Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation
- 16 окт. 2017 г.
- 8 мин. чтения
On the 27th of April, Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation in Nicosia presented their new exhibition called «ROOMS. To Contemplate: Content and Perspective of a Collection» which was curated by visual artist and assistant professor of Frederick University in Nicosia Dr. Savvas Christodoulides.
From the very beginning, the curator has chosen the space and the artworks. Originally, Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation offers the place downstairs on the first floor. It was traditionally for exhibiting different pieces of art but for that case, it was decided that it wasn’t good enough for exhibiting paintings and sculptures. So the space was proposed and chosen by curator himself. The exhibition «ROOMS. To Contemplate: Content and Perspective of a Collection» was the exhibition which started with the idea of inviting people into private spaces of the Cultural Foundation which yet have never been seen and used for such purposes. Hence why, it was the very first time when the museum and foundation was about to show the selected bits and pieces of the collection of both, the Contemporary Art Collection and the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation.
In other words, curator and Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation’s staff wanted to invite people to private spaces of the foundation where they could see some of the artworks within the aforementioned exhibition. From the spaces curator chose this way because he wanted to stay in one place which will take a few rooms. It was extremely fascinating for me, as for an art historian, which places curator has chosen for that exhibition. Speaking about spaces which were chosen for such purposes, it must be noted that one of rooms used to serve as a library. The room on the opposite side which is the second one is a Board of Directors Conference Room where the meetings take their place. So, researchers, workers and assistants moved everything out, starting from furniture. When Dr. Savvas Christodoulides came for discussing the upcoming exhibition, working staff didn’t use the library in its proper way because they had a recent refurbishment. So everything was moved out and when the exhibition is over, the things and furniture will take its original places and status. Each place was using before the exhibition started, that is why in one of the rooms was a huge, long and narrow table with chairs. Another room served as the office and meeting room.
At first glance, it looks very unusual for visitors but in the same time if any of art critics asked me of my personal impressions, I would rather have said that it looks very contemporary as a breath of a fresh air.
It is obvious, that curator was very fascinated and wanted to have a practical chance to exhibit collection with its artworks within original existing spaces of the foundation. The point is, it looks very unexpectedly, when people who works for civil and municipal organisations are eager and willing to participate the new modern ideas and experience them with their curator. As we can see, like moving everything out, then take artworks inside and exhibit the contemporary art. It also must be noted that before present days Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation was known as a very introverted organisation in the meaning of its classical background. It had its classical academic role with a strict mission and way to show its collection and exhibits. So it was obvious that the targets are: academic, art historians, archaeology and classical background of the ancient world and its Hellenistic heritage. As for now, the target was completely different from what it was. It is undoubtedly clear, that curator and his assistants wanted to speak to the «middle Cypriots» as well as to attract audience and give them a chance to experience, to decode the exhibits and the main idea with the aim of the exhibition. Curator and the team wanted to invite public by the way of them seeing a private spaces of foundation for the first time.
Besides, all of the artworks have their provenance but they don’t have an extended archive with the information how and from whom/where the artwork was brought. Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation has general information about the exhibits. Therefore, Dr. Savvas Christodoulides as a curator was trying to find a way of how to exhibit the items, to find a solution, to facilitate the way of exhibiting the pieces of art and to show the different dimensions of each object. In practice, some art pieces which foundation has until present day were keeping its information on the reverse of the canvas from the wall view, so that nobody can see it from the other side. It is obviously, how researchers usually do at the museums when rooms are empty inside, except for the paintings which are covering the surfaces of the walls. So curator wanted to show the backside of the works with the inscriptions written on them which as a result appeared to be a brilliant decision. The most fascinating thing that we can examine from the exhibition, is that the painting in that very special case can become a sculpture when you take it from the wall and place it vertically standing on floor. So that the visitor has an ability to decode its dimensions from a 3D vision on each corner with the information on the backside. As well as I am very fastidious about museums and galleries, I can say that what I also like about the exhibition is the numbers on the floor. It goes without saying, that every person who attends art structures knows how the traditional museum infographics look like. Usually, it is a white plastic square with the following information: artist (years of life), title, media, year of creation. Instead of that, on exhibition small numbers were put on floor. Additionally, each visitor was given a brochure with numbers and information accordingly to each artwork. It can be easily explained again by the way of exhibiting the objects. When you come inside each of three rooms, you are surrounded by artworks which are covering all walls and floors. So that you can see objects from different sides and it was the best decision to put numbers to each item instead of traditional infographics.
As we could have examined, curator also wanted to use a floor, and variety of levels. It can be defined by that fact that each item has its different media and dimensions. Curator also wanted to use artworks from different eras so that the visitors can have a very unique experience of walking through the history of Cypriot art from the beginning of the 20th century up to present day. The reason for it it was that fact that it is impossible to reach 2017 only with the help of the collection of the Bank of Cyprus. That is why Dr. Savvas Christodoulides invited eleven young artists to collaborate and take part in exhibition. As well as it is known, the financial problem in Cyprus started in 2015, and two banks started buying the artworks and artefacts. Therefore, there is a gap in art between 2000 and 2017. So there are a very few of the artworks were bought by Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation due to its financial problems. That is why curator wanted to cover that gap by inviting 11 young artists. Because during these 17 years a lot of things has changed in the art world. Apparently, participation of the young generation of Cypriot artists was necessary for exhibition, so that visitors could see the whole picture of how Cypriot art was developing step by step.
Visitors can also pay attention to how curator decided to exhibit the artworks from the collection. Every curator or art historian knows about the classical way of exhibiting the objects from the ancient era, middle ages until present day at the museums and galleries where the exhibits are placed and structured in a chronological way. Nevertheless, here in exhibition «ROOMS. To Contamplate» there is no chronological order. So that no other factor was claiming where to place objects apart from the aesthetics. If it works there, the visitor can have its own interesting view on each of the artworks. During my visit I was wondering, who was responsible for picking and buying the artworks. The thing is that two banks brought their collections together in 2013. The directors plus a few experts from the Ministry of Education of Cyprus who gave their consultancy as what to buy and some of the artworks which were inherited. So the director was giving different proposals and experts were confirming the purchases which is the very important fact.
One of the artworks which caught my eye from the very beginning and mesmerized me was the art piece from a woman artist from the 1950’s whose name is Loukia Nikolaidou (Κοριτσι που διαβαζει, 1950). She was born in Cyprus but later moved to the United Kingdom for living. She was the first Cypriot female artist who started to study art and create it. Additionally, she was not a simple amateur painter. Another art piece which was also placed on the left side from Loukia Nikolaidou’s painting was created by Georgios Pol Georghiou (O παπας, 1957). He is a Cypriot artist whose works can be seen exhibited at the Byzantine Museum and Art Gallery in Lefkosia. Additionally, Georgios Pol Georgiou is a well-known Cypriot artist for creating a lot of paintings about the political events and national struggle. Ioannis Kissonerghis (Το λιμάνι της Κερύνειας, 1930) whose landscape artwork is located from the left side of Georgios Pol Georghiou was famous for creating lots of landscapes in 1930’s.
It also must be noted, that Dr. Savvas Christodoulides chose sculptures apart from paintings and placed them in exhibition spaces in rooms. He also supervised the texts for press release and layouts and team of the foundation was helping him with structuring and changing spaces for exhibition. The team has very different backgrounds. People who studied Theatre, Interdisciplinary Design, Music and Byzantine Studies came together to assist in organising. However, Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation do not have their own curators. That is why they call for them. To keep artworks safely in the foundation, they call for external restorers. So when there is a need, they ask for applicants and wait for their applications and CV. Its very expensive to have restorers and space to work within art structures.
Additionally, Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation owns two artworks of Cypriot artist Costas Economou (1925–2016) which are the landscapes. It is a Cypriot painter worked actively in 1940’s and died in 2016 last year. Especially for the exhibition, foundation called for other watercolours from painter’s family. It is the first time when Costas Oikonomou’s watercolours can be seen by visitors and exhibiting together. These two watercolours, which are owned by the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation are very restricted and less colourful. Other watercolours which were kindly lent for the exhibition are more bright, vivid, fresh, more open, free and wild. So it is a great chance for visitors to spot the difference between these two and other watercolours from his family private collection.
As a conclusion, visiting Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation in Nicosia was a true revelation for me, as for an art historian. The reason for it was stupendous exhibition «ROOMS. To Contemplate: Content and Perspective of a Collection» which gave me lots of knowledge and inspiration about Cypriot art, its development, artistic and social movements through 20th century up to present day with magnificent curatorial job. Meticulous and fastidious part of curatorial work which was applied in the process of creating that exhibition also gave me knowledge about how it is important to show your own heritage in art spaces like Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation and exhibit art objects in very fresh and unusual ways to attract audience and summon them to analyse what they see. Not only by an image, but also in a way it was exhibited by curator.
Especially for me, it was one of the greatest opportunities of attending exhibition in another country and enlarge my knowledge about Cypriot art and culture with its greatest and notable artists who recorded history of art in Republic of Cyprus.
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