THIS month, a group of six artists from the Chrysaliniotissa Craft Centre in Nicosia have been chosen to exhibit their works at the innovative Design Forum in Helsinki. The selected few are presenting their work in a group exhibition called ‘The Flip Side of Tradition – Contemporary Art in Cyprus’. The event has been organised by the Cyprus Embassy in Finland on occasion of the anniversary of the independence of Cyprus.
Although the ultimate goal of the Finnish Design Forum is to promote local crafts and cutting edge industrial arts, it occasionally selects international artists from around the world to show their work in its premises. On an annual basis, it attracts over 65 000 visitors to its exhibitions.
“Events such as this Cyprus exhibition are very impressive because of the exciting new artistic ideas that emerge from them, while they also contribute to the strengthening of friendship bonds between the people of Cyprus and Finland,” said Nicosia Mayor Eleni Mavrou. “We are particularly glad that the art world of the Finnish capital will have the opportunity to be exposed to the work of Chrysaliniotissa Craft Centre.” Located very close to the Green Line in the walled city of Nicosia, the craft centre accommodates local artists that specialise in all sorts of creative projects.
From the six artists taking part, each one focuses on a different age-old tradition that expresses a special part of Cypriot culture including ceramics, woodturning, woodcarving, iconography, glasswork, and jewellery designs. Most of the artists spend a great many hours working in the centre on their specific craft, and have participated in various exhibitions in Cyprus and abroad.
The exhibition came about when Stavros Kofteros, one of the craftsmen working at Chrysaliniotissa, was asked by the Cyprus Embassy in Finland to exhibit his works. Feeling it would be far better to put on a group exhibition than a one man show, he decided to prepare new work for a contemporary exhibition like no other along, with the rest of the artists at the centre. The whole process took about five months, with the exhibit opening on October 5.
“The exhibition opened with enormous success,” says Kofteros. “What’s really great is that other European countries have voiced great interest in our work and it will hopefully go on to show in Estonia, Paris and other countries.”
Kofteros is one example of an artist who has taken the glass cutting tradition in Cyprus to new levels. Born in Kampos, Kofteros studied mechanical engineering and specialised in industrial design. Since then, he has participated in solo and group exhibitions in Cyprus and abroad, with distinctive work in private collections. His latest project is the design of an ultimate radiance glass shell for Swissline.
“Crowds in Helsinki were impressed by how many materials were exhibited in one space, and how we managed to combine age-old crafts with contemporary design,” says Kofteros.
Stacie Tziortzis for her part has transformed the ceramic making tradition into modern art. Cyprus has a long history of ceramic making, both for utilitarian and artistic purposes. It replaced stoneware in the later Neolithic period, while clay vessels were used for burials during the Bronze Age. With a degree in Fine Arts and Ceramics from Louisiana State University, Tziortzis now has her own ceramics workshop in Nicosia and has been working with clay since 1995. The inspiration for her present work is drawn largely from nature as she combines the island’s rich history with contemporary ideas.
Other works being exhibited in Helsinki are jewellery designs mixing gold, silver and bronze with unconventional fabrics, intricate woodcarvings, Byzantine icons with gold and silver leafs, and even dolls based on handmade toys from days gone by.
It is hoped that once the exhibition returns from Europe, the works will go on show in Nicosia. “This is an example of an important exhibition that helps to break down cultural boundaries,” says Kofteros.
“As European crowds admire our works, we all feel extremely proud.”
