Filenews 22 June 2022 - by Dora Christodoulou
A multidimensional project on Cypriot handicrafts and its prospects for the future is being carried out on the initiative of Thanos hotels & resorts group and the Cyprus Handicrafts Service, at the Anassa Hotel from 24 June to 7 October. Craftland, developed and curated by Christos Kyriakides, aims to strengthen the craft sector by exploring ways to preserve the difficult and time-consuming creative processes of manual tradition during the digital age. This multidimensional work consists of a contemporary art exhibition, performances, workshops as well as a shop that will operate in the premises of the Anassa Hotel.
Craftland showcases works of art by contemporary Cypriot artists and masters from different generations, whose work is drawn from practices, methods, techniques or ways of thinking related to traditional craftsmanship. The exhibition will take shape through subtle interventions in the indoor and outdoor common areas of the hotel, creating a path of discoveries from refined but dynamic applications of traditional handicrafts in contemporary art.
The Craftland store will have a collection of open and limited edition items, which have been built specifically for this project. More than 30 local designers and artists have created and produced works, covering a wide range of traditional handicraft expressions such as embroidery, weaving, leatherwork, metalwork, goldsmithing, silversmithing, basketry, woodwork, glass and ceramics.
During the first weekend of the exhibition (25-26 June), visitors will also have the opportunity to come into direct contact with various types and materials of handicrafts, participating in or attending workshops of basketry, carpet making and ceramics by three experienced and renowned local craftsmen. More information on the conduct of the three workshops will follow.
The Craftland exhibition will open its gates to the public on June 24, at 7pm. The following artists participate in the exhibition: Elysia Immortal, Valentinos Charalambous, Vassos Demetriou, Alexandra Hadjikyriakou, Elina Ioannou, Sotiris Kallis, Katerina Kana, Phanos Kyriakou, Ioanna Louka, Malvina Middleton, Melina Soukoroglou, Nikos Taliadoros, Leontios Toumbouris and Marina Xenophontos.
