Arts Page Friday 9th June 06

Square root

EMMA May exhibition at ‘Hasder’

This exhibition is comprised of the works of a group of artists (Aysen Dagli, Kadir Kaba, Nilgun Guney, Ozgul Ezgin, Panikama , Sinem Ertaner, Turegun Tunc, Zehra Sonya) from a wide rage of disciplines, who got together months ago, calling themselves ‘Lilith’.

Their goal was to gather together artists/people from a variety of art disciplines and enter the production process by discussing art, increasing their interaction and what they share together in an environment which does not lack criticism.

The artists have been trying to create new alternatives from a wider perspective by discussing the ideas put forward or the existing models, as well as having the opportunity to look upon the artworks and artists outside of the group. Within this process, the notion that interdisciplinary interaction is inevitable and it is crucial for every artist was one of the constructive outcomes of the group work.

The artists also went through the difficulties of being part of a group, indicating that this sort of a method, which they tried for the first time, has excited them and gave them the chance to open themselves up to brand new ideas, thus agreeing to continue their works together.

Facing separations and fragmentations through creative processes, the group members decided to abandon their original concept they had in mind and embark on "Square Root" for their first exhibition.

An artist of the group, Kadir Kaha, theorises this separation – this problematique, which for him is the square root of life – primarily over the isolated/alienated individual. Later, he gives us the chance to re-evaluate and perceive the life that we are living, by raising the sub texts found in the simplicity and silence of photograph frames to the social scale.

Ozgul Ezgi on the other hand, draws attention by the parts she foregrounds from the female body. She highlights these parts, almost as a rebellion against the social values, which represent those qualities inherent to the nature of the female being yet sidelined, repressed or unwanted by the society. This rebellion is also a critique of the female image, which with its hundreds of years of past, has been presented as a commodity.

Carrying on her literary works, Teregun Tunc, who is actualising her first video, will present the feeling of being in a tight corner of her loneliness and depression. In this work, a form of reality and actual youthfulness found in that reality which is raised to the level of schizophrenia by the social suppression, is revealed, reaching an alarming level.

Proceeding from pixels and molecular experiments, another young artist, Sinem Ertaner, studies humanity and our age from a totally different perspective. With her installation, she scrutinizes the concepts of time-place and the position/existence/non-existence of being caught up in between these two infinities

The acclaimed painter Nilgun Guney is taking part in this exhibition with a 3D work. At the performance in the opening, the artist, who questions the creation of the humanity, will be painting and re-creating the first human being/Adam, and emphasising the female-made binary and their differences, which are prevalent at this point of humanity.

With her work entitled as "Aglama Duvari" (“The Wailing Wall”), Zehra Sonya deals with what it means to live in Cyprus, and she questions this through the frames of reality she faces everyday.

Aysen Dagh and Panikadam, who were present at the beginning of the foundation meetings of the group have contributed immensely to the meetings and art discussions but unfortunately they have not been able to join the exhibition.

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Re-tales at Artos

Notes from critics on Maria Papacharalambous’ hangings which can now be seen at the Artos Foundation:

"Thus she declares that she is now able to paint with the use of fragments and materials, without the use of a brush, whose role in her work, although of decreasing importance, she has until today maintained. The cloth background, which in her previous works was painted freely with large strokes, now consists of clean pieces of fabric cut into wide strips, synthesising an orchestrated puzzle."

"One could therefore accept that Maria Papacharalambous lifts up her works like banners in celebration of a new, freer and more mature phase of her work"

"I beleive that Maria Papacharalambous chose to give the form of a childish image made of rags (Retalia in Greek – hence Re-Tales) in order to refer to something very serious and which she herself is attempting to exorcise by turning it into a plaything."

"With artistic mastery, Maria Papacharalambous synthesises a small world, which at first sight, appears childish. A microcosm, which, if looked at carefully, is governed by a strict structure reminiscent of DNA mapping, on which are "grafted" like toys the acquired elements that define us."

"The reconstruction of the image attempted through the use of styles such as patchwork, puzzle and collage and the reconstruction of memory through fragments of childhood chosen because of their common mnemonic load is a process doubly painful – both emotionally and conceptually, which succeeds in transfusing the word of children into the world of adults. How else other than with play could one escape the pain and manage to transfuse idiosyncrasy and privacy in the work offered for exhibition and ‘consumption’ ?

"Well, I believe that Maria Papacharalambous has found the most suitable way by making full use of the power granted to her as creative artist. Showing what is serious to be light, lifting it "high as a feather, free as the wind".

By Katerina Koskina, art historian and curator, Athens, and others.

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Garth Frost at Gloria Gallery

Garth Frost has lived here in Cyprus before. Welcome back, Garth. The country needs you.

Here at Gloria’s it’s very sophisticated work indeed. Most, if not all of the glorious paintings relate to fruits; ripe and succulent. To suggest they suggest eroticism is being very, very modest actually.

The best of these superb works are many times more sensuous than any nudes anywhere else in town. They are also very beautiful in their own right. Full of life, vigour and personal power and very gorgeous indeed.

An outstanding exhibition so positive and - well – tasteful.

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Averkios Averkiou at Opus 39

Averkios Averkiou was born in Nicosia in1958 and is the son of the late Costas Averkiou, the well known painter and engraver. He will be presenting his latest work in digital prints on canvas, signed and in limited numbers.

Through a combination of design and colour the artist finds solutions and choices for whatever you have to decorate. It is said the importance of "decorative art" is that it can be created and delivered quickly in many colours and sizes in affordable prices.

Averkios Averkiou’s works can be found in Cyprus, Greece and other places in Europe, Canada and USA.

Opening Tuesday 13th of June at 8.00 pm.

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Katia Agroti’s Kaleidoscope

Flowers and sculptures made in her studio at 24A Kennedy Avenue. Her exhibition opens on Wednesday, June 14th from 18:00 until 21:00.

From coral and mother of pearl. Vibrant coloured pearls and corals and shells. Intriguingly rough lava and stones set in 18kt gold or silver.

Katia Agroti’s "treasures" at Kennedy Avenue until Saturday June 24.

Exhibition hours 10:00 – 14:00, 17:00- 20;00 (daily except Sundays)

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Other shows

CastelLiotissa had a huge very squashed exhibition organised by the Rotaract Club of Nicosia with the rather grand title of Nicosia Art Festival 2006.

I believe the curator tried her best but would have done better with a quarter amount of the work huddled frame to frame.

Ceramics at Argo: More of this beautiful exhibition when the Arts Page has photographs to show you. Five ceramists demonstrate with skill and imagination the oldest art form in Cyprus.

Super-real at Gallery K right through June. Mixed and talented. Until the end of the month.

Pantheon has/had a student exhibition of work from Intercollege. Nice poster. Nice invites. The poster has the wrong dates on (what are beautiful posters for if not accurate?) and you need to borrow magnifying glasses to read the dates on the invites. I did and waited for nearly an hour in a grubby stairwell on a very hot morning.

Diatopos has Maria Perendou in an exhibition of paintings called Twilight. Her work was about the best at the last Power House show. Maria lives in Paris. I’ll attempt to get into the gallery. If allowed. And give her a full complimentary report.

Osman Keten exhibits at HP Art Gallery. Excellent works full of feeling.

The Summer Mixed at Apocalypse contains works by at least 15 artists.

Captions…

Photos

Colour

1: Alexi… George wants this BIG!!!

CHROMATIC REVOLUTION: A brilliant piece by George Savvides at Opus 39.

2:

BLOCKS: Oil painting by George Savvides at Opus 39.

7. ALEXI … USE ONLY IF NEEDED

FRUIT: Painting by Garth Frost at Gloria’s.

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Black and white

4:

SURPRISE: Surprise, Surprise at the Malgorzata Swiatlowska opening. Ute Stylianou, Ambassador Rolph Kaiser, Magda Fantaros, Zbyszek Irzenski and Urszula Savvopoulou. Photo by Michalis Phantaros

5 :

BEGUILING: George Kotsonis at Apocalypse.

6:

STITCH IN TIME: Maria Papacharalambous at Artos Foundation.