Panayies tis Omorfias

Lefteris Olympios Gloria Gallery

Lefteris Olympios lives and works in The Netherlands and Cyprus. He studied graphic arts in Athens at Doxiades School 1973-76 and painting, iconography, fresco and mosaic at the School of Fine Arts 1974-84.

He continued his studies at the Free Academy of Fine Arts in The Hague 1984-86, majoring in painting and sculpture.

During the summer of 1985 he visited the Ijmulder Kring, an artists’ community in Ijmuiden, a village close to Amsterdam. His contact with this group and especially the painter Leu Moulin was crucial for the development of his work and a formative influence on his decision to move to the Netherlands.

In 1996, he started working on the series of ‘Promise’ after the events in Dherynia and the tragic death of Tassos Isaac and Solomos Solomou.

‘Promise’ was finished in 2000 and the next three years has been exhibited in six cities in four different countries: Portugal, The Netherlands, Greece and Mexico.

The series breaks away from local dimensions and ends up depicting the universal agony of mankind. Unfortunately ‘Promise’ has yet to be exhibited in Cyprus.

In 1997 he participated and represented Cyprus in the 47th Venice Biennale with the series of work "Filoxenia".

Olympios’s investigation moves around aspects of Cypriot civilisation as these evolved through the Byzantine tradition and the Mediterranean landscape.

He exhibits his work regularly in Cyprus, Greece and The Netherlands. To date the main units of his wok are: Deposition, Shells, Filoxenia, Promise, Katharsis, Eleonora’s Gown, Panayies tis Omorfias.

Here are some notes on the new exhibition "Panayies tis Omorfias".

"Few villages or towns on the island of Cyprus can boast of being blessed with the wealth of Lefkara. Located in south central Cyprus, it is one of the island’s most celebrated villages, possessed of a distinguished history, a resplendent architectural legacy and a rich artistic tradition."

Memorial

Lefteris Economou Gallery Opus 39

This exhibition opens on Monday, November 3 at 7.30 pm continuing until the 8th of the month.

A memorial exhibition one year after Lefteris passed away. Silk screens and sketches. All proceeds will go to hospitals.

Remember the excellent exhibition by Anna Kakoulli at Opus 39 continues until tomorrow, Saturday (November 1).

Is Your Artwork Really Necessary

A section of the review of the Turner Prize 2008, Tate Britain, London. Until January 18, 2009

By Michael Paraskos

There was a time when it was free to get in to the annual exhibition of works by artists short listed for the Turner Prize.

Now it will cost you Θ7. That charge places a great onus on the selected artists to treat the paying public with respect by showing them things that are, quite simply, extraordinary.

One can judge if they have done this by asking a simple question: Why should I pay to see this show when I can see, in the same gallery, so many truly great works of art for free? Unfortunately, this year’s Turner Prize is not good enough to justify its entrance charge. It is not, in any sense of the word, extraordinary.

That is not to say everything about the show is bad. Most of it is just dull.

That would certainly include Goshka Macuga’s three sculptural pieces, which resemble bus stops or supermarket trolley parks Although one of her sculptures, called Deutsches Volk-Deutsche Arbeit, does manage something of an aesthetic quality in its S-shaped curve, overall there is such a lack of ambition in Macuga’s work that it becomes introverted and anodyne, with each piece appearing like nothing more than a shrug of the shoulders. Perhaps that is why Macuga has tried to enliven her work in such a duplicitous way by giving it a title from Germany’s Nazi past.

Lack of ambition combines with lack of ability in Cathy Wilkes’s installation, in which two supermarket check-out desks are surrounded by an assortment of junk. In this installation Wilkes has failed to produce something that can even be defined as art as the whole assemblage fails to cohere into anything other than a chaotic collection of unrelated things.

It simply does not wash to say the objects on display are somehow related to each other in the artist’s mind or through her autobiography as there is always a duty on art to connect to an audience other than the artist.

Similarly, if the purpose of art is to bring a sense of order to an otherwise chaotic world (and that is the purpose of art) then Wilkes fails because she has done nothing except add to the chaos.

Art Stampede

News of art exhibitions arrive continually. Some get to the Weekly (the paper has been giving its NEW address for weeks).

Many end up at a little backstreet in Kaimakl, in a beautiful letterbox designed by Doros Heracleous. Much information comes in scribbled notes at other artists’ shows like chorus girls pushing to get into the front line. Can’t help waiting joyfully for a happy collaboration with forthcoming Xmas cards.

Here are some which have arrived at places easily found by Athena and myself

They could be great. It’s is just that there are so many.

Kikos Lanitis:

He always has knockout shows and is exhibiting at Silks Gallery, Limassol from November 7 until November 30.

Cocktails at "BRIO CAFE" at 7.30 pm. There is a title: "Closing your eyes don’t mean u ain’t there"(his spelling).

Nicos Kouroussis

Our great survivor. On top form and now has an exhibition at Gallery Kypriaki Gonia, Larnaca which will continue until November 15.

Eleni Barron

A wonderful new exhibition at Argo Gallery continues until November 15. Titled KINDERLAND. Full report after I have seen it. They look brilliant in the catalogue and are, I’m sure.

Renos Pericleous

Orismos is a new gallery situated at 4 Josif Hadjiossif Avenue, Acropolis, Strovolos.

Unfortunately, I missed the most recent exhibition which appeared to be very strong.

It was by Demetra Vanezi Liasou and of her painting she has remarked that she follows the routes of Cubism leaving to the viewer some flavour of realism.

The new exhibition is by Renos Pericleous and opens on the 31st of this month. It looks most promising.

Costas Economou

Costas is showing old and new works at d/p art gallery until November 8. The gallery is at 196 Ayiou Andreou Street, Limassol.

Dr Antonis Danos, art historian and lecturer at the Technological University talked about the work of the artist at the opening.

Emin Cizenel

Emin’s exhibition opens at SIDESTREETS on November 6 continuing until the December 10.

Portobello Antiques Exhibition

Evi Agrotis invites you to an exhibition of antique silver, porcelain, furniture etc at the Hilton International Hotel on Wednesday (November 5) at 7 .00pm. Open until Sunday, November 9.

Remember Wednesday (November 5) is the actual day of the ALPHA Gallery auction at the Hilton.

Previews from today Friday (October 31).

Open Studios Inside The Walls

Saturday (November 1) 17.00-20.00: Guided walking tour visiting art-studios in east Nicosia. Meeting point in front of Famagusta Gate.

Tel 99 671155

Sunday (November 2)17.00 – 20.00

Guided walking tour visiting art-studios in north-west Nicosia (crossing checkpoint). Meeting point at the Information Centre, end of Lledra Street, tel 671155

Sunday (November 2), 21.00 - 24.00

Cadi Kazani Cafe, 77 Tanzimat Street (same space with Studio no 10.

Dj event with music producers Atesh K & Farouk Chetin (house & tech-house music), together with a video-performance by Mehmet Kozal. Tel 0090 533 8625984

Pharos = Ten Nicosia Municipal Art Centre

Friday (October 31)

7.00pm Music: voice and piano recital

Saturday (November 1)

8.30 pm Music

Monday (November 3)

8.30pm Music: Guitar

Tuesday November 4)

7.00pm Talk /Interview

Nouritza Matossian in a conversation with the founder and president of the Pharos Trust, Garo Keheyan.

Tel: 22797400 for more information.