The biggest Cyprus art event — the 3rd Larnaca Biennale: Home Away from Home — is taking place in different locations in Larnaca until November 24. The Biennale provides a rare opportunity to discover different artists’ points of view and confront questions about home that may have been neglected in the hustle of our contemporary social-political landscape. Recognizing the scale of the project and the inclusion of various sites as part of a parallel program, ARTNOW would like to present five thought-provoking artworks featured at the main venue of the Biennale, the Municipal Art Gallery.
Theme
In this year's biennale, titled "Home Away from Home" and curated by Yev Kravt, the exploration of diverse perspectives on the concept of home is truly compelling. Biennale Team engaged a meaningful dialogue where each artist had the opportunity to express their own, unique understanding of the question, "What does home mean?". The experience becomes intensely personal when you start to comprehend the ideas behind the artworks, and immerse in yours own thoughts as at the end of each explication there is a question connected with the topic of home. In this way, the curator and the team aim to encourage you not only to intellectually absorb the works but also to connect on an emotional, personal level. However, whether these methods of dialogue with the visitor succeed or not, that's something only you can judge.
Space and coordination
Once inside the Municipal Art Gallery, there are options on where to begin our journey. Choosing the left side, we'll dive into a world filled with objects that evoke memories of home. The first hall on the right delves into the notion of home, offering interpretations from various artists and exploring its contrasting meaning to "house" in English. Here, home can be a physical place, a mere memory, or even an internal warmth you feel inside. Adjacent to this hall is another exhibition room centred around the stories and myths enveloping one's homeland. The topic here is how the features of the landscape where a house is situated, along with the language spoken, shape our memories of the homeland.
"CYPRUS FOR SALE" BY PAUL SHIAKALLIS & LEANDROS SAVVIDES
The subject of the work resonates deeply with the local community, sparking meaningful debates. The project aims to visually showcase how the Cypriot landscape changed with the granting of Cypriot citizenship and EU passports to foreign investors, posing the profound question: "How does the concept of 'home' change when it is sold?" Artists resort to the medium of photography, choosing the most characteristic angles, showing constructed yet unoccupied homes, empty lots resulting from poorly planned development, high-rise buildings that block the visibility of earlier structures and houses in the luxury kitsch aesthetic. The photos also depict the blurred faces of phantom investors who, despite purchasing real estate, contribute nothing to the local economy, utilising Cyprus merely as a conduit for financial transactions. Paul Shiakallis & Leandros Savvides' collaborative project appears to be an in-depth research of the island's landscape, raising a number of political and social issues, including corruption, as well as giving a voice to Cypriots, so they are able to express their desires for the home they envision.
"Fernweh" by Fani Boudouroglou
Entering a dimly lit room, you'll encounter a short video of a man lying on a Persian rug in the desert. The setting is enigmatic — the location, the man's poignant expression full of sorrow, and the greenery growing through the carpet. This artwork addresses two controversial ideas — current environmental concerns related to the growth of disasters and food shortages, which in its turn force the population to move to other places, as well as the challenges faced by war-torn Middle Eastern populations seeking refuge in Europe.
"I Am Home" by Revital Hakim Strichman
Revital Hakim Strichman employs a portrait to convey that one's face reflects their past, much like marks on the body tell of experiences. The body, as a fully owned entity, becomes a home for those without another. The unconventional portrait, created with black sewing threads, dynamically shifts emotions and perspectives as you view it from different angles.
"Golden Sweat" by Rakefet Viner Omer
Take a moment to explore the images on eight canvases in an expressionist style by Rakefet Viner Omer. Referencing Agnon's novel, the artist weaves the tale of a wandering man who collected stories while travelling. The varied materials, from oil strokes to markers and spray paint, contribute to a visually rich experience covering an entire hall wall. These images, capturing the traveler's impressions, at the same time invite us to delve into our subconscious, guess the images depicted on the canvas, and think about how our own movements around the world and changing places reshape our concept of home.
"Swaray and Swaray's Home" by Chiaki Kamikawa
Chiaki Kamikawa shares the personal story of refugee Swaray, who arrived in Cyprus from Sierra Leone in 1996. As you hold the book with the Swaray's life story in your hands, flipping through its pages, you physically draw closer to the narrative. However, Swaray's story doesn't conclude here; a watercolour painting on the wall portrays his entire family, including children and grandchildren, for whom Cyprus has become home. In this project, the enthralling plot and artistic skill in Kamikawa's original watercolour-authored book intertwine, prompting viewers to contemplate whether a new home can emerge over time, potentially replacing the one left behind.
by Asya Ivanova