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prus – Contemporary Sculpture”. Art historian
Dr Tonia Loizou curated the exhibition, which
included work by Andreas Savva, Yioula Had-
jigeorgiou, Kyriakos Kallis, Nikos Moschatos,
Nicos Charalambides, Andreas Efesopoulos,
Lia Lapithi, Klitsa Antoniou and George Moisi.
The exhibition was organised by E.KA.TE with
the financial support and cooperation of the Cul-
tural Services of the CyprusMinistry of Education
and Culture and was officially opened byAmbas-
sador Kountourides and the curator of “Sculpture
and Object”, Slovak sculptor Victor Hulik.
Ahistory in sculpture spanning 9,000 years
“The presence of the presiding country of Cyprus
in the international sculpture exhibition in Bratis-
lava highlights its cultural identity,” said Dr Tonia
Loizou. She added that even though Cyprus found
its way onto the map of contemporary art relatively
late, its tradition in sculpture actually began some
9,000 years ago.
“Despite the gap that was defined by the different
conquerors, which brought with it setbacks, the
country joined the new global cultural scene again
some decades prior to its independence in 1960.
Today, 52 years later, Cyprus is proud to present
artists who exhibit artefacts in major cultural
events.” said Dr Loizou.
Cypriot sculpture and the implications of its
history, civilisation and contemporary life
“This exhibition aims to show contemporary Cyp-
riot sculpture and the implications of its history, its
civilisation and its contemporary life,” Dr. Loizou
continued. According to Dr Loizou, the artists paid
special attention to the island’s cultural origins and
the challenges it has faced since the Turkish inva-
sion in 1974 and subsequent occupation of half of
the island.
“Considering the overshooting that took place in
the post-war years, which broke the distinct line
between different forms of art, we chose nine art-
ists, seekers actually, who follow contemporary
currents to carry their own history,” Dr. Loizou
concluded. “This history implies family, country
and culture. These artists pose questions to invite
the viewer to respond. The diverse trends, the rich
inventive vocabulary and the broader philosophical
dimension are brief descriptions of polymorphous
sculpture.”
Nitsa Hadjigeorgiou and George Kotsonis (centre and third
from left, respectively) pose in front of their exhibits
Andreas Savva and his creation
By Yioula Hadjigeorgiou