Adventure in the area of art

REVIEW of work by Efrosini Hastoupi-Parousi at Kypriaki Gonia, Larnaca.

"Born in Korinthos, the painter started her adventure in the area of Art by studying free-hand and linear sketch at the Doxiadi School of Art.

“The natural bright colours of Greece led her to a painting ‘stint’ between between Cycladic civilisation and Byzantine technique.

“The result is a technical replacement of oil, gold and silver mosaic.The quest of the lost link of the Greek civilisation led the painter to the study of great trends and great artists in Italy.

“Baroque, Renaissance, Michaelangelo, Rafael were unveiled to the painter. Men of art, as Gatt the Dean of Fine Arts School of Rome showed her the way to New Mannerism.

“Contemporary Italian painters like Bruno d’Arcevia and Renato Nosek taught her at their studios the secrets of successive colour layers (vellatura) and the imitative art of Italian New Mannerism.

“Thus every stroke of her brush opens up paths of knowledge in art, she confines without limits by using the art as the vehicle between the fantasy of dream and time.

“In Korinthos, where she lives and works, she is the owner of a private Art Gallery and Studio.

“She has ben teaching painting for decades for I.E.K. of Korinthos as well as for cultural societies (OTE 8 years).

“Efrosini has been a Board member of Apollonia Academy for 5 years in order to affiliate towns of Greece and Italy, and been a member of Alkionides Speech and Art Society, which organises cultural events in the Balkans, Italy and Greece.”

The exhibition continues until the end of June.

Rhea Bailey at World Forum

The American Biographical Institute, USA, and the International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, England, are pleased to announce that Rhea Bailey will be participating in their Inaugural World Forum to be held at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford, July 4-9, 2006.

Rhea has been invited to attend the Forum as an ambassador of her country.

The men and women chosen to attend will be from 50 different countries and are individuals whose professional accomplishment, ideas and talents will be shared with the entire delegation.

History indicates that progression is mobilised through gathering, learning and interaction. The delegates will be able to returns to their respective countries and professions and enlighten others with newly found cultural and educational awareness.

The American Biographical Institute and International Biographical Centre, publishers of global who’s who volumes, have co-hosted over 30 of these annual events.

The goal of the World Forum is to serve as a platform for the melding of experiences and accomplishments for the betterment of all nations and societies.

St Catherine’s College will be an inspiring setting for the Forum as delegates listen to and discuss such topics as education, technology, science, international issues, health, publishing, the arts and much more.

In addition, an International Gallery of Art will be open the entire week at the College for the display of delegates’ art, papers, books, and other creative works.

Renowned musicians among the delegates will perform at a special concert evening at the College.

Rhea Bailey at World Forum

The American Biographical Institute, USA, and the International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, England, are pleased to announce that Rhea Bailey will be participating in their Inaugural World Forum to be held at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford, July 4-9, 2006.

Rhea has been invited to attend the Forum as an ambassador of her country.

The men and women chosen to attend will be from 50 different countries and are individuals whose professional accomplishment, ideas and talents will be shared with the entire delegation.

History indicates that progression is mobilised through gathering, learning and interaction. The delegates will be able to returns to their respective countries and professions and enlighten others with newly found cultural and educational awareness.

The American Biographical Institute and International Biographical Centre, publishers of global who’s who volumes, have co-hosted over 30 of these annual events.

The goal of the World Forum is to serve as a platform for the melding of experiences and accomplishments for the betterment of all nations and societies.

St Catherine’s College will be an inspiring setting for the Forum as delegates listen to and discuss such topics as education, technology, science, international issues, health, publishing, the arts and much more.

In addition, an International Gallery of Art will be open the entire week at the College for the display of delegates’ art, papers, books, and other creative works.

Renowned musicians among the delegates will perform at a special concert evening at the College.

Arverkiou at Opus 39

This quite short exhibition (now finished) should not be underrated. The artist is the son of THE Averkiou, the late painter, and I always thought the son was a tennis player.

Nevertheless, he has certainly made a fine art debut in this exhibition of digital prints.

Outstanding imgery with exceptional colour.

His art collection can also be seen at

www.averart.com

Or try e-mail welcome@averart.com – mob : 99671001

Chamber of Fine Arts Assembly

The Executive Committee of the Cyprus Chamber of Fine Arts cordially invites its members to attend the Pancyprian General and Constitutional Assembly on Saturday, July 1, 2006, at 10:30 a.m., at Melina Mercouri Hall in Nicosia (close to Famagusta Gate) Tel. 22430703.

The Assembly is of great importance since it will proceed to set forth amendments in the Statute of E.KA.TE.

In addition, the members of the new Executive Committee and a Committee of Ranking and Judgments/Admissions will be elected.

We look forward to receiving a full attendance and we will be delighted to welcome all members.

For any information please call

Still on

George Lanitis at Gloria Gallery until 6th of July

The beautifully executed realist mixed exhibition continues at Gallery k until the end of June.

Opus 39 Gallery has a photographic exhibition "Puzzling Asia" by French photographer Florence Berluteau from the 19th to the 26th of the month

The Apocalypse Summer Mixed continues until the 24th of the month.

The invitation card for Nitsa Hadjisymeou’s exhibition at Technis Dromena gallery which is partly organised by the Cyprus Parkinson Disease Association and opened on the 14th of June. I presume it is still on.

Tel. 22 466426 or

99 562877.

Maria Perentou

at Diatopos

Maria Perentou now lives in Paris. Her paintings are extraordinarily sensitive in feeling, equalled by a most subtle application of paint. Image and technique cohese in a bond which is powerful, imaginative and deep.

It is this depth which is rare in most of the paintings seen in our commercial galleries.

You may discover it, a little, in earlier works by major artists such as Diamantis or Christoforos Savva but mostly it’s simply a view, a face or an abstract which has nothing to do with abstraction but a simplified pattern shoved onto a canvas without any reason other than filling in a space with some colour – or even just black and white.

Most of Maria’s exhibition at Diatopos contains a long series called "Twilight" which verges from naturalism to abstraction with profound fluidity.

There are also smaller works which contain thread, once again extending things known into a sublime understanding of the material used.

Until 8th July.

Diatopos is in the same street - Crete - as the State Gallery, Nicosia where there are works of Diamantis and Savva.

Maria Polycarpou, art teacher at the Grammar School

Maria Polycarpou is the art teacher at the Grammar School whose school exhibition the Arts Page discussed last week. It was called ‘Hands-On Imagination.’

This event was at the Lakatamia Municipal Exhibition Hall with all proceeds going to the Cyprus Kidney Association with a brilliant array of work from many classes.

Their teacher Maria Polycarpou has a Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies, University of Cincinnati as well as Teachers Certificate and Master of Art in Education, University of Cincinnati in 1998, and, earlier, in 1987, Maria gained her Masters in Fine Arts (painting), Higher Institute of Fine Arts, Sofia, Bulgaria.

Colour reigns in her work and also an underlying structure which surely comes from an acute observation of things seen.

At Home with

Malvina Middleton

Remember last week’s "Dream Space", a dance performance by the school of Chloe and Stala Middleton? It was Malvina (daughter of Stala and sister of Chloe) who designed those wonderful costumes.

Malvina, however, works mainly in glass, having won an international award or two and is a top class painter as well.

The other day I popped into her studio at Kaimakli to see an array of glass designs strewn out on the spacious floor and luckily had photographer Kengan Kalidasan with me.

As well as scintillating pieces of art –including a glass suitcase – and wall features – there was a very large piece for a private house which I assume will be for a magnificent window.

Magnificent it is.