5 Public Art Works Revealed in Nicosia
Public art works and sculptures do not only have a visual appeal, at times they also reveal notions about the city in which they are placed or even give us a better understanding about a country’s culture and history.
Five public sculptures, each depicting a different story, are located in Nicosia. By understanding the artists and ideals behind each of these sculptures, we hope you enjoy getting to know Nicosia a little better!
‘The Resolution’ by Theodoulos Gregoriou
Found at the end of the Ledra Pedestrian Street in the heart of Nicosia and just before the border crossing, ‘The Resolution’ by Theodoulos Georgiou is a modern bold structure made of cement and aluminum, measuring six metres high and 4.20 metres in diameter.
Georgiou’s ‘The Resolution’ won the competition held by the Ministry of Education and Culture in 1995. This sculpture was donated to the Nicosia Municipality by the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education and Culture on the occasion of the European Cultural Month.
‘The Resolution’ was conceived as a reaction to human rights violations. The sculpture is mounted on a round cement base (approximately a meter high) with fragments of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights treaty embossed in Greek letters. The cluster of steel lances piercing the base are arranged to hit the centre of the text, symbolically destroying it.
Gregoriou is a well-known Cypriot contemporary artist who has an important presence in the international art scene.
‘The Resolution’ by Theodoulos Gregoriou
‘Anelixis’ (Advancement) by Costas Varotsos
Standing tall at the entrance of Nicosia is ‘Anelixis’, the eye striking cylinder sculpture by the Greek artist, Costas Varotsos.
The twelve metre high modern sculpture uses the diagonal form and a spiral glass arrangement to capture the power of evolution, motion and advancement of the contemporary Cypriot society, as explained by the artist.
‘Anelixis’ is Varotsos’s second public artwork in Nicosia. It was commissioned in 1995 by the former Popular (Laiki) bank of Cyprus.
Varotsos’ first public art work in Cyprus is ‘The Poet’ that was created in 1983 and installed at the Famagusta Gate in 1985. ‘The Poet’ was Voratsos’s first large scale sculpture. ‘The Poet’ very much resembles his next attempt at creating such a large scale piece of art in the same material which he entitled ‘The Runner’. ‘The Runner’ is located in front of the Hilton Hotel and the National Gallery in Athens.
Created from iron and glass, ‘The Poet’ is a six-metre tall modern sculpture that was donated to the City of Nicosia by Cypriot-born Dakis Ioannou, the prominent international contemporary art collector and president of the Deste Foundation of Contemporary Art.
‘The Poet’ is in the process of being relocated to the ‘OXI’ roundabout of the old city of Nicosia. Its current location, behind the Famagusta Gate, is considered by many to be obscure and isolated. The prominent new location will better feature the sculpture’s size and importance.
‘Rainbow – Uplift’ by Nikos Kouroussis
Created just after the 1974 war by prominent Cypriot artist Nikos Kouroussis, this long standing sculpture is located on the Kolokasidis roundabout in Ayios Dometios, very close to the now abandoned Nicosia International airport.
The modern sculpture is the result of an initiative taken by the artist, who wanted to create an artwork which would symbolise the Cypriot people’s will for freedom and resistance.
Although the sculpture refers to political events, the artist approached the matter in a conceptual manner by depicting a number of interlocking, coloured rings that cover the entire space of the roundabout.
During a recent restoration on the sculpture, a debate ensued as to whether the sculpture was to be kept or removed from the location. Today, the sculpture stands tall next to the prestigious University of Nicosia.
Olympic Hall Sculptures: ‘Boxer’ by Giorgos Kypris
In 2006, the Cyprus Olympic Committee took the initiative to invite local artists to create art works for the Cyprus Olympic premises found at the entrance of Nicosia.
Today, there are twelve individual artworks made by eleven Cypriot or Cypriot-based artists which are currently installed on the ground floor of the Cyprus Olympic premises. This collection of art refers to the Olympic spirit and were sponsored by a private, local entity.
Inaugurated in 2010, one of the sculptures on site is by the local artist, Giorgos Kypris, entitled ‘Boxer’. The American professional boxer and activist Muhammad Ali was the artist’s inspiration. Kypris aspired to capture the athlete’s rhythm through the repetition of the form.
‘Like a tree’ by Maria Loizidou
Located on the pavement of one of the busiest, commercial avenues (Strovolos Avenue) in Nicosia and outside of the Department of Public Works of the Ministry of Transport, Maria Loizidou’s sculpture is hard to miss.
Commissioned in 1999 by the Department of Public Works, Loizidou is one of the most renowned Cypriot contemporary artists with a prominent international presence.
Loizidou addreses social and political matters with an emphasis to “the power of fragility”. She explores issues of memory and time in poetic manner with the materials she uses and her seemingly fragile forms.
‘Like a tree’ by Maria Loizidou
Sculpture Symposium, Nicosia: ‘Untitled’ by Christos Lanitis
Cyprus has hosted sculpture symposiums in various cities, one of which took place in Nicosia in 2011.
Organised by The Friends of Fine Arts and Nicosia Municipality, and funded by the Ministry of Education, a total of ten sculptors participated in the symposium.
Inviting artists from all over Europe, the Symposium called on artists to create pieces of art that were at least 2 cubic metres. All the works created for the symposium are “Untitled”.
As a result of the Symposium, ten sculptures were permanently placed in various parts of the capital. One of these sculptures was created by the local artist, Christos Lanitis and it is found on the crossroads of Nikis and Griva Digeni Avenues in the centre of Nicosia.
