Threesomes

CAPTURING THE REMARKABLE COMPLEXITY OF PEOPLE IN THIS SOCIETY

A very impressive arrangement of photographs by Costas Mantzalos and Constantinos Kounnis at Argo Gallery.

Their information explains in depth their views.

To me, the exhibition also captures brilliantly the remarkable complexity of people in this society

"The exhibition THREESOMES negotiates the interpersonal relationships of the two members of the 242 art group with the people they associate with.

"242 are now entering into a new perspective of their art, where unlike the past were it was all concentrated on the 'self' and self portraiture, it now moves to include other people in a photographic collage consisting of [pieces of faces from three different persons.

While at first glimpse, these photographic portraits refer to museum portraits, after a continuous and more intense examination they come across as a puzzle, a game where the different persons make up a new portrait which although familiar it carries a new identity.

"The dynamism of these portraits comes not so much from the portraits themselves but by the process which 242 have followed in selecting and associating with the persons of their immediate social sphere. The portraits are the result of a long process of interpersonal relationships which try to analyze and outline human relationships which consciously or unconsciously have formed the cultural, social, geographical, professional and personal behaviour of the two members of the 242 art group.

"The TWO|FOUR|TWO art collective embarked on a voyage of collaboration under the umbrella of the group. Deriving from different backgrounds; a visual artist and an architect - both parts explore their common experience to produce a visual base on which they can communicate, between themselves and with the viewers.

"The TWO|FOUR|TWO art group was formed on 21 August 1996 in Nicosia, Cyprus by Costas Mantzalos and Constantinos Kounnis.

"Since 1996, the TWO|FOUR|TWO art group has exhibited in Athens, Berlin, Frankfurt, Naples, New Delhi, Paris and Thessaloniki."

The Argo exhibition by Mantzalos and Kounnis continues until the 24th of January."

On the 28th of this month the gallery has the opening of an exhibition titled PROVOKASYON.

This will be of mixed-media paintings by Emin Cizenel. Cizenel's work over the last four decades has been a constant and relentless postmodern experimentation and engagement with the tradition of painting, questioning its subject matter, processes, techniques, media, practitioners, and audience. PROVOKASYON - "..in the soot of the candle's flicker" - is a unique and extraordinary extension of his previous experiments, questioning through digital video and painting media, the practice and theory of painting, exhibition, galleries and curation, and the very logic of art history.

Margaret Paraskos, Kypriaki Gonia Larnaca

This opened on Wednesday, January 14, continuing until the 30th of this month.

Margaret Paraskos studied painting at the University of Brighton (BA Hons) and has exhibited her work in Cyprus and England.

"All art begins with a personal experience of the world. For some artists this experience leads them to produce social or political art. But for other artists the result is spiritual emotional art."

The paintings of Margaret Paraskos are an emotional art. In her rich colours and almost abstract shapes she communicates powerful emotions. And, yet all artists must also distance their work from their own emotions to give the audience some space in which to engage with the work and make it their own. In the work of Margaret Paraskos this is achieved through images that come from Greek mythology ad Byzantine art.

"These are used because they are the arts of Cyprus. The result is art that is honest, powerful and very beautiful."

Would You Like Your Concrete, Medium or Rare

The Weekly caught information this very rare happening exhibition at the Pantheon Gallery last week and the show will continue until the 23rd of the month.

It appears to start off the New Year 2009, and, Pantheon Gallery has approached six up and coming graphic designers/ multimedia artists and has asked them a question: "Would you like your concrete medium or rare?"

The artists are: Poppy Aristidou, Zara de Arakelian, Alex Kouvaras, Christopher Malapitan, Anna Photiadou and Xenios Zittis.

Nicos Papaloukas, at Glorias

Born in Bellapais in 1969, he studied graphics and printing at The School of Art Thessaloniki.

Nicos Papaloukas's exhibition opened on January 15 and continues until the 30th.

These are very clear abstractions from subject matter such as a human figure or seascape.

Very simple colour combinations; optimistic, pure and aesthetically balanced.

Maiti Clerides, at Opus Gallery

Maiti Clerides has visited Tibet and from the 19th of the month exhibits her work at Opus Gallery

This will be an exhibition of photographs of her visit.

Proceeds from the exhibition will be given to two villages for lepers.

Highly recommended.

The tail end

Angelos Makrides and Phanos Kyriakou are exhibiting works at the Cyprus Archaeological Museum, Nicosia, until March 1.

It opened last night.

Full report next week.

This is the tail end of Christmas shows but some are still on.

Catch up with Koumides and Elina Ioannou at The Power House.

Kaimakli news

The other day, I asked Marianna Tyllirou, who was working at the loom in Julia Astreou's workshop, what other art she does.

The next day, she brought me her photographs.

Marianna is an excellent painter who last exhibited in a group exhibition for young artists at the Kamandis Gallery of young artists in Nicosia by Paphos Gate.

She said she studied at the School of Fine Arts in painting and as a second subject, printing.

Her teacher for painting was Psychopedis and Vassiliky Tsalamata for printing. She is currently waiting to go to the UK to take her MA in London.

The day before, at The Mill, where Constantinople Street meets Arch Makarios Avenue by Ayia Varavara Church in Kaimakli, there was an art gathering.

Up the road you could see David Bomberg's favourite Cypriot landscape for real.

Chaired by Egly Gamitzi and Panayiotis Meraklis with coffee by Eracleous it was attended by the artists of Kaimakli.