Cyprus College of Art’s

Limassol Studios

I TOOK the bus, alighted at Limassol by the castle and walked along Eleftherias Street, gazing at what used to be the Regal Cinema tucked away on the corner of Makedonias Street.

I peered in, saw an array of paintings (continuing until December 8, 10am to 5 pm, excellent) which were very lively, serious and totally new to me. Above and behind the screens was the spacious, almost cavernous, shell of the old movie house. Where I imagine the screen used to be there was a bed for a nude to recline on for life drawing classes. The rest of the cavernous space was filled with open cubicles, each one as large as my own studio, and, just as private.

At the very first one. I saw and relished a kind of homage to Cezanne surrounded by beautiful drawings of the human form. It wasn’t a Cezanne but I was immediately connected to the Kyrenia range. And, of course, the colour was more profuse than the old master. This marvellous painting I discovered was by Orthodoxia, a student at the Limassol Studios.

It was quite early, around 10 in the morning, when one imagines the mythical artist is dreaming away, but at 19 Makedonias Street the art students were already arriving for the morning’s session.

The artist lecturer at the Foundation and Course Leader, Phil Bird, whose disc of him playing and singing to his guitar is on at my own studio this very moment (and its wonderful) arrived to take me around.

We passed area after area, each one very much having an impression of its own.

The resident’s art and soul; a charcoal sketch of a nude propped up against a chair, a canvas of a most unusual landscape in colours I had never connected together before.

But it certainly worked.

Lots of paint and brushes, of course.

I must say I did feel the urge to be young again and have a Limassol cubicle on my own - with others. Many, many works on the environment’s walls certainly impressed.

Promising, unfinished paintings, too. Works developing on their own. Works now complete. Textures merging into form.

Painting is alive and well and it is in Limassol, almost by the sea. It is reassuringly like being allowed into the artist’s attics of yore. For one moment, I thought that if I looked over a cubicle surround, I would see the streets of Paris.

Full of energy, creativity, talent and drive, the Limassol studios totally impress.

Limassol Studios is associated with Cyprus College of Art Lemba.

To apply for any of the excellent programmes:

If you live in Cyprus only:

Andreas Efstathiou, Cyprus College of Art, 19 Makedonias Street, Limassol 3041.

Telephone 99565184 Fax: 26964269 Email: enquiries@artcyprus.org

If you live outside Cyprus:

Dr Michael Paraskos, Cyprus College of Art, PO Box 304, Leeds L56 3YN, England.

Outstandingly

original

ANDREAS Makariou is at Apocalypse Gallery.

Did I get it wrong? Were these ladies in high heels, golden locks and always holding things like startled fish posing as codpieces NOT from our very own TV Wakey, Wakey?

On meeting the Paphian artist at the impressive opening I bluntly asked him questions, such as "Have you a German background?" to which he replied "No".

Well, wherever this top-drawer artist hails from, he is certainly brilliant at his use of paint. His use of oils is magnificent.

Every area of his canvases is supreme. A dab of red, placed perfectly, turns a toothpick-like stick into a lit cigarette. The forms of his women are brazenly tactile. Thighs and calves are as solid as, well, ‘solid flesh,’ while the tumble of breasts are desires in lyrical couplets.

I have an idea that these paintings are saying something very deep about Cypriot sexual relationships.

The delicate balance twixt male and female which the artist has tapped into is intuitively brilliant. Majestic paintings.

Deep and extremely sensual.

One of our Cyprus problems made flesh.

Outstandingly original work.

Ceramic sculpture

DR Nadia Anaxagorou , Director Cultural Services, Limassol Municipality, will open this ceramic sculpture exhibition by Ilias Boudaniotis at Orpheus Gallery, Limassol, tomorrow, Saturday, November 25, at 7.30pm.

The exhibition will continue until December 10.

Ilias Boudaniotis, from Athens, is presenting his first solo exhibition in Cyprus with a collection of his latest ceramic sculptures at the Orpheus Gallery, Limassol.

Extract from an article by Maro Kerassioti, in International Ceramic Art Review, August 2004: "In a world full of colours, Ilias Boudaniotis displays his toys. Toys, which appear to be for him the links between life and creation. Through them he reveals his inner thoughts, exorcises his fears and in the most silent way speaks about himself and his friends. The real and the imaginary world around him, how he would like to be and how it seems though he knows it is not.

"He moulds the clay as easily as children dream. He gives it form, brings it to life and endows his creations with a little bit of himself."

In 2002 he received the Best Artist award at the 26th international Porcelain Symposium in Walbrzych, Poland.

Another first for Brio

Expressions

BRIO Expressions have sent the Arts Page their own information.

"We have secured what promises to be one of the most important and exciting art exhibitions of 2006. To launch 7.30pm, on Wednesday, December 6, it will exhibit works of the one of the most celebrated and important Cypriot artists of our generation, Andreas Charalambides.

"Andreas Charalambides will personally open the exhibition, which is based upon the 12 images from the folio "Cinyras King and Hierophant" and is titled the same.

"As well as 12 lithographs and other works of the celebrated artist, the exhibition will also feature poetry by Athina Charalambides."

The exhibition’s launch (7.30pm, Wednesday, December 6, 2006) by former Interior Minister and now mayoral candidate Andreas Christou, will be open to the public and will feature cocktails and canapes.

The exhibition will run until Saturday, December 23, 2006 and private parking is available for visitors.

For further details: 25879911.

Tesserae

twice

SHARON Taylor has a show on at Opus 39, in Nicosia.

Sharon Taylor has an insatiable passion for her work in mosaic design.

Her artistic skills came at an early age and, in 1982, she achieved her degree in sculpture at Exeter College of Art and Design. Her inquisitive appetite is infinite developing to a broad understanding of the nature of materials and material science utilised in her work. During 1983-1986, she acquired a qualification in Archaeological Conservation. At Opus 39, Sharon will display a fine selection of her works.

Employed by the Conservation Unit of the British Museum, Sharon came to Cyprus initially for three months with the objective of preserving antiquities and training local museum staff.

The Dona Papadopoulou exhibition, at Aerino Kentro Technon Limassol, will be opened by Dr Klito Ioannides on Friday, November 24, at 7.30pm.

It continues until December 3 and will include mosaics made by the artist over the last three years.

Greek mythology and Byzantine period loom large.

Laying down

their vision

Sorry, I did not have full photographic abilities to the wonderful images in the Open Studios that I saw within Nicosia’s old walls.

I will try to make up for it when I get hold of the official catalogue which was, unfortunately, late in appearing, and present you with the art of all the artists; including those I did not get the opportunity to visit (closed, rain, shoddy pavements).

This most positive of art actions must continue.

With the map of the whole of Nicosia as their trademark, they lay down their vision.

Kyklos

delight

THERESA French has an exhibition at Kyklos Gallery.

She is a well-known water colour artist whose works has been delighting Paphians and others for many years.

The exhibition opens on Friday, December 1, at 7pm.

20 % of her sales will go to the Friends’ Hospice, Paphos.

The Friend’s Hospice opened in April, 2006 and is currently situated at the Evangelismos Hospital in Paphos.

It provides care for all members of the community regardless of status, religion or ability to pay.

For information tel 26911641 or www.paphoshospice.org.

Mikella Psara

at Argo Gallery

THIS exhibition has opened already but have not seen it yet.

Michella is certainly one of our topmost painters.

Her work is so sensitive and pure.

In other words, an outstanding painter, anywhere, especially in this chaotic period we seem to be going through.

Next week

YOUNG Greek Engravers 2005-2006 at the Evagoras Lanitis Centre, Limassol. Full report next week.