Press Releases

The Department of Antiquities of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works announces the opening of the contemporary art exhibition HAPPY FEW by Andreas Kalli at the Archaeological Site of Amathous, on Saturday the 16th of April 2022 at 19:30. The exhibition is part of a series of events organized for the celebrations of the International Day for Monuments and Sites 2022.

The Archaeological Site of Amathous hosts for the first time a most interesting exhibition of contemporary art in terms of artistic conception. By using a natural material (the bush), Andreas Kalli transcribes the ancient columns of the site to the present day. By having as a driving force the search for the indissoluble relationship of the human – creator with the social environment and having as its core the artistic and conceptual searches, the concepts of evolution, life, consciousness, collective memory and the trace, Andreas Kalli creates the sculptural installation HAPPY FEW.

The encounter of contemporary art with Antiquity in the public sphere, activates and highlights the eternal and rich dialogue concerning the issues of history, memory, identity, culture and the environment. The exhibition brings to the forefront matters of communication and selfreflection. The viewer is invited to a new encounter with ancient civilization, which urges us all to reconnect with the past in order to rediscover our relationship with time and the space that surrounds us.

The exhibition is held by the Department of Antiquities, in collaboration with the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) - Cyprus and will be accompanied by a catalogue in both Greek and English.

On the opening night, the musician Freedom Candlemaker will present the musical version of the thoughts and reflections that led to the sculptural installation of Andreas Kalli with his compositions and songs.

Professional biography: Andreas Kalli was born in Larnaka in 1987. He studied at the Athens School of Fine Arts (2007-2012), while also attending the Central Saint Martin School of Art and Design in London (2010-2011). In October 2021 he presented his third solo exhibition, The Story of a Secret at "the O gallery" in Larnaka. In 2015 he was the first artist to inaugurate the series of exhibitions at the A.G. Leventis Gallery in Lefkosia entitled Young Cypriot Artists. In the same year he represented Cyprus at the Biennale of Young Artists in Milan, entitled No Food’s Land. He has participated in many group exhibitions in Greece, France, Italy, England and elsewhere. He lives and works in Cyprus.

Curators: Niki Papaspyrou, Yiannis Violaris Duration: 16 April – 20 May 2022

Opening and reception: Saturday 16 April 2022, 19:30 Opening hours: Monday-Sunday: 8:30-19:30 (Opening hours of the Archaeological Site). The site will remain closed on Easter Sunday (24/04/2022).

Contact no.: +357 25635226 Tickets: Entrance fee of the Archaeological Site (€2.50). Admission on the opening night will be free of charge.

Parking: On the opening night, visitors are kindly asked to park in the area in front of the entrance of the Archaeological Site to the West and in the parking area of the church of Agia Varvara to the East. Access to the exhibition will be via both the east and west entrances.

The guidelines of the decrees of the Ministry of Health concerning the aim of preventing the spread of COVID-19 will be enforced.

The exhibition will be inaugurated by the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works.

(SCH)