municipal Gallery and will be shown at Famagusta Gate until April 19.

In Limassol, it will be shown at the Evagoras Lanitis Centre (Carob Mill) from May 7 to 30, in collaboration with the Evagoras and Kathleen Lanitis Foundation. Finally, in Larnaca, it is being organised in collaboration with the Larnaca Municipality at the Municipal Gallery from June 6 to 28 June.

A bilingual catalogue has been issued on the occasion.

Also...

Selections from the Marfin Laiki Bank Collection in an exhibition entitled "Yours Sincerely" continues until April 20. An exceptional standard.

Here is a visual tribute to this country and must continue in its magnificent tracks in its brilliant selections.

It has a beautiful non-aggressiveness, which surely must be due to Marina Vryonidou- Yiangou.

Snezana Nina Bujosevic exhibits at the Martinis Club, Nicosia until April 26.

Light Water at Kyklos Gallery is opening on Saturday, April 5.

Symeon Voltchkov

Symeon Voltchkov was born in a small town of Ukraine, Koupyansk, in 1919.

After finishing the secondary school he studied at the Higher Military Naval School in Sevastopol. Later he came to Cyprus.

Paintings of a very high standard, at Gallery K, until April 12.

Lithographic Works

Ashli Bolayir is at Gloria Gallery, Nicosia

Lithography of an exceptionally high standard.

Pure and simple yet extremely brilliant. A mere straightforward formal shape can exude considerable power. Its placing on the paper being perfect. A most welcome visitor indeed. Asli Bolayir was born in Istanbul. Studied Fine Arts in Marseille (France). Lives and works in Barcelona (Spain).

Magical Space

Susan Kerr Joachim will exhibit a selection of her paintings at Opus39 from Monday, April 7 at 7.30 pm to be opened by Michalakis Zambelas

There will be a speech and analysis of the paintings by Dr Kleitos Ioannides.

The exhibition will include paintings recently exhibited at the 6th International Biennale of Contemporary Art in Florence, in December 2007. The paintings on show at Opus Gallery are all about space, the illusion and depth of space, interior and exterior.

Paintings from the 1970s are concerned with interior space, created by the intensity of colour. Landscapes are concerned with illusions of exterior space through colour, light and atmosphere. Certainly the landscape and the exceptional light of Cyprus has been a great inspiration.

Zacharias Koumblis

A quietly moving exhibition at Apocalypse, in which a beautiful melancholy often rules. The artist also quite often "inserts " a second canvas within the larger one creating a mysterious dialogue.

It appears a palette knife has been used to create a seeming arithmetical "conversation" of surface textures all under aesthetic control, however. A peaceful yet confident exhibition

The excellent Nikola Sphika exhibition Orchidees – Nature continues at Kypriaki Gonia, Larnaca until April 5.

Figura Nova at Pegasus

They have been coming back for years now in droves. Yes, figures are back and the Pegasus Art Foundation, in Limassol, has got them.

The list of artists is formidable: Manousakis – Antonopoulos – Costis Georgiou – Tsiaras – Ploiarides – Augeris - Makariou – Katsipanos. And, they’ve all got legs on.

Here is a short description of these figurative wealth, mostly from Greece which has never lost touch with bodies has it?

The untitled masterpieces include:

Lovers undressed but clasping. Mum and dad by the beach with toddlers. A nude (male) struggling with his massive tree above a prostrate female nude.

Upper crusts in the formal garden, the ladies either cavorting in the nude or crinolined with the gardener holding on to his milk bottle pensively.

Breasts a-heaving in a poignant scream. Bottoms about to peddle a bike hovering with a fish (this must be local).

Figura Nova is an exhibition of modern figurative art which opened last week.

Working hours: 10.30 – 12.30 & 16.30 -20.30. Could be excellent.

Spring Breeze

Olivera Smiljkovic is at Theomaria Art Gallery Limassol.

Dr Nadia Anaxagorou Director of the Cultural Services of the Municipality will open Olivera’s exhibition on Friday, April 11 at 19:30. It will continue until the 19th of the month.

Olivera’s paintings are beautiful evocations of nature in all its glory. Plants, flowers, fruits painted with a wonderful feeling for natural beauty.

There is detail but that detail never spoils the natural flow and rhythm of nature.

Her landscapes enfold warmth of nature and homes while her colour is exceptional.

The beauty of nature is caught in splendid abundance uplifting the viewer into most positive splendours.