Reawakening the geometric period
The latest trend is to re-awaken the geometric period – as observed at the Power
House - but it is the landscape painters who may need to worry. With all the paper invites left on the arts page desk
it has become obvious that trees are under threat. Surely the Cezanne followers must soon have a revival; before it is too
late.
Supernova – Constellations at the The Power House
First Impression
Is this Art Explosion merely
a Damp Squib?
To be honest the visual emotions spurted out at the entrance then spluttered and splintered without a tear
in the very large room.
Having done my stint of geometric abstraction with the Cypriote Syllabary Series in the early
seventies and vividly remembering hearing Victor Pasmore giving a lecture at Bretton Hall in the fifties and viewing
the avante guard at the ICA during that same exciting time I looked for new developments and was totally impressed with
the work of Haluk Akakce.
To quote Caroline Douglas
" Haluj Akakce’s work Blind Date employs an ideologically
white on white language. The work’s smooth scrolling down the screen is like the perpetual motion of a Patemaster lift;
the endlessly mutating geometric reliefs which emerge and retreat from the milky white ground recall the early White Reliefs
of Ben Nicholson, or the pierced faAade of Corbusier’s chapel at Ronchamp. There is a constant interplay of positive
and negative spatial values, a playing with perceptual depth and flatness, all the while maintaining a kind of hallucinatory
rolling motion which forces the viewer to bring their own associations to the forms.
Akakce’s animations begin life
as drawings and paintings before the final stage in which he works with a professional animator to create the digital version.
The visual texture of the animations is familiar from computer games and pop videos, and this reclamation of a form of contemporary
popular culture creates a new format language or gallery based art. Where Blind Date it its scale and form has architectural
reference, Mr Butterfly is more like an animated painting. Intended to be shown either on a plasma screen or as a small projection,
the work rehearses multiple series of formal variations, based on a doubling, mirroring and opening out of geometric shapes.
Solid forms appear to throw pale grey shadows, and one is momentarily reminded of the slow gyrations of Calder mobiles, until
the shadows themselves take on the character of solid matter. Both works are defined by a fluidity, on absolute mutability
in terms of material. The animated forms of Mr Butterfly are alternately smooth and matt, or seductively shiny: the white
ground accrues an illusory depth, or snaps back to absolute flatness, according to the choreography of the forms upon it.
Unlike
the resolved simplicity of Blind Date. there is a complexity in the repetitive unfolding of Mr Butterfly which, in spite of
its hallucinatory pace, seems to strain towards the mathematical progressions of Bach variations. "
These two works are
brilliant. More later.
Rodica’s view of transformation
Reflections Opus 39 last week
Opening speech by Daphne
Trimikliniotis, artist, President of the Chamber of Fine Arts, Cyprus at the exhibition of Paintings, Lithographs and Etchings
by Rodica Lomnasan at Opus Gallery
"We live in the era of transformation characterised by contradictions, uncertainties
and wonders. Change is part of who we are today.
Since the collapse of the ‘Iron Curtain’ and the demise of
the cold war, there has been a boost in the momentum for European Union integration and eastwards enlargement. In this alienatory
encounter, Cyprus meet Romania as EU newcomers and partners in the construction of a new Europe. The challenge for us all
as Europeans is whilst respecting diversity and particularity, we are called upon to go beyond our narrow national ways of
life, history, traditions and cultures: to reach out, understand, learn and exchange experiences to shape a common, open but
real world. Trying at least to imagine such a world is making space to getting there.
Cyprus and Romania, both new EU members,
are facing similar situations; they are both going through processes of change and adaptation and have developed a new relationship
between them; Cypriots and Romanians can learn from each other.
As the president of the chamber of fine arts of Cyprus,
E.K.A.T.E, I would like to emphasize, that the fundamental objective of the Chamber, is the promotion of Art, and the encouragement
of artistic creation in all sectors, as well as recognizing and appreciating Art when we come across it, as in the case of
Rodica’s work
Rodica was was born in Sibiu, Romania. She studied Art at the University of Fine Art in Bucharest,
and she has been a member of the Professional Artists Association of Romania since 1996. Since graduating from the University
in 1994, she has had quite a number of solo exhibitions in various countries, she has been repeatedly selected by international
panels and judges to participate in exhibitions in various galleries across Europe.
Rodica was awarded a number of prizes,
such as "The Young Dominus" Prize for lithography in 1995, in Bucharest,from Curental newspaper in Bucharest in 1997, from
St Lucas Foundation in 1999 and a bursary from Klara Tamas foundation in New York 2001-002
Rodica has been living in Cyprus
for the last three years. There’s absolute freedom of expression in the lines and shapes in her pictures. The images
and characters are presented in such a way, as if seen through the innocent eyes of a child. They’re imaginative, colourful
and delightful.
This is what she has to say about her work and her life in Cyprus.
"For me Cyprus is a place where I
would like to continue to find myself, my soul and other ways to express my art. What really inspires me in Cyprus is the
fascinating forms of nature, old Byzantine architecture, the feeling of stability and a rich history."
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Demosthenes Kolokasides at Kypriaki Gonia, Larnaca
Continuing until 7th July.
Demosthenes Kolokasidis was born in Athens where he lived during his childhood, then he returned
with his family to Cyprus. After his graduation from the Lyceum he continued his studies in Switzerland and then in England
where he graduated from the Faculty of Good Arts of Bristol and did postgraduate studies in typography.
Dr Nadia Anaxagorou
commented on his work last week, and how right she was in her assessment, appreciation and praise. As I was down in Larnaca
(two and a half hours on our intercity expresses) for the opening of the Cyprus College of Art in Mehmet Ali Street
(more next week) there was just time to squeeze in a visit to Kypriai Gonia.
What a beautiful Alladin’s Cave of delights!
From real gold to unused condoms the rooms shook with visual and tactile excitement. Brilliant combinations of found and made
materials.
During the exhibition period his work can be seen by visiting the gallery’s web page (www.gallerykypriakigonia.com.cy).
Prison inmates exhibit at House of Representatives
Oscar wrote well in prison. Our very best painter did a stint in U.K. So one is never surprised at these annual specials.
Solitude is a friend of the artist. This year the standard is exceptionally high again. The Chinese don’t exactly take
over the show as they did a couple of years ago and there is a most definite revival in geometric abstraction. A few of these
could well replace a couple from Constellation at The Power House,
This year the different emotions aroused by similar
subjects was most moving. Far away places, boats leaving the harbour; Kyrenia and Famagusta. Individual artists often
showed a considerable range and one artist who surely is as good as anyone in town proved to have a highly complex
personality – from neat disciplined abstracts, clear, precise figuration, to just a smudge of
deep, deep feeling. Design – which unfortunately plagues our commercial art-world - had all been thrown out of
the windows, thank heavens.
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Maskarada anniversary performance
MASKARADA is the title given to a dance spectacular, promising evenings of pulsating
rhythms and energetic dance for all to contemplate.
This is Nadia Nicolaides vision for a dance performance of extraordinary
intrigue to celebrate 40 years of dance since the establishment of the Dance Academy.
Over 100 dances of all ages and nationalities
have been assembled as well as senior performers (London West End) in character roles.
The artistic direction, concept
and design are by Nadia Nicolaides. An amazing blend of all dance styles is choreographed by Natalie Nicolaides, Sharon Montague
and Nadine Haddad. Music Theatre Direction by Linda Economides. The innovative scenery is by George Papadopoulos -Technoscene
and other known artists of the cultural scene of the island.
The performance will take place at the Pattichion Theatre
on July 5t,6 and 7 at 8.30 pm under the auspices of the Mayor and is dedicated to the town of Limassol.
Join them to celebrate
the timeless Language of Dance through this magical journey of music and dancing pulse!
The performance is supported by
the Friends of Dance Cultural Association.
Main Media Sponsor: Phileleftheros
Communication Sponsors: CyBC, Cyprus Weekly,
Capital
Sponsors: Eka group, Home IQ Furniture, Home IQ Gallery, Atlas Capital Financial Services Ltd.
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Homage
to Diamantis
Opus Gallery
The gallery was packed with genuine art lovers for this
presentation of an album
of reproductions of paintings by Adamantios Diamantis, in a limited edition.
Due to the fact that Adamantios Diamantis
work is very rare to be found, the family of Alecos Diamantis (his son) decided to produce this album, of six prints in a
limited edition, signed by the son.
You can acquire prints in September when the Nicosia Galleries are open again.
Garth Frost
Gloria Gallery
This superb exhibition closes, Saturday June 30.
It is an excellent exhibition with strong work, symbolic in a very
powerful way. Astonishing powers of force created through simple forms whose surface textures (both oil and acrylic
is used) pulsate with rhythms of great beauty and a classical stoic calm.
Hurry
The Vasilis Mitas exhibition at Diachroniki Gallery, Ledras, Nicosia continues until the
Saturday, June 30. It is entitled Beautiful People. And rightly so.
The next exhibition at Glorias is of paintings by Dr
Nicos Angelides and opens on Wednesday at 8 pm continuing until July 14..
Net income will be donated to the Red Cross home
for Sick Children.
Thalassa. A huge exhibition based on the sea at Gallery K has already opened and will continue
until the July 31. At least 30 entries for this water marathon. Oil too. More later.
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Photo captions:
1: FINE WORK: Rodica Lomnasan who showed at Opus earlier in the month
2: FEATHERED: Demosthenes Colocassides at Kypriaki Gonia
3: Paintings by prison inmates
ARTS
POPI
