Is Not truly is a gallery

Situated near Famagusta Gate, Nicosia - 11 Odysseus Street to be exact - this new gallery - called Is Not A Gallery - has a magnificent show which I believe will continue for a week or so.

Accidentally or not, the timing is perfect.

Billed as cheap art, the place is full (extremely well curated by the way) of excellent work all at reasonable prices. Whereas some galleries still insist on trying to sell work (not always selling actually) for thousands of pounds, this wonderful place keeps prices under a few hundred.

There is some magnificent work on display - a terrific range of subjects and ideas.

Many are created by our very best artists.

The abundance of subjects, styles and size is amazing.

Cyprus art is afloat and still wonderful.

The choice is amazing.

There are faces of all kinds, from portraits to caricatures, full colour or black and white.

There’s a large canvas on the floor, dotted with thick pigment full of interest.

Could it fill a wall?

Some brilliant and rare work in glass - thick - sculptured and rich colours by a top artist. Cut-out figures dotted around. Some paintings have complex imagery, with their own mysterious stories to tell.

Close ups. Academic figurative work. Some fleshy. Some like sad icons. Some beautiful, simple abstracts. Pure and positive.

Many of the artists have won awards abroad. Some have shown in museums.

This is an exhibition of a very high standard.

Gallery owner Andros Efstathiou has arranged a really wonderful show.

Cyprus art is surviving, despite the problems we are all facing.

Images of the Panayia

This exhibition opened last night in the Paschalis L. Paschalides Hall at the Head Office of the Hellenic Bank on the corner of Limassol and Athalassa avenues, Nicosia.

The works are by Evanthia Kouma and Mary Plant and it continues until April 12.

The word Pantanassa, a name for the Panayia, recalls the title Anassa, by which Aphrodite is referred to on several inscriptions dedicated by her priests.

In Kouklia/Palaepaphos, the Panyia in the church near the sanctuary of Aphrodite is said to have been known as Panayia Aphroditisa. The rose, a flower connected with Aphrodite, is also the epithet of Panayia Rodon to Amaranton (un-wilting rose).

The Panayia Galaktrophousa recalls the Aphrodite Kourotrophos. In Kouklia, until quite recently, women with newly born children prayed for milk at a monolith in the sanctuary of Aphrodite invoking the Panayia and making the sign of the cross.

Earlier, they had prayed at the conical stone image of Aphrodite until it was moved to the museum.

The prefix “golden” in several of Panayia’s names i.e. Chrysopolitissa, Chryseleousa, Chrysopantanassa, reminds us of the reference to Aphrodite in ancient Greek texts.

Evanthia Kouma was born in Kilani and lives in Nicosia. She studied painting with various Cypriot artists, and icon painting with Father Kallinikos Stavrovouniotis and later with Christos Karis.

She has exhibited in Cyprus and London.

Mary Plant was born in Famagusta and lives in London and in Palaepaphos.

She studied painting at Chelsea School of Art, London, graduating with an MA. She has exhibited in Cyprus, England, Ireland, France, Germany, Russia, Hong Kong and Mongolia.

Welsh artist worth a look

Welsh artist Michael Harries is exhibiting at the Orpheus gallery in Limassol until April 10,

His paintings are classic and beautifully composed with rich, deep colours, both landscape and seascape.

The countryside of his native South Wales inspired him to take up the brush at around the age of 15. He was awarded a scholarship to Swansea College of Art but did not take it up.

One of his teachers over the years was a descendant of the great Welsh artist Augustus John.

His great love is oil and he uses this to great success in his art.

Go along and take a look.