Lock up your canvasses
Auction then
The great and the good turned up in droves to the Hilton for the Psatharis Art Auction last week. Coffee had been served
in the lounge beforehand but once inside the exhibition room the attentive interest was electric.
Numbered cards had been given out for holding up when someone wanted to buy. And they did, of course. The crowd were obviously
sharp collectors and certainly knew what they wanted
The proceedings were superbly controlled by the auctioneer, Stefanos Christodoulides, while a beautiful blonde continued
to bring out replacements for the easel which held the paintings for choice. Business was brisk. Buyers held their cards high.
Once again Cyprus Contemporary Art made its mark.
Auction next
The next auction – Cypria Auctions which contains Greek and Cypriot paintings of the 19th and 20th century will be
held at the Hilton Hotel, Nicosia on November 28. This time the Christoforos Savva is a delicious still life (sale price estimate
only Θ20,700).
-
Power house
The Power House, opening tonight Friday (November 16) at 8 o’clock.
Having been helped with the translation and visited The Power House to see what’s going on, I can give some information
on what this possibly big event is all about.
Curated by Andre Zivanari the show appears to be in two halves:
Self Portraits which, they say, is also part of the archives.
Disaster and Oblivion.
Many portraits had arrived when I turned up earlier in the week. Stelios Votsis was obvious – thrice in fact –
with a self photographic portrait backed by his own imaginative work. There were some very well painted large works in which
recognition was matched by painting and drawing skills.
Some – inevitably (you don’t paint yourself when you have gone bald or had two many face lifts, do you?) were
of the artist when young.
In fact I almost recognised myself looking as if I had just been down the mines. A highly interesting collection in fact.
Titles had not been put on that day but I thought I recognised Vathoulla and many artist friends of the period when we all
had fun together. Or was that the daughter? Both beautiful. Kouroushis always did look like Paul Newman.
Some had experimented with their own face; things stuck on, either to represent a party spirit or an attempt at cubism.
Quite difficult, but see for yourself tonight.
The "DISASTER OBLIVION" room was under re-construction but there were a few very serious works lying around propped up
against the walls. Excellent. The title sort of floats around in our collective memory doesn’t it.
The Power House helpers were all working very hard and after I had had a nice piece of cake, Argyro showed me the area
which had been reconstructed for experimental theatre.
Can’t wait for tonight.
LOOPS
Yiannos Economou Pantheon Gallery (until November 24)
"Loops" is a series of videos produced in 2004 and evolving around the idea of circularity. Cyprus has for more than four
decades lived with the hope of a solution that will end the division of the island.
Events shortly before and after the referendum of 2000 proved such hopes to be futile. The process of reunification froze
again, or it appears dormant at the moment.
The Cypriots find themselves in a historical entrapment, expressed in recycled language, where changes take place but there
is no progress forward.
The two communities carry an interwoven destiny, sharing not only the space, the history and the experiences, but also
the attitudes and all other essential elements of their societies. Yet they move on, ignoring each other, invisible to each
other, isolated from each other.
Urban Nights, Heliotropio Gallery
This is a most interesting exhibition with highly moody acrylics on canvas.
Michael Elia is a self-taught artist whose work is characterised by a basic colour palette limited to the use of earth
pigments allowing him to paint pictures with great contrast between light and shade.
Gallery Morphi, Limassol
If Doros had been from a much earlier generation, maybe he would have been our very best naive artist.
However, Doros is very much "OF NOW " and is so highly original that it is surprising he is not representing us at those
international biennales.
His "pieces" are sublime, highly covetable and extremely beautiful. A totally unique artist. Opening on Tuesday.
TRI PTY CHA
Rhea Bailey at Castelliotissa Hall, Nicosia.
Kikis Lazarides, chairman of the Cyprus Cultural Foundation opened Rhea’s exhibition at 19.30 on Wednesday. Works
from 1981-2007.
Creative overlap the new the very new
Apostolos Petrides at Opus 39 from Monday November 12. Excellent sculptures in wire.
The Martin Meason exhibition has opened at Argo. Very, very promising. It will continue until November 24.
Angelos Antonopoulos at Apocalypse from last Wednesday.
Pantheon Gallery have Yiannos Economou with LOOPS from Saturday (November 17).
Stefanos Nearchou at Amorgos Gallery.
Florence exhibition for Cyprus artist
CYPRUS Artist Susan Kerr Joachim will exhibit her latest work at the Sixth International Biennale of Contemporary Art in
Florence, Italy opening on December 1.
The Florence Biennale International Scientific Committee selected Kerr, who has lived and worked in Cyprus for almost 40
years.
The Biennale will be held in the historic Fortezza da Basso from December 1-9.
Carried out in collaboration with the UN, the Biennale is part of the ‘Dialogue Between Civilizations’ program,
putting into practice the thoughts expressed by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. The Biennale is has the High Patronage
of the President of the Italian Republic, the Patronage of Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and of the Region of
Tuscany, the Province of Florence and the Council of Florence.
The 2007 Biennale has selected artists within the categories of painting – in which Kerr will participate- sculpture,
graphics, mixed media, installations, photography and digital art.
According to views expressed by many participants, the Biennale is most democratic and favours the meeting of artists from
all over the world who gather together in Florence for this event.
Graphics
London born Kerr studied painting and graphic arts at Bath Academy of Art and at Leicester College of Art.
Married to well- known Cyprus Artist, Costas Joachim, Kerr came to Cyprus in 1966. She settled in Bellapais, and acquired
Cyprus citizenship becoming a member of the Cyprus Chamber of Fine Arts (EKATE), when it was founded.
The couple established their Studio and Gallery in 1972 in Joachim’s birthplace of Bellapais, and remained until
1974 when forced to leave.
They lived and worked in London and Athens until 1977 when they returned to Cyprus and continue to work in Nicosia. Kerr
taught art at the American International School in Cyprus from 1987.
Her first solo exhibition was at the Hilton in 1969 and she has subsequently held 11 more solo exhibitions, including two
in Germany. Kerr has also participated in several important exhibitions such as: ‘Revolutions 1950-1970’ in 1997
with British artists at the Arts Centre Nicosia, the Millennium exhibition in Nicosia in 2001,
‘Cyprus Artists 1960-74’ at the Arts Centre in Nicosia in 2002 and the 18th International Exhibition Omma Gallery
in Crete in 2003.
On the works making up her participation in the Sixth Biennale of Florence, Kerr says: "In these paintings of the Cosmos,
there has been an investigation into the most essential elements which lie in the qualities of light, colour and abstraction
from natural phenomena. A long lasting interest in the Cosmos and the mysteries of the Universe has evolved into these latest
works on the theme of ‘nebulae- a search for the origins of life."
**
Successful
Also, the Third Annual Exhibition of Kyrenia Artists closed recently following a very successful run.
Showcasing pieces by Alexandros Michaelides, Nitsa Orphanidou, Klea Marangou-Strongylou, Elli Simaki-Yiakozi and Takis
Christodoulou, the exhibition was held at the temporary Kyrenia Town Hall in Nicosia. The artists all spent a significant
part of their creative lives in the now-occupied town.
The exhibition was on from October 29-November 2, after being opened by Interior Minister Christos Patsalides in the presence
of many dignitaries and refugees from the town.
Marina Rafael has an exhibition titled "Exposed " at Technis Dromena Gallery. Until November 30.
THE paintings have a fairly conventional subject matter; bathers, nocturnes, even a cafe scene, the traditional stuff of
art history (an underlying theme of he show).
I used the abstract qualities of water and light so that I wouldn’t be over concerned with the accuracyh of the drawing,
and played with spatial distortion in order to provide a nice contrast with the grid structure that is the basis of all the
work.
The grid fragments the images in an attempt to reflect aspects of the way in which we percieve the world and is also a
nod to the influence o early modernist painters.
I wouldn’t want to over emphasise the technical side of it, I hope that viewers will see each painting in its own
poetic light.
To my teacher, to my friend...
A tribute to Lefteris Economou
It’s so hard to find the words to describe such a treasured teacher, such a caring friend...
A teacher who always went beond teaching mere art techniques, to giving each and eveyrone of his students, tips on life
itself, guidelines for a road well-travelled.
To the friend who worried even more than us, each time we wee sitting for art exms.
To the dearest teacher who always took the time to care for us and to enthusiasticaly cultivate deep respect and love for
art...
To the man who was always true to his principles and high moralities and shared these values with us and with the whole
of society.
To the man who proved to be a genuine caring family man.
To the man who so generously offered his paintings to every charity event, to give a helping hand to the less-privileged
ones...
To the artist, to the wonderful teacher, to the friend we lose so suddenly, words are not enough to say a Big Thank You
for everything he has offered us through the years...
May he rest in peace.
Matina Efstathiou
Lock up your canvasses
Auction then
The great and the good turned up in droves to the Hilton for the Psatharis Art Auction last week. Coffee had been served
in the lounge beforehand but once inside the exhibition room the attentive interest was electric.
Numbered cards had been given out for holding up when someone wanted to buy. And they did, of course. The crowd were obviously
sharp collectors and certainly knew what they wanted
The proceedings were superbly controlled by the auctioneer, Stefanos Christodoulides, while a beautiful blonde continued
to bring out replacements for the easel which held the paintings for choice. Business was brisk. Buyers held their cards high.
Once again Cyprus Contemporary Art made its mark.
Auction next
The next auction – Cypria Auctions which contains Greek and Cypriot paintings of the 19th and 20th century will be
held at the Hilton Hotel, Nicosia on November 28. This time the Christoforos Savva is a delicious still life (sale price estimate
only Θ20,700).
-
Power house
The Power House, opening tonight Friday (November 16) at 8 o’clock.
Having been helped with the translation and visited The Power House to see what’s going on, I can give some information
on what this possibly big event is all about.
Curated by Andre Zivanari the show appears to be in two halves:
Self Portraits which, they say, is also part of the archives.
Disaster and Oblivion.
Many portraits had arrived when I turned up earlier in the week. Stelios Votsis was obvious – thrice in fact –
with a self photographic portrait backed by his own imaginative work. There were some very well painted large works in which
recognition was matched by painting and drawing skills.
Some – inevitably (you don’t paint yourself when you have gone bald or had two many face lifts, do you?) were
of the artist when young.
In fact I almost recognised myself looking as if I had just been down the mines. A highly interesting collection in fact.
Titles had not been put on that day but I thought I recognised Vathoulla and many artist friends of the period when we all
had fun together. Or was that the daughter? Both beautiful. Kouroushis always did look like Paul Newman.
Some had experimented with their own face; things stuck on, either to represent a party spirit or an attempt at cubism.
Quite difficult, but see for yourself tonight.
The "DISASTER OBLIVION" room was under re-construction but there were a few very serious works lying around propped up
against the walls. Excellent. The title sort of floats around in our collective memory doesn’t it.
The Power House helpers were all working very hard and after I had had a nice piece of cake, Argyro showed me the area
which had been reconstructed for experimental theatre.
Can’t wait for tonight.
LOOPS
Yiannos Economou Pantheon Gallery (until November 24)
"Loops" is a series of videos produced in 2004 and evolving around the idea of circularity. Cyprus has for more than four
decades lived with the hope of a solution that will end the division of the island.
Events shortly before and after the referendum of 2000 proved such hopes to be futile. The process of reunification froze
again, or it appears dormant at the moment.
The Cypriots find themselves in a historical entrapment, expressed in recycled language, where changes take place but there
is no progress forward.
The two communities carry an interwoven destiny, sharing not only the space, the history and the experiences, but also
the attitudes and all other essential elements of their societies. Yet they move on, ignoring each other, invisible to each
other, isolated from each other.
Urban Nights, Heliotropio Gallery
This is a most interesting exhibition with highly moody acrylics on canvas.
Michael Elia is a self-taught artist whose work is characterised by a basic colour palette limited to the use of earth
pigments allowing him to paint pictures with great contrast between light and shade.
Gallery Morphi, Limassol
If Doros had been from a much earlier generation, maybe he would have been our very best naive artist.
However, Doros is very much "OF NOW " and is so highly original that it is surprising he is not representing us at those
international biennales.
His "pieces" are sublime, highly covetable and extremely beautiful. A totally unique artist. Opening on Tuesday.
TRI PTY CHA
Rhea Bailey at Castelliotissa Hall, Nicosia.
Kikis Lazarides, chairman of the Cyprus Cultural Foundation opened Rhea’s exhibition at 19.30 on Wednesday. Works
from 1981-2007.
Creative overlap the new the very new
Apostolos Petrides at Opus 39 from Monday November 12. Excellent sculptures in wire.
The Martin Meason exhibition has opened at Argo. Very, very promising. It will continue until November 24.
Angelos Antonopoulos at Apocalypse from last Wednesday.
Pantheon Gallery have Yiannos Economou with LOOPS from Saturday (November 17).
Stefanos Nearchou at Amorgos Gallery.
Florence exhibition for Cyprus artist
CYPRUS Artist Susan Kerr Joachim will exhibit her latest work at the Sixth International Biennale of Contemporary Art in
Florence, Italy opening on December 1.
The Florence Biennale International Scientific Committee selected Kerr, who has lived and worked in Cyprus for almost 40
years.
The Biennale will be held in the historic Fortezza da Basso from December 1-9.
Carried out in collaboration with the UN, the Biennale is part of the ‘Dialogue Between Civilizations’ program,
putting into practice the thoughts expressed by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. The Biennale is has the High Patronage
of the President of the Italian Republic, the Patronage of Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and of the Region of
Tuscany, the Province of Florence and the Council of Florence.
The 2007 Biennale has selected artists within the categories of painting – in which Kerr will participate- sculpture,
graphics, mixed media, installations, photography and digital art.
According to views expressed by many participants, the Biennale is most democratic and favours the meeting of artists from
all over the world who gather together in Florence for this event.
Graphics
London born Kerr studied painting and graphic arts at Bath Academy of Art and at Leicester College of Art.
Married to well- known Cyprus Artist, Costas Joachim, Kerr came to Cyprus in 1966. She settled in Bellapais, and acquired
Cyprus citizenship becoming a member of the Cyprus Chamber of Fine Arts (EKATE), when it was founded.
The couple established their Studio and Gallery in 1972 in Joachim’s birthplace of Bellapais, and remained until
1974 when forced to leave.
They lived and worked in London and Athens until 1977 when they returned to Cyprus and continue to work in Nicosia. Kerr
taught art at the American International School in Cyprus from 1987.
Her first solo exhibition was at the Hilton in 1969 and she has subsequently held 11 more solo exhibitions, including two
in Germany. Kerr has also participated in several important exhibitions such as: ‘Revolutions 1950-1970’ in 1997
with British artists at the Arts Centre Nicosia, the Millennium exhibition in Nicosia in 2001,
‘Cyprus Artists 1960-74’ at the Arts Centre in Nicosia in 2002 and the 18th International Exhibition Omma Gallery
in Crete in 2003.
On the works making up her participation in the Sixth Biennale of Florence, Kerr says: "In these paintings of the Cosmos,
there has been an investigation into the most essential elements which lie in the qualities of light, colour and abstraction
from natural phenomena. A long lasting interest in the Cosmos and the mysteries of the Universe has evolved into these latest
works on the theme of ‘nebulae- a search for the origins of life."
**
Successful
Also, the Third Annual Exhibition of Kyrenia Artists closed recently following a very successful run.
Showcasing pieces by Alexandros Michaelides, Nitsa Orphanidou, Klea Marangou-Strongylou, Elli Simaki-Yiakozi and Takis
Christodoulou, the exhibition was held at the temporary Kyrenia Town Hall in Nicosia. The artists all spent a significant
part of their creative lives in the now-occupied town.
The exhibition was on from October 29-November 2, after being opened by Interior Minister Christos Patsalides in the presence
of many dignitaries and refugees from the town.
Marina Rafael has an exhibition titled "Exposed " at Technis Dromena Gallery. Until November 30.
THE paintings have a fairly conventional subject matter; bathers, nocturnes, even a cafe scene, the traditional stuff of
art history (an underlying theme of he show).
I used the abstract qualities of water and light so that I wouldn’t be over concerned with the accuracyh of the drawing,
and played with spatial distortion in order to provide a nice contrast with the grid structure that is the basis of all the
work.
The grid fragments the images in an attempt to reflect aspects of the way in which we percieve the world and is also a
nod to the influence o early modernist painters.
I wouldn’t want to over emphasise the technical side of it, I hope that viewers will see each painting in its own
poetic light.
To my teacher, to my friend...
A tribute to Lefteris Economou
It’s so hard to find the words to describe such a treasured teacher, such a caring friend...
A teacher who always went beond teaching mere art techniques, to giving each and eveyrone of his students, tips on life
itself, guidelines for a road well-travelled.
To the friend who worried even more than us, each time we wee sitting for art exms.
To the dearest teacher who always took the time to care for us and to enthusiasticaly cultivate deep respect and love for
art...
To the man who was always true to his principles and high moralities and shared these values with us and with the whole
of society.
To the man who proved to be a genuine caring family man.
To the man who so generously offered his paintings to every charity event, to give a helping hand to the less-privileged
ones...
To the artist, to the wonderful teacher, to the friend we lose so suddenly, words are not enough to say a Big Thank You
for everything he has offered us through the years...
May he rest in peace.
Matina Efstathiou
