Still weaving away at his art

I FIRST met Andreas Chrysochos while we were weaving away at a couple of looms in Camberwell Art School in the early Fifties, when we were in our twenties.

He has an exhibition at Gallery K in Nicosia and will also be showing in a one-man show at Gallery K in London next year.

Andreas Chrysochos was born in Famagusta in 1929.

He was educated at the Pancyprian Gymnasium where he was taught for six years by Adamantios Diamantis.

He then went to the UK in 1952, to study fine art for two years at Goldsmiths College, University of London, and then for another period from 1957 to 1959.

Among his tutors was Kenneth Martin, a leading figure in the revival of Constructivism in Britain during the 1940s.

From 1974 to 1976, Chrysochos specialised in the psychology of child art at the North East London Polytechnic. During the ensuing 37 years he taught art, while simultaneously following his own path as a painter.

He also writes about art theory in various publications, and appears on radio and television.

He has had a number of one-man shows, starting in 1981 at Kochlias in Nicosia, with others at Apocalypse, Morphi, Argo and G Gallery in Limassol throughout the 1980s to the present.

His works can be founding private collections in Cyprus, Greece, England, the USA, Belgium, Japan, Italy and Kenya.

His works are also to be seen in public collections, notably the Marfin Laiki Bank, Hellenic Bank, Larnaca Municipality, the National Gallery of Athens, the Pinacoteque of the Aegean and the University of the Aegean.

His exhibition opened on Wednesday and continues until December 12.

More next week when I have seen Andreas’s exhibition.

Great line-up at the galleries

PLENTY HAPPENING IN THE CYPRUS ART WORLD FROM

THE ABSTRACT TO THE STRICTLY FIGURATIVE

CHRISTOS Christou has works on show at Morfi Gallery in Limassol.

He has worked for many years both here and in Paris.

Art historian Dr Antonis Danos has said: “The art of Christou (painting and lithography) is as old as it is contemporary. Its roots can be traced in pre-history as well as in Byzantium, in the Renaissance as well as in Modernism, even in post-modern painting.”

Best go along and see it for yourself.

Meanwhile, the Palm Beach Hotel in Larnaca tonight will see the opening by Undersecretary to the President Titos Christofides of an exhibition by the talented and imaginative Aleca Madella. The title is “4,000 years of Larnaca” and the event begins at 7.30pm.

Here is one of our very best artists.

Expect great colour with beautiful attention to detail relating to her main themes. A major, true Cypriot, creator of beauty and memory.

Nathalie Kyrou is at Theomaria Art Gallery, Limassol.

This exhibition was opened by the Mayor of Limassol Andreas Christou last week and continues until tonight.

Natalie Kyrou, who is of Greek-Cypriot and Armenian-Lebanese origin, was born in Canada, and at the age of four moved to Cyprus where she grew up. She has studied at the university of London in Media Arts and was the sole representative of the UK in the Transimages International Symposium in Italy and Germany. Now recently returned to Cyprus from abroad, she has decided to focus on her art full-time. This is her first solo painting exhibition.

Gina Gavrielidou is showing “Harmony and Colour” at Technis Dromena Gallery in Nicosia. Hurry, not much items left for this wonderful show.

And do go to see Emin Cizenel at Sidestreets in the occupied area of Nicosia.

Leading Cypriot and international artist Rhea Bailey presents for the first time her new monumental works entitled "Eniaptycha" at Castelliotissa Hall in Nicosia, until November 19.

Painting with high and sensitive colour

ANDROS Efstathiou has an exhibition at Kypriaki Gonia, Larnaca, starting on Monday and continuing until November 30.

He was born in Lapithu in 1964.

From 1989-94 he studied at the New York Studio School and Richwood Art Institute.

After finishing his studies, he returned to Cyprus.

He has had many solo and group exhibitions and, in 2002, he exhibited at the Alexandria Biennale and the same year at the Florence Biennale.

In 2005, Leeds University invited him to perform at a seminar and also to teach.

His work makes strong references to 20^th century art while adapting to his own vision.

It has been said his work is a brilliant example of fertile appropriation from Modernism’s tradition.

Stass Paraskos commenting on Andros’ work has said: “Andros is a figurative painter who introduces abstract elements in his work and this is why he studied in New York, where all extreme experimentation of abstract expressions was made.

“He paints with high - yet sensitive - colour and he compiles the entire synthesis of elements in an organic harmony; shapely forms with light sources creating a surrealistic atmosphere which symbolises the paranormal dimensions of the human figure – the execution of Andros’ work reveals that Cyprus painting did not stop after Diamantis’ death.”