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A
rtist Yiannis Pelekanos presented his 36
th
solo exhibition
The World of Cyprus
at
the Gallery, Kypriaki Gonia, in Larnaca from
11 to 23 March 2015.
His paintings, depicting traditional Cypriot life,
provide a vibrant and colourful contemporary
look at a theme that is rarely touched upon by
modern local artists.
With his paintings, Yiannis Pelekanos attempts
to transport us to the past. His goal is to take
something that is gradually vanishing and
make it live forever. His art is characterised
by genuine chromatic colours, his instincts
and the sense of movement. He is spontaneous
and sincere, in his own words “like every
naïve person”. In his exhibition The World of
Cyprus, Yiannis Pelekanos presented paintings
created on small and large surfaces. His main
inspiration came from the traditions, customs,
culture and occupations of the Cypriot farmer.
“My source of inspiration is the rich palette of
the Cypriot tradition and folklore,” the artist
explains. It is often supported by his personal
experiences and his memory revived by reading
books about folklore and history.
InthewordsofYiannisPelekanos:“Someusewords
to create literature, others write verses and create
poetry, or notes and create music, I paint and write
with this instrument the history of my homeland,
the traditions, the customs and its beauties. The
pursuits of women at home, like kneading, baking
and making pasta; the occupations of the villagers
in the fields like threshing, harvesting and cotton
planting; scenes from the Cypriot traditions about
religion like the swings in Easter, Epiphany Carols,
returning home after the Resurrection Service; the
creation of a family, like the matchmaking, the
marriage and its feasts.”
The World of Cyprus
Exhibition by Yiannis Pelekanos
A result of the deep love for the art
By Dr Tonia Loizou
Art Critic
The owner of the gallery, Nikos Psatharis, who
studies the popular art and is an artist himself,
organised his “space”, which at the beginning
was on K. Kalogera Street, in order to exhibit
his traditional pieces of art and to give the
chance to the public to get acquainted with
traditional art.
He later decided to give opportunity to other
artists toexhibit theirworkand sohe transformed
an old traditional house into a gallery to serve
this exact purpose. This new venue was at 45
Stadiou Street, near the old G.S.Z stadium. Very
near is the ancient church of St. Lazarus and in
the neighbourhood there are many mansions
that remind one of the old beauty of Larnaca.
This stone house, lovingly cared for by him,
preserves the traditional arches, the high roof
and the big windows, all intact. The place is
discreetly decorated with the artist’s creations
that add to the house’s traditional beauty. Since
the opening of the gallery in January 1993
under the name Kypriaki Gonia, it has hosted a
number of remarkable artists.
What is the role of the gallery? It is the link
between the creator and the public and gives the
chance to people in Cyprus to get acquainted
with the artists and brings a cultural air to the
town. The gallery’s customof viewing the artists
with respect and responsibility, while keeping
it away from any kind of commercialisation,
helps accomplish its goal.
