Honoring the contribution of Andreas Karayan to the Arts and Literature of the Republic of Cyprus which the artist has deservedly represented internationally and on the occasion of his 80 years and 50 years of his creation, the Municipality of Limassol is organizing a retrospective exhibition of his paintings and celebrated its opening at the International Day of Consciousness of the UN General Assembly on Friday April 5, 2024 at 18:00 at the Limassol Municipal Arts Center – Apothikes Papadaki entitled“Karayan: The Golden Eras”.

The exhibition inaugurated by Ms Annita Demetriou, President of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus.

Mr Nicos Nicolaidis, Mayor of Limassol

and Dr Vasiliki Kassianidou, Deputy Minister of Culture of the Republic of Cyprus addressed the exhibition.

The introduction to the exhibition was held by:

Dr Nadia Anaxagorou, Director of Cultural Services of the Municipality of Limassol

and Mr George Taxiarchopoulos, Director of the Municipal Arts Center of Limassol – ApothikesPapadaki.

Acclaimed art historians, art critics and journalists from Greece, Cyprus and abroad have written about the paintings of Andreas Karayan, such as: Dr Andri Michael, Chrysanthos Christou, Nikos Xydakis, Kiro di Nardo, Vitaliano Corbi, Davide Gallo, Dr Fredrich Rothe, Andreas Meydorn, Manfred Panforder, among others.

“The artist and writer Andreas Karayan, has conquered in our consciousness his place in the history of Contemporary Cypriot Art with the imposing presence of his works in the artistic and cultural events of the Republic of Cyprus and internationally. Both his painting and himself are in an open dialogue, sometimes indirectly and often directly, with the great masters from Greece and the contemporary international artistic scene. Karayan has exhibited alongside big names in the History of Contemporary Art such as Anselm Kiefer, Vanessa Beecroft, etc. While, in their meeting with Yannis Tsarouchis during his first solo exhibition at the historical gallery “Hora” (Athens 1978) as it has been recorded, he introduced the male nude in Cypriot painting and received the recognition and credit of the great Greek painter. In his current retrospective exhibition, selected works from the 8 sections of the artist’s life and art journey are presented”, says Mr George Taxiarchopoulos  who collaborated during implementation of the exhibition set up with the artistic coordinator of Andreas Karayan’s art works, Mr Mohamed El Saadani.

“Life is the Art” for Andreas Karayan and not the other way around. Life and work is a Landscape-Body, which he paints by infusing his Soul with contemplation in order to preserve in his memory and consciously in our memory, the “Soul of Moments” that penetrate us as ephemeral ontologies and we all wish we could turn them into eternal ones in perpetuity when we wake up for a while and feel their significance” notes Mr George Taxiarchopoulos in the catalog of the exhibition.

The painting example of Andreas Karajan can be recognizedand experienced by anyone in the selected artworks of the painter in the exhibition, as well as can be witnessed in those paintings of his that are included in important State Galleries collections and inwell known art collections in Cyprus and around the world, in Germany, Italy , Britain, Egypt, Greece, Cyprus, as well as in the official historical auctions of Bonham’s auction house in London about the Modern Greek Painting.

The exhibition duration is from 05/04 to 11/05/2024. Entrance is free.

Scheduled guided tours free of charge for the public will be held by the Curator in the presence of the artist in the exhibition venue, on Tuesdays 9-16-23 & 30/4/2024 from 14:30-15:30.

Exhibition hours: Tuesday – Friday, 10:00 – 18:00 and Saturday, 10:00 – 14:00.