33
32
in battle. The various aspects of the struggle are
depicted through small references, documents
and photographic material. These include the air
dropping of propaganda leaflets by the British;
Turkish efforts for Cyprus’ Turkification; the
cooperation between Turkish Cypriots and the
English and the reaction of EOKA.
The 3
rd
Section showcases the national heroes
who were detained at the Central Prison and
various detention barracks set up by the British
SovereignArmy, through a series of handicrafts
they created during their imprisonment, their
personal items, photographs and notes. One
exhibit is the high school leaving certificate of
a pupil, who took her final exams in prison.
The 4
th
Section details the four-year EOKA
through the photographic archives of Felix
Yiaxis. The 5
th
and final Section measures
the outcome of the struggle and the return
of Georgios Grivas Digenis to Greece, and
makes small references to the problems faced
by the newly-established Republic of Cyprus,
the bombing of Tylliria in 1964 and the 1974
Turkish invasion of Cyprus.
Meanwhile, the Archbishop Makarios III
Foundation and Association of Cyprus Travel
Agents organised a reception for the island’s
media on 28 January 2015, to present its
Museum’s enriched Collections.
The exhibition lasts until 28 June 2015 and is
open to the public Monday to Friday from 9am
until 12.30 pm, and from 1.30pm until 4pm.
Besides the works belonging to the Byzantine Museum, Art Gallery and Library, exhibits were
also provided by Archbishopric, National Struggle Museum, Society of Cypriot Studies, Bank of
Cyprus Cultural Foundation and Historical Museum and Archive of the Municipality of Idalion.
Furthermore, the exhibition included artworks, documents and relics from seventeen private
art collectors: Agis Philippides, Akis Asproftas, Anastasia Hamatsou, Andreas Anaxagoras,
Andreas Eliades, Andreas Nicolaides, Andreas Pitsillides, Eleni Christoforidou-Neophytou,
Efthymia Slafori-Georgiadou, Maria Stavrou, Ambassador Charalambos Christophorou, Renos
Kyriakides, Savvas Chrysanthou, Spyros Lazarou, General LoukisAvgoustides and Christodoulos
Hadjichristodoulou.
O
n 25 March 2014, the A. G. Leventis
Foundation presented the public and visitors
to the island with theA. G. Leventis Gallery. Thus,
the vision of Anastasios G. Leventis – to make
the artworks he had collected throughout his life
accessible and affordable to his compatriots – was
made a reality, and at the same time, it provided
the Cypriot people with a Museum that is unique
for Cyprus’ standards; a cultural contribution that
narrates the story of European art and provides an
insight into the world of the periods covered.
This March, the Gallery had a lot to celebrate
on its very first anniversary. Throughout a year
of ongoing and creative contribution to the
community, culture and the arts, the Gallery
organised two temporary exhibitions, gave ten
lectures focusing on the History of Art, provided
dozens of tours and offered a variety of educational
programmes for all ages. More than 30,000 people
visited the Gallery, while the people behind it made
a number of important collaborations with other
museums and foundations in the works, in a bid to
establish uninterrupted cultural “dialogue” with the
art world of Europe.
Wishing to thank the Cypriot public for its support,
the A. G. Leventis Gallery is celebrating its 1
st
birthday with a series of events for children and
adults, which began on 25 March 2015 and will
wrap on 18 May 2015, International MuseumDay.
Theseincludespecialtours,theatricalperformances,
readings for children and adults, workshops, music
shows and an exhibition dedicated toAnastasios G.
Leventis andWest Africa.
Recognition Certificate
On 2 February 2015, the A. G. Leventis Gallery
had yet another reason to celebrate, after being
awarded a Recognition Certificate along with the
Cyprus Theatre Museum.
Recognition Certificates are provided under the
Recognition of Private Museums and Museums of
Local Authorities (Procedure and Conditions) Law
58 (1) of 2009.
The Certificates were handed over during a special
ceremony at theMinistry of Education andCulture,
by Minister Costas Kadis. They were received by
former First Lady Photini Papadopoulou on behalf
1
st
anniversary of the A. G. Leventis Gallery
Exhibits
The Cyprus Collection
