The visionary futurist Filippo Marinetti’s proclamation from 114 years ago that ‘a racing car is more beautiful than the Victory of Samothrace’ finds resonance in the contemporary art scene.
The current exhibition, “Casts Of An Island,” held at the Mercedes-Benz showrooms in Nicosia throughout November, challenges the conventional boundaries between art and industrial design.
Marking 70 years of Mercedes-Benz presence in Cyprus in collaboration with Cyprus Import Corporation, this unique showcase serves as a bridge between the rich history of the island and the dynamic present. Beyond its aesthetic allure, the exhibition features works that have shaped the artistic landscape of Cyprus over the last two decades, engaging in a visually compelling dialogue with milestones in automotive design curated by one of the planet’s most iconic brands.
The carefully curated selection includes museum-scale works, many of which belong to the non-profit organisation CyCO (Cyprus Contemporary Art Center), making their debut appearance in this exclusive event. The exhibition not only celebrates the intersection of art and design but also prompts a contemplative reflection on the evolving narrative of Cyprus’s modern history.
The curation of this exhibition is led by the collector Nikos Chr. Pattichis, the publisher of Phileleftheros. According to the curator, this exhibition, like all others he has overseen, serves as a political commentary, with his collection predominantly featuring works that address the Cyprus issue.
Commencing the commemorative events for the 50th anniversary of the invasion (1974-2024), the exhibition opened its doors. The showcased works, alongside numerous others, are scheduled to be unveiled in June 2024 at the refurbished Carob Warehouses in Limassol.
The descriptions of the works listed are excerpts from texts by the art historian Thalia Stefanidou, which are included in the catalogue of the exhibition.
Nikos Pattichis, in collaboration with CiC’s President and CEO, Alexis Anninos, conceived the idea for a visually impactful event within the Mercedes showrooms. The curator deliberately chose substantial works to engage in a harmonious dialogue with the displayed cars. The overall philosophy and arrangement, seemingly intentional, appear to be oriented towards the Pentadaktylos mountain range.
Adorning the singular towering wall of the ground floor is the monumental wall carpet by Nikos Charalambides, bearing the satirical title ‘Innocent Peasants Missing Their Chance For Modernity’ (1997).
Featuring Queen Elizabeth II at its core, the narrative intricately weaves the island’s profound cultural heritage with aspects of the introduced Western culture. This unique folkloric realm portrays a landscape where varied forms of authoritative attire and nationalistic or religious undertones serve as an ironic commentary on the challenging adaptation towards shaping the new collective consciousness.
Kostis Velonis’ wooden parallel installation, titled ‘Life Without Democracy’ (2012), serves as a distinctive divider between Charalambidis’ carpet and a vintage Mercedes-Benz 180 (W120 series, 1958). The minimalist composition, akin to an improvised cryptographic model, takes centre stage as a spatial separator.
In the parallel shelving units, graduated forms have been strategically placed. Velonis, in deconstructing the theatrical form and negating its coherence, indirectly conveys an acknowledgement of the disruption in the democratic agreement and its dialectical dynamics.
Savvas Christodoulides’ showcased works (totalling five) appear as experiments in absolute aesthetic order or ‘lessons’ in suspicion, guiding viewers through shifts in their perception of the world. The pieces underscore similarities, contradictions, summaries, and reflections of unforeseen discoveries or paradoxes.
In a parallel vein, the arrangement featuring the chandelier ‘My Precious II’ (2011) serves as a conceptual exploration into implications, a shifting of meanings, and a cultural examination of specific points and elements of memory. This sentiment is echoed in the recently unveiled piece titled ‘Bicommunal,’ a three-meter sculpture crafted from aluminium and wood.
Adorning the showroom’s window is the art piece ‘Remain Attached’ (2022) by Melina Shukuroglu, a composition comprising a series of ‘hybrid’ ceramics. The newly fashioned shapes ascend vertically, crafted from carefully chosen fragments and remnants of utilitarian items from bygone eras, embodying a sense of familiarity, memories, or concealed life experiences. Positioned on the rear side of the artwork are two iconic Mercedes models, the 280SL (R113 series, 1969) and 300SL (R107 series, 1987).
Taking pride of place at the heart of the showroom, just behind the reception divider, is the ‘Woosh Sofa,’ an iconic black and white creation by Zaha Hadid (1985/86), set against a photographic backdrop featuring ‘her’ Freedom Square in Nicosia (photo: Dimitris Vattis). This piece stands as one of the early design propositions from the esteemed architect, showcasing her unmistakable signature elements: a dynamic form and distinctive curves. However, it’s a feast for the eyes only, as the use of the sofa is prohibited for evident reasons.
Positioned amidst two Mercedes Cabriolets, an E220 (A124 series, 1995), and a recently unveiled AMG SL55 (2023), is the hybrid skier by Panikos Tembriotis, hailing from the ‘Tribus Huba’ series (2010). In a surreal narrative, this humanoid form is poised in a starting position, highlighting its diverse array of components reminiscent of various navigation systems. The morphological structure of this figure exhibits a peculiar symmetry, evoking elements of dynamic mutations.
Facing a Mercedes SL350 (R230 series, 2006), is the metallic creation by Savvas Christodoulides, named ‘The Rising Sun’ (2022). This sculpture gives rise to a ‘solar’ structure, featuring especially fine rays between two intersecting, scarred, and weathered metallic surfaces.
Situated directly across is Socrates Socratous’ masterpiece, ‘Casts of an Island/ Katalogos’ (2016), which serves as the eponymous centrepiece of the exhibition. This installation showcases casts crafted from shaped and solidified sand, featuring a rhythmic interplay of convex and concave elemental forms that embody intercultural symbols and archetypes. It unfolds a printed narrative, encapsulating the wealth of narrative layers derived from the island’s history, cultural heritage, local traditions, and the overall fusion of its cultural tapestry.
Adorning two opposing facets of a wall are acrylic paintings by artist Dimitris Neokleous from the ‘Palimpolis’ series (2010). The pieces, namely ‘The Old Temple’ and ‘Water Supply System,’ depict an elusive topographical map characterized by mechanical grids, conduits, and structures of subterranean networks, creating surreal and almost hallucinatory inner landscapes reminiscent of a large-scale mural illustrating the inner workings and ruptures of a city.
In an intriguing juxtaposition, a porcelain girlish figure seated atop a plastic tank appears to be ‘confronting’ a bird from the flag of the Republic of Cyprus in Savvas Christodoulides’ composition ‘Suddenly’ (2008). This artwork, once again, challenges the boundaries between literal and metaphorical, allegory, and metonymy.
A gleaming verdant Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV from 2023 introduces a hint from the future to the space. Dominating the southern corner of the showroom is a four-meter-tall construction by Alexandros Yiorkadjis, crafted from metal and acrylic resin, titled “Vibrational Ego Trip” (2023), making its debut appearance. The sculptural installation references ritualistic environments of unanimous actions.
His artistic proposals generate a theatricality of a religious nature and scenography of monumental character, exuding the pervasive perception of collective-liberating contemplation.
In the upper echelons of the exhibition space, the first floor features a striking contrast between two SUVs separated by a 40-year gap in their models. On one side stands the timeless classic 300GD (W460 series, 1983), while on the opposing end, the contemporary AMG GLE 53 Coupé takes centre stage.
Occupying the floor are four minimalist wooden compositions by Kostis Velonis, including “The Sun Rises,” “Europe’s Melancholy Union,” “Please Stay Behind The Barricade,” and “The Same Sad Rhetoric” (2011). These intricate three-dimensional constructions, crafted with seemingly insignificant materials, embody elements of philosophical irony, political commentary, and metaphysical expression in an archaic fashion.
The space is visually divided by a suspended white wall, showcasing Banu Cennetoglu’s “Scary Asian Men” (2015) on one side. This installation features 12 illuminated digital prints derived from Cennetoglu’s photographic archives, capturing the outskirts of urban landscapes where minimalised human figures, often marginalised migrants, are dispersed.
Greeting visitors on the floor is Socratis Socratous’s ground-breaking installation, “Module of Urban Landscape” (2011-2014), fashioned from molten aluminium and brass. Drawing from contemporary urban experiences, the artist’s scenographic imprint encapsulates moments of intense political protest and provocative accidents, marking significant historical junctures.
In the backdrop, the radiant “Cyprus Realism” (2007) by Mustafa Hulusi takes the spotlight. Hulusi’s photorealistic enlargement from the “Elysian Paintings” series transforms a bunch of grapes into a fantastical, exaggerated, and paradisiacal flora, symbolising explosive abundance and generosity.
On the opposite side of the space, Maria Perentou’s poignant diptych “After the Storm” (2020) unfolds a dramatic narrative in two acts—an embroidered confession illustrating scenes of human disappointment, fear, despair, and degradation.
Concluding the immersive experience is Klitsa Antoniou’s carousel titled “Mirror Space Travel Pass” (2012), generating continuous impressions of the surrounding world through an immeasurable multiplication of idols, facilitated by mirrors arranged in a circular formation. This development in idolatrous evolution continually amplifies its recording, creating a captivating, swirling dance of spaces.
The exhibition will be open to the public from November 9th to 30th (Monday to Friday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.).
