“CYPRUS ART FOR PEACE” EXHIBITION TO OPEN TO PUBLIC

The Cyprus peace talks have been the setting of a bi-communal rolling exhibition of works by Cypriot artists for nearly a year.  Now, the general public will have the opportunity to admire a selection of these works, brought together in the “Cyprus Art for Peace” exhibition, organised by the Limassol Reagional Council of the Cyprus Peace Council  and the Cyprus Chamber of Fine Arts (E.KA.TE.) under the auspices of the United Nations Good Offices.

The Exhibition  will be inaugurated by Mrs. Elsi Christofia, Spouse of the President of the Republic of Cyprus, on Thursday, 6 May 2010, at 7.30 p.m. at  Peter’s Gallery in Nicosia. It will then travel to Limassol, where  Interior Minister Mr. Neoklis Sylikiotis will open its run at Peter’s Gallery in Limassol on 20 May 2010, at 8.00 p.m.

The «Cyprus Art for Peace» Exhibition has already been presented at the European Mediterranean Art Association (EMAA) Art Center in Nicosia on 12 April. After Limassol it will travel to Famagusta. The whole Project is made possible by the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot artists who have been generously contributing their works of art to the UN Good Offices exhibition since May 2009. These works of art have engaged, challenged and inspired the Leaders during the ongoing negotiations to solve the Cyprus question.

Τhe project of an exhibition in the negotiation’s venue was initiated by artist Andreas Charalambous and poet Neshe Yashin who visited the Leaders and secured their consent and interest. The original  paintings, sculptures, photographs and mixed media installations– over 100 works from more than 40 Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot artists -- first went on show at the United Nations Good Offices mission, at the venue of the negotiations between the two Cyprus leaders, since May 2009.  The Special Adviser of the Secretary General, Alexander Downer, hosted this rolling exhibition.  

Mr. Downer has called the works “a small indication of the tremendous potential of this island”.  “I am heartened by the collaborative nature of the exhibition, which is conceived and led by Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot artists”, he said last May.

One aim of the exhibition has been to “allow art to perform its silent function in the higly charged political dialogue of the peace negotiations , to provoke thought and cultivate reflection on what people of Cyprus express and envision for their country”, says Ms Argyro Toumazou, one of the project Organizers.

The artists participating in the exhibition are: Gonen Atakol, Ruzen Atakan, Katerina Attalides, Lia Boyiatzi, Andreas Charalambous, Constantinos Constantinides, Matthaios Christou, Emin Çizenel, Spyros Demetriades, Günay Güzelgün, Nilgün Güney, Pola Hadjipapa, İnci Kansu, Eser Keçeci, Osman Keten, Aşık Mene, Panayiotis Michael, Anastasios Modites, Güner Pir, Anber Onar, Zehra Şonya, Özden Selenge, Gökçe Şekeroğlu, Christos Symeonides, İsmet Tatar, Daphne Trimikliniotes, Hambis Tsaggaris, Evgenia Vasiloude  Ioanna Voskou, Neshe Yashin.  

Exhibition Dates: NICOSIA   6 – 15 May 2010,  at  Peter’s Gallery, tel. 22 762699                                                                                                         3 Ezekia Papaioannou street, 1075 Nicosia   

                 LIMASSOL  20 – 28 May 2010, at  Peter’s Gallery, tel. 25 384804                                                                                                31 Ioanni Polemi street, 3085 Limassol                                               

Visiting hours: Everyday except Sunday 10,00 - 13.00 16.00 -19.00                                                                                                   Contact: petros.m@cytanet.com.cy,   www.petersgallery.com.cy                                                                         Organizer A.Toumazou tel. 99 317278, atoumazou@cytanet.com.cy