Salient Essence

GLAFKOS KOUMIDES AT THE POWER HOUSE

STUCK somewhere between Guy Fawkes and Father Christmas, the art galleries keep churning out works which can often be of an extremely high standard.

That’s Cyprus.

The Municipal Arts Centre in Nicosia, of course, never lets us down and with their latest exhibition, ‘Salient Essence,’ full of great works by Glafkos Koumides, they have a superb show the country can be proud of.

His art is largely based on primitive symbols, and the influence of the Byzantine is also obvious, especially in the church furniture, and he also loves to draw from Cyprus culture.

So many ideas executed with profound simplicity and hidden power, the whole show is topped by a huge space full of empty deck chairs.

Whatever happened to tourism, indeed?

Kaimakli walkaround

Skevi Afantiti at Myloi.

St Barbara would have been proud.

It’s quite a while since donkeys laden with wheat strode from the Messaria to Myloi ( 4 Constantinoupoleos, Kaimakli - be careful of passing cars and motor-bikes).

Last week, St Barbara’s day was celebrated at the nearby church in fine style with an amazing amount of pop-art: huge dolls, flower pots galore and lots of food.

That was Thursday. On the Friday, at Myloi, the Skevi Afantiti jewellery retrospective opened.

The placing of her superb jewellery on sacks of “wheat” was a brilliant idea.

And, could you believe it, but just down the road Froso Mavrou was holding her “Winter Collection “ just for the weekend.

Then on the Saturday, it was Julia Astreou’s turn with her annual opening at her family home just by the front of the church.

Full of looms and gorgeous wovens galore; best figurative paintings in town, too.

What on earth is happening to Kaimakli, the Chelsea of the capital?

Two other residents of Kaimakli are exhibiting in town elsewhere this very week; George Kepolas, with his beautiful mosaics at Ikastikos gallery (reviewed earlier), and Doros Heracleous at Gloria’s.

Doros is the most talented “Cypriot” artist in the country. Full of an imagination that so impresses. This person is completely original. Full of humour, too. Also, Eros is never far away. Why has he not represented this country abroad?

Having rushed around to catch up before the 25^th I found some pleasant surprises.

Pantheon Gallery has yet another beautiful painting exhibition, this is by Irma Voulgari and is of the highest standard. Gorgeous positive abstracts. They have now cleared up the road repair mess nearby. Do go.

George Kotsonis at Kypriaki Gonia has major work. A must.

Peter’s Gallery Nicosia, which has not been very busy these days (the main Peter’s is at Limassol), now has a real surprise.

It is between Gloria’s and Apocalypse.

Vera Efthymiou Parlalidou is an architect from Limassol. These “WEIGHTS” in stone are marvellous. Very heavy. Very beautiful. Some are abstract. Some are chiselled in entwining figures. Some are actually in nickel. I found them all superb. (Mind your toes, though).

Nicolas Robbio has a very pleasing exhibition at Pharos Centre for Contemporary Art. Abstracts, reflections and an amazing piece which should be placed in our “Modern Museum.” This is a stone on which has been marked the walls of Nicosia. I found this very moving. Heavy and almost painful with a silent grief.