STUNNING art work, much of it thought provoking or humorous, which has appeared on walls in Paphos and Limassol, is grabbing the public’s interest and has been created by an up and coming Paphos artist.
Charis Christoforou, 25, told the Sunday Mail that his aim is to create work that captures the public’s imagination and encourages people stop and think.
“I don’t want to just do something pretty that is just there to look at. I am an observer of life, looking at what is wrong in society or observing people, then I put it in my work. I want to appeal to people’s conscience,” he said.
Although he cites prolific street artist Banksy as one of his main influences, he said his own work isn’t as politically motivated. Everything he creates has a message though, and is very unique.
One of his works which captured Paphos’ imagination at the rear of café “Let them eat cake,” is a traffic warden writing a ticket for a donkey. Sadly, the building was damaged in the last earthquake and had to be pulled down.
“I like to think about things that might bother me in our culture, like the donkey and the ticket. The UK was so strict and it made me realise how things are here. People parking wherever they want, zebra crossings, double yellow lines. I get inspiration from things I get annoyed by or find funny, or about money and greed.”
Born and raised in Paphos, Charis studied Fine Art at the University of Hertfordshire and he said that the experience was very different from what he was used to.
“It makes you realise there are so many people in the world and you are so insignificant, but it was really good to work with other people. I found central London very inspirational, the galleries, the chaotic and fast paced way of living. I liked it but I don’t know if I could live there; I like a slow life, the outdoors and the countryside,” he said.
From an early age, Charis said that he realised he wasn’t like the other children around him, he had no interest in football or other activities, he was always sketching, looking at the sky, imagining shapes and daydreaming. He found his creativity was a way to properly express himself.
“I am very dyslexic and my mum said how do you know how to draw a bird in the sky and you can’t remember the spelling of words. It was inside me, it’s my language, my way of talking to people,” he said.
Charis is hugely likeable, endearing and slightly shy. He lights up when he talks about his work and said that being able to follow the path of an artist has helped him realise who he is.
“If you’re not good with words it’s good to have something to help express your feelings, for me its art. As a child, I started with birds and then horses.”
At university, he first studied faces, then sculpture, before moving on to installation.
Although he enjoys creating all different art forms, he said his favourite is stencilling, as it expresses him best and he can make people think about life differently.
“When I came back to Paphos there was an opportunity with Pafos2017 art in action. My first stencil work was the cellist with the dog, then I fell in love with stencil and graffiti work.”
His personal studio in central Paphos is a haven of creativity. His stencils line the walls, canvas prints are stacked up, paint cans, and all sorts of artist’s necessities are neatly stacked. A keyboard sits in the corner- he is teaching himself how to play from YouTube tutorials- and music is imperative to his life, he said.
“Music is important to me. I can’t work without it. It relaxes me. I like all sorts of music it depends on my mood, it inspires ideas.”
One of his acclaimed street art works, which can be seen in Limassol, features Beethoven sitting at a computer, wearing a pair of earphones.
“I was thinking about technology, it has taken over our lives. In old times they didn’t have all this good equipment and they did so many good things, and yet we have all this technology and we can’t create a masterpiece.”
Charis is also part of a team of three that will create an art work to cover a roadside wall close to Tala amphitheatre.
He will also participate in an upcoming exhibition in June at En Plo in Kato Paphos, along with eleven other local artists, working in different mediums including jewellery and painting.
“In the future I would love to own my own gallery in Paphos, similar to the ones in London.”
Charis Christoforou exhibiting at En Plo Arts centre in Paphos Harbour- June 3- June 9.
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