ARTS

Alexis, Pics "Jepras" – use as many as you need

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Paintings by Zenon Jepras

Zenon Jepras is showing at Gallery Gloria, Nicosia. It is one of the best shows of the year.

Jepras was born in Cardiff, Wales, in 1969 to Greek parents, from Corfu and Cyprus. After reading physics at University College London and extensive travels abroad he studied painting at Glasgow School of Art.

During leave of absence of one year (1991-92) he studied at the Cyprus College of Art (Lemba) and traveled widely in the Middle East, before returning to Glasgow to complete his studies. There he developed a keen interest in narrative art and endeavored to tell stories within his own work.

In 1993 he received the Liquitex International Art Prize and was invited to exhibit at the Art Council of America in New York, USA.

Jepras graduated in 1994 with BA (Hons) in Fine Art including a first class distinction for his prize-winning thesis on Homer’s Odyssey (“Ulyssean Voices: A Narrative Deconstruction of People and Themes in Homer’s Odyssey”, 1994)

He has continued to live and work in the UK and Cyprus, dividing his time between painting full time for group and solo shows at home and abroad, and practising as free-lance illustrator at his studio in London.

In April 1997 he represented Cyprus at the Eighth Biennale of Young Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean, in Turin and Helsinki.

His other most recent solo show, in association with Gallery Gloria, was held in Germany to celebrate the entry of Cyprus as part of the Cultural Year of the Ten exhibitions, to the European Union in 2004.

Jepras began exhibiting at Gloria Gallery 10 years ago with his series of works contemporising the themes behind the myth of Odysseus. Since then his work has focused on the tradition of narrative painting and telling stories using the language of painting – colour, texture and mark, sign and symbol.

This new body of work takes these same principles but instead of the global and political scale of ancient (and modern) myth, they are inward looking – perhaps treating the artist’s own personal world with the same keen eye and caustic wit he has in the past aimed at the wider world.

In this way, in scale and in method, these paintings present a series of small, and quiet yet bold and immediate expressions of a viewpoint that while personal, we can all relate to. Just like a good short story.

This present exhibtion is the most excellent of one-person works I have seen in a gallery this year. The subjects of stress and humour within the family are strengthened by extremely fine painting – the like of which is becoming rarer and rarer in this country.

With all the mini-concepts and with all the insensitive applications of paint which so often smirch our galleries, it is so reassuring that the wonderful subtle trail of contemporary art in Cyprus from Diamantis through Savva and to a few of our still living artists is continuing through Jepras. This exhibition at Gloria’s is full of emotional truth and brilliant execution.

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Leonidas Economides at Leo Gallery

A call to go out on a Saturday night (again!!), and I did eventually discover Leo Gallery where Leonidas Economides lives (I think).

A darkened room at 18 Amfitrytis, Nicosia with special lights illuminating the works on display. It’s been done elsewhere (the Heyward) and the pictures look great but you do tend to bump into the viewers.

The viewers were impressed but also impressive themselves. Established greats had tuned up from Limassol and all the bright young artists who showed to great advantage in the moat this early autumn gave support as well. In other words, Leonidas Economides creates works which are different from anyone else’s.

I remember a large coin at Pantheon and, unless I’m mistaken, a host of budgies in the dark of Strovolos park a summer or two ago. They were caged but did not sing. Or did they have their heads decapitated?

Yes, Leonidas is that rare thing on this island : a surrealist with ideas, imagination and – what’s more, the ability to transfer the meaning (whatever it is) into a collage of objects, or, as with the coin – plonked on its own – giving out a sort of visual power.

Leonidas is closing the "gallery" for Xmas but will open later in January.

Here is remarkable, imaginative work. Try telephoning 99511546.

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Christmas shows

* More on Lemba

The show is on until January 6 at Cyprus College of Art, Lemba.

Three students whose art will be on show work from the Limassol studios. After completing the foundation course, Ann Georghiou is now in her third year at the college. She is part Cypriot and originally came to learn about the other half of her roots. Her paintings are very poetic and concentrate on atmosphere and light.

Christine Grant gained her degree in Contemporary Textile Practice and spent the last year teaching 11 to 18 year olds. Working with these experiences she is now experimenting with a combination of fine art painting and traditional textile techniques using abstract patterns overlaid with stitching and beading.

A graduate from the University of East London but born in Finland, Nea Louhelailen is spending her time in Cyprus specialising in painting. She believes good artists paint what they feel and this is totally influenced by their environment.

Also exhibiting is sculptor Brinley Neil Stephens, a tutor and resident artist at Cyprus College of Art. Working primarily with steel and concrete, his art is about paradox: invitation and denial, containment and exclusion. His sculptures and commissions have reached international acclaim.

If you don’t get a chance to see this diverse and exciting Xmas Show, there will be ample opportunity throughout the year, with each artist from both Lemba and Limassol showing as individuals in the college gallery. The course culminates in a group show in May 2007.

* Kypriaki Gonia, Larnaca has a large amount of small works by many, many artists. Well known artists from Cyprus and Greece. Some outstandingly good artists from UK, too. This gallery will surely need an extension soon.

* Gloria has an exhibition of Xmasy smaller works upstairs in the gallery.

* Diachroniki Gallery Ledras (opposite Debenhams) and Laiki Yitonia, Nicosia as well as Arch. Makarios Avenue 31, Dhali have large amounts of wonderful paintings - strong on Cypriot imagery.

* Helen Black at Diatopos until 23rd December.

* Technis Dromena, Nicosia has a brand new show. A painting exhibition of sea spirits by Pieris Lambrou. All rooms used to great advantage

* Yiannis Anastasiou has ceramics at Theatro Ena Gallery, Limassol.

* Haris Epaminonda and Daniel Gustav Cramer’s joint exhibition continues until 6 February at The Pharos Centre for Contemporary Art.

* Michalis Papadopoulos continues at Heliotropio, Larnaca until the 22nd of the month

* Opus 39, Art & Craft at affordable prices – until 5 January.

* Five figuratives are still on at Art Studio 55, Limassol

* Raymond Wilson, Louis Begernie, Michael Dettner, Kelly Norman, Katie Sabre have very good work at Geoff May Studio Cinema’s Collective, Limassol.

* Plant, Williams and Bets are at En Plo, Paphos.

* Michael Kirlitsias at Academic & General Bookshop, Larnaca.. GO

* Rouan have a Christmas Special until 15th January.

THE LATEST

Theatre properties at Castelliotissa until 5th January. A must.

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Photo captions

(FROM BOOK)

YOUNG ENGRAVERS: Some imagery from the Young Greek Engraver Exhibition at the Evagoras Lanitis Centre , Limassol’

NEW BOOK: Hambis Kalikandjari from his new book. A great Christmas gift.

From "Jepras" in pics

MINOTAUR AND GIRLS: By Zenon Jepras. The show at Gloria’s is one of year’s best.

GIRL IN A CAFE: By Zenos Jepras.

SMOKERS: By Zenon Jepras.

THE MODEL: By Zenon Jepras.