Those were the days

In the late fifties everyone exhibited their paintings at the Ledra Palace. Mine were shown in early December 1959 and Savva’s later in the month.

His invitation card said "Christoforos Savva requests the pleasure of your company on Saturday the 26th December, at 5.30 pm at his Private View of recent Paintings in the Ledra Palace."

And, written underneath was "Sherry"

These were colonial times.

The Apophasis (meaning ‘Decision’) opened in the early spring of 1960 in the house in Sophocleous Street, where Savva was living, and exhibitions were held outside in the yard or avli.

During that same summer, when Cyprus became independent, the gallery moved to a better place in Apollo Street, where both of us showed our own and other artists’ work, and included lectures, discussions, traditional music and play readings. With Savva’s socialist connections, there were speakers like the great Russian film director, Sergei Bonderchuk, and later a photographic exhibition of paintings from the Hermitage Museum, in what was then Leningrad. This exhibition was not well – received in the Nicosia of that time because it was not considered sufficiently ‘modern’, although of course it was.

One well-attended discussion was called "Is Action Painting Painting", at the time when Jackson Pollock was the rave and was chaired by John Turvey then a teacher at The English School.

In 1960 with the French artist Simone Burdeau we went to Beirut where our work was shown in a UNESCO exhibition. A face I recognised from photographs in newspapers later, turned up. He was someone called Philby...

The great artist Diamantis who had earlier, when a student, won a joint prize with Henry Moore at college in UK often advised us and was the one who told us to go and look at the work of Michalis Kashalos in Ashia. I actually drove (very badly) with Savva to the village and we packed the car with his works that included urinated pottery and brilliant paintings. We gave him a show that was a big success.

Savva had a large collection of books in French, Greek and English and also could be very witty.

Coming back from "a rival" lecture elsewhere in town then back to Apophasis where I was on duty, he told me that on seeing a well-known highly cultured lady in a "Jane Russell" outfit (low cut blouse and a very wide dirndle skirt) sitting in the front row he whispered to her, "Why are you wearing your costume upside down?"

In 1968 I was admiring a Graham Sutherland applique at the Tate Gallery and kept thinking if only Savva had more money he should create equally large works in Cyprus. I heard a sigh nearby. It was Evi Meleagrou and she told me that Savva had died

In those days we came home by boat across the Med and while at Venice I called at the Cyprus Pavilion. In front of Savva’s paintings was a wreath.

Happy

groups

Eastertime and Maytime are here with happy groups after the celebrations.

Gallery Morphi Limassol appears to have a wide selection of new work. Various styles opening from Tuesday May 6 to 31.

There is an exhibition of Dhekelia Art Group showing work of the group’s trip to Kakopetria

The paintings on display are by Jill Leigh and Katlyn Andreas.

Keith Walker: The Thin Veneer at Art Cafe, Polis May 3 -18.

Gallery K has three artists from Greece continuing until May 14.

The Rotary Club of Limassol has an exhibition at Artspace Art Studio Heroes Square Rialto Limassol until tonight April 20.

Pantheon’s Urban

Soul Festival

THE Pantheon Cultural Association is calling for artists of ALL kinds to participate in the third Urban Soul Festival which is due to take place on the 27th of September 2008 from 12 noon until 12 midnight at the Tripoli Public Park (in the moat, between Solomou Square and Omirou Street), Nicosia.

The Pantheon Urban Soul festival is an open-air festival of arts. It aims to bring together artists of all kinds (fine artists, graphic designers, sculptures, musicians, writers etc), in a common urban space in which they will be able to project their work and enjoy it with the wider public.

As part of this effort, a series of workshops have been organised for those who feel like being creative on the day.

For those who don’t, the music in the background will allow them to enjoy the visual elements scattered around the festival while a space dedicated to children will enable them to participate in their own way.

The output of this festival is to form a park filled with arts, accompanied by music, drinks and food and sitting areas for the whole family.

Pantheon are accepting proposals from artists of all kinds (installation artists, graphic designers, sculptors, musicians etc) to participate in the Festival.

Feel free to contact 22 670843 or info@pantheongallery.org to discuss or apply for participation.

Details can be found on the festival webpage www.urbansoulfestival.com.

Filling in

There were some gaps last week as my paintbrush became confused with the computer keyboard. Three excellent exhibitions in Nicosia.

Here goes:

Sylvia Woodcock had a wonderful exhibition at Apocalypse Gallery titled "Joyful Imagination". John Turvey, (who recalls early days of Apophasis, has remarked that "Sylvia is one of the rare painters who make me laugh out loud". Superb figuration with telling themes.

Christoforos Papachristoforou at Argo Gallery is a new highly talented discovery.

Pure and lucid forms give the space in the gallery a most harmonious yet softly emotional aura. Persons in pigmental formal delight.

George Assiotis had a glorious and hugely attended exhibition at Tehnis Domena Gallery. A true Cypriot artist with a large amount of work of various styles. An artist to cherish and hopefully there should be a book about him. A vast range and sure aesthetics.

Moods

by Mazarine Memon

Opus 39

THIS exhibition opens on Tuesday, April 29 and continues until May 10.

Mazarine Memon has a simplistic definition of art It must be aesthetic, creative, have themes and at minimum demonstrate the artist’ s skill with the medium.