Michael Flynn
Orpheus Gallery, Limassol
Michael Harris, Director of Orpheus Gallery has sent in this perceptive information on Michael Flynn whose exhibition opens
on December 8 continuing until the December 31.
"Irish born Michael Flynn is considered as one of the world’s leading artist’s with his work found in numerous
international private and major public collections; including the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, the Museum of Modern
Art (MOMA), New York, the Meissen Museum, Dresden, and the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff. He is an artist who is very
well known and sought after as an art educator, with many teaching residencies and workshops in the USA, UK, Switzerland,
Poland and other European countries. Michael is a well published author and his most recent work "Ceramic Figures, A Directory
of Artists" (University Press) was published in 2002.
His artistic ability was first noticed at the young age of 11, when two of his ceramic figures ‘A Drunken Man’
and ‘St Francis of Assisi’ were selected and sent to a National Youth’s Artwork Exhibition in the UK. His
keen observation of life, combining with his interests in diverse cultures and their associated mythologies are reflected
in his contemporary works.
His figurative works regularly take their shape from mankind’s experiences and the human condition, where for example
they can be playful, daring, affectionate, cheerful and or sensual in form.
The colours that Michael chooses in his use of glazes are quite minimal yet what could be considered as an erratic splash
of colour, it is not.
The colours have been carefully applied to produce shadows as part of the toning and fine line work in the figures themselves.
Michael Flynn recently spent time in Cyprus as part of his research on Dionysus, the Greek mythological god of wine and
vegetation and during this time he was also able to work on some new pieces by using the studio of Cypriot artist Constantinos
Constantinides.
When visiting other countries Michael likes to use whatever local materials are available to him and his knowledge and
expertise is extremely evident by the very impressive figures that he creates.
One artist who influences him with his work is Rodin, which is noticeable in the tender movement often seen between two
figures. His work entitled ‘Balancing Act" is an amazing piece, which portrays the beauty of the woman in the lower
position, balancing the man on her back, exposing not only her physical strength, but also the inner depths of her passion,
devotion and affection to the man that she is balancing, thus provoking thoughts such as ‘whom or what makes one person
stronger between the two sexes’ and offers an impression of life being a balance between two people.
With numerous worldwide solo and group exhibitions to his credit, which include Sotheby’s New York and London, Michael
has also participated at SOFA (USA), COLLECT (London), the London Art Fair (Adrian Sassoon) and Menschiet Switzerland, which
are just a few selected from his comprehensive biography.
There is a unique opportunity to see the works created during his time in Cyprus, which will be presented at the Orpheus
Gallery, Limassol from 8th to 31st December".
Ketta
Ioannidou Diatopos Centre of Contemporary Art
Titled "Down Under" curator Chris Bors has written:
"Although Ketta Ioanidou’s landscapes and waterscapes are based on Nature and she uses the human figure to define
the form of her warrior women, there is a welcome break from reality in her work that is steeped in myth, fantasy and cartoon
culture".
24th Alexandria Biennale
November 8, 2007 –
6 January 2008
Tatiana Ferahian, Ketta Ioannidou, Julia Georgiadou.
Petros N. Dymiotis, Cultural Officer of the Ministry of Education and Culture and Commissioner of the Cypriot Pavilion
writes: "Cyprus’ participation at the Alexandria Biennale assumes great importance as it serves to communicate our island
state’s response to important issues.
“The pivotal argument (and approach) being that by fostering diversity we celebrate diversity.
“I wish to thank, on behalf of the Cultural Services, Tatiana, Julia and Ketta for wishing to share their artistic
vision with us all".
Pre-and post-euro Xmas
Of course there is a tremendous amount on. Balloons over Ledra Street. which was wonderful – very uplifting.
A shop window and street exhibition was also in Onasagorou Street but it could have been removed by the dustmen.
Apocalypse have (or had – or having) a 20th Birthday Party. An important solo show on the near horizon is that of
Maria Loizidou at Argo. Watch this space.
Zenon Jepras
Morfi Gallery, Limassol
This exhibition opened earlier in the week and continues until January 10, 2008.
Dr Antonis Danos (lecturer at Cyprus University of Technology) has written this praise of Jepras’s paintings:
"Zenon Jepras’s paintings may well be characterised as works of anthropocentric Expressionism. Human figures dominate
in all his pictures, while the surrounding space is rendered as neutral painterly surfaces, at times, as unspecified interiors
or, more rarely, as equally unspecified exterior spaces.
The dominant art-historical reference in his pictures is, I believe, the idiosyncratic Expressionism (which later developed
into the so-called “New Objectivity" work) of Max Beckman (1884-1950).
There exists a strong theatrical, or stage-like, quality in the work by the German artist, a large part of which is made
up of "historical" , mythological and religious allegories, through which contemporary existentialist, metaphysical, social
and political concerns are being expressed.
Jepras’s pictures certainly do not exhibit the multi-layered and richly symbolic structure of Beckmann’s: nevertheless,
we are encountered with theatricality staged scenes, where current socio-political situations and phenomena are dressed in
timeless clothing, the fabric of which is made by the threads of Greek mythology. Mythological references are particularly
dominant in some of Jepras’s older work cycles, such as "Odysseia", "The Gaze of Oedipus" and "Minotaur Dreams’.
The artist himself has often talked of his interest in, and aim at rendering contemporary life through mythological symbols
and narratives. It is an open question, as far as I am concerned, whether the specific references to mythology, provided by
his pictures’ titles, actually help the viewer to enter more easily into Jepras’s artistic universe, or whether
they are detrimental to the viewer-artwork "interaction", in that this exchange is forced into a rather narrow narrative framework.
Direct references to mythology were greatly reduced in the pictures of his next work cycle, when bears the overall title
"The colour of memory". The rather vague, even incidental, one might say titles of these pictures leave room for an enjoy
able stroll into the personal, yet accessible, world of Jepras.
Jepras lives and works in London. His anthropocentric work could not but be influences by a corresponding tradition in
Britain – one that is not confined to British-born artists – which can roughly be traced from Lucian Freud (b.
1022) and Paula Rego (b. 1936) to Jenny Saville (b. 1970) and other young artists. More generally, Jepras’s oeuvre may
be placed within the framework of neo-representational painting that, even through its traces its origins within modernism,
it continues and, more importantly, has renewed the genre of painting, within the contemporary, post-modern condition".
Christos Christou
Kypriaki Gonia, Larnaca
Christos was born in 1950, Paphos. Upon finishing his high school education he left for Paris to study painting, sculpture
and lithography.
Since then he resides there but he never neglects to spend his time in Paphos.
Andreas Xadjithomas comments on the artist’s work: "His work reflects technique but also on a pure communicable aesthetic
way of expression. The creator remoulds the material into idea and the idea into an aesthetic way of expression.
The entire creation forms from a nucleus which spreads to different directions, each of them leads to questioning, revising
of many irregular situations, to the values of life and finally to the substantial aim which is the human perfection of the
individual.
The artist, through an intuitive mind, a refined way of expression, creates his own world based on transcendental and supernatural
elements which creates a variety of consistencies and deep mental situations.
His work reflects a clear traditional, classic and Byzantine element without eliminating elements of other historical places
and countries. The light, the movement, the scheme, the shape in combination with the artist’s thought create a lyrical
ad poetic world which touches the sensitive heartstrings of the viewer. A magnetic energy withholds the eye, allowing to go
deeply into the parameters and details of the work.
Looking at Christos’ work, the viewer is carried along with him to an imaginable world following the mind’s
eye paths he never stepped, unlocks doors that reveal the human inclination in space and time towards the aesthetic glory
of spirit." Until January 5th.
Demetra Vanezi Liasou
Gallery Vanezi, Larnaca
To be opened by the Mayor of Larnaca Andreas Moyseos on Wednesday at 7.30 pm. Closing December 29.
Artist Demetra Vanezi Liasou studied at the ABC School of Art in Paris and is now a member of the European Academy of Arts
in France. She exhibited at the 3rd Bienale of Contemporary Art, Florence in 2001 and the Grande Arche Paris Triennale of
contemporary Art 2002 as well as annual exhibitions of the European Academy of Arts in Paris.
She considers each of her paintings – especially the abstract ones – as a challenge, a journey of the mind
which helps the viewer to live the moment. In fact each and every one of her works can be considered unique.
Observers say the artist knows how to balance her colours, influenced by some of the great masters like Yiannis Spyropoulos,
Alecos Kontopoulos and Willem de Kooning. That is why her works (be they acrylic or oil) reach a high level of truth.
In other words she is not only an artist but also a great lover of art.