By Bejay Browne
A one- off exhibition of exclusive paintings and drawings created by around fifty artists from Cyprus to raise awareness and funding for the Learning Refuge, which helps refugees in Paphos, will be held in the old town on Friday.
‘Keeping a Secret’ is a group exhibition organised by Miriam Mc Connon, Mary Chojnowski (who are both also exhibiting), and Rehab Al Habrat. Participating artists are from Paphos, Larnaca, Limassol and Nicosia.
All of the works included in the exhibition, which will run for one evening only, are the same size and will be sold for the same price €200. They have been created by both renowned and lesser-known artists. The participating artists are donating 50 per cent of the sale price to the children at the Learning Refuge.
Organiser and artist, Miriam McConnon, told the Cyprus Mail: “The pieces are all based around the theme of displacement and have been created specifically for this exhibition. They are around A3 in size and signed on the back. It makes it more fun.”
None of the artworks are signed on the front, so that the artist remains hidden. The public are invited to attend and take a ‘gamble’ on which artist’s work they are purchasing. It will be an opportunity for art lovers and art collectors to purchase work from some of the leading Cypriot artists at an affordable price, she added.
Participating artists include: Georgos Kotsonis, Sergis Hadjiadamos, Sharon Taylor, Yiannos Economou, Ergenc Kormazel, Margaret Paraskos, Aristotelis Dimitriou, Charalambos Margaritis, Antonis Neophytou, Nina Sumarac Jablonsky, Yiannis Shepis, Katerina Foukaras, Arsentiy Lysenkov, Marianna Constanti, Charis Paspalis, Yiota Ioanidou, and others.
The Learning Refuge is a voluntary organisation, which operates under the umbrella of Caritas Paphos, and provides front line support for refugees, in particular children.
The facility has been open for around three years and aims to integrate families into society and assist in children’s general language and social skills.
“I wanted to do something to help the centre, they do such a great job in assisting displaced families. They provide learning, information and support for the families who have arrived in Cyprus as refugees from war-torn countries.”
McConnon said that the volunteers at the centre offer help by welcoming families, and offering learning through play and art. They also offer learning through informal lessons in Greek and English, which helps them to move forward, she said.
The theme of the exhibition ‘displacement’, was chosen with the aim of creating more awareness and understanding of what it means to have to leave a homeland, and to encourage solidarity and support for families that have arrived as refugees in Paphos.
“The artist’s community of Cyprus have come together to show solidarity and compassion to these children and their families that have come here to escape war and persecution,” she said.
Children from the centre will sing a song together as part of the evening’s opening.
The exhibition is supported by Paphos municipality and will be opened by the Mayor of Paphos, Phedonas Phedonos, on Friday at 8pm at Palia Ilektriki Cultural Centre Paphos
