CyprusTODAY Volume LIV, No 1, January-March 2016 Contents Editorial .................................................................................2 Towards Digital Cultural Heritage in Cyprus .......................4 Excellence in Letters, Arts and Sciences ............................12 World Heritage of Cyprus: history, myth and religion .......19 16th Cyprus Contemporary Dance Platform ........................30 Vestiges 1991-2016 .............................................................36 The Conservation of the Creative Process ..........................39 Niki Marangou, 1948-2013: In Memoriam ........................40 Elena Zymara at Contemporary Space Athens ...................42 The Cyprus Symphony Orchestra .......................................44 The Cyprus Theatre Organisation .......................................46 The Pharos Arts Foundation ................................................49 International Short Film Festival Oberhausen ....................58 O!PLA ACROSS THE BORDERS ....................................60 2nd Ayia Napa Street Art Festival .........................................62 Creative Plates .....................................................................64 Volume LIV, No 1, January - March 2016 A quarterly cultural review of the Ministry of Education and Editorial Assistance: Culture published and distributed by the Press and Information Renos Christoforou Office (PIO), Ministry of Interior, Nicosia, Cyprus. [email protected] Press and Information Office Address: Ministry of Education and Culture Polly Lyssiotis Kimonos & Thoukydides Corner, 1434 Nicosia, Cyprus [email protected] Website: http://www.moec.gov.cy Design: GNORA COMMUNICATION CONSULTANTS Press and Information Office Apellis Street, 1456 Nicosia, Cyprus Printed by: Konos Ltd Website: http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio Front cover: Images from: Towards Digital Cultural EDITORIAL BOARD Heritage in Cyprus, from the Digital Heritage Research Lab Chairperson: at the Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Pavlos Paraskevas, Technology of the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) Director of Cultural Services, in Limassol. Ministry of Education and Culture Chief Editor: Jacqueline Agathocleous [email protected] PIO 69/2016 – 3.500 GNORA COMMUNICATION CONSULTANTS (website: www.gnora.com) ISSN (PRINT) 0045-9429 Tel: +357 22441922 Fax: +357 22519743 ISSN (ONLINE) 1986-2547 Subscription Note: For free subscriptions please contact: [email protected]. Cyprus Today is also available in electronic form and can be sent to you if you provide your e-mail. If you no longer wish to receive the magazine, in either print or electronic form, or if you have changed your address, please let us know at the above e-mail address. Please include your current address for easy reference. Editor’s Note: Articles in this magazine may be freely quoted or reproduced provided that proper acknowledgement and credit is given to Cyprus Today and the authors (for signed articles). The sale or other commercial exploitation of this publication or part of it is strictly prohibited. Disclaimer: Views expressed in the signed articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the publishers. The magazine can also be found on the Press and Information Office website at www.pio.gov.cy. Editorial warm welcome to this issue of Cyprus Today, which we start off with a look at an important A effort that is underway at the Cyprus University of Technology to digitise and archive Cyprus’ cultural heritage. The university’s Digital Heritage Research Lab also manages and implements programmes and services to preserve and make materials and collections accessible in all formats, for use by students, faculty, researchers and any other possible user. Read on to find out more and check out some of the amazing visual material gathered by the Lab. Speaking of our cultural heritage, our issue also includes a photo exhibition entitled World Heritage of Cyprus: history, myth and religion, with photographs of the three entries for Cyprus in the UNESCO World Heritage List: the Neolithic settlement of Choirokoitia, Palaepaphos and Nea Paphos. The photo exhibition Vestiges 1991-2016 by the world-renowned and award winning Czech/French photographer Joseph Κoudelka also provides a wealth of black and white imagery, well worth a look. It was that time of the year again when we got to honour and celebrate our national literary and artistic treasures with the Excellence in Letters, Arts and Sciences Awards, which were handed over by the President of the Republic himself at a special ceremony at the Presidential Palace. The 16th Cyprus Contemporary Dance Platform, organised by the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Rialto Theatre, celebrated another successful year, presenting fourteen new dance projects by established and upcoming choreographers. And there was plenty to enjoy for our classical music lovers, who besides the sweet offerings of the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra also got to enjoy a series of concerts hosted by the Pharos Arts Foundation, including the successful young ensemble Erato Piano Trio, talented Russian pianist Galina Chistiakova, and pianist Hayk Melikyan. The Cyprus Theatre Organisation was also busy this quarter, presenting a number of new productions, including Casting by Alexander Galin and I, Gogo by Eleni Gasouka. There is plenty on offer for our art lovers too. Our issue presents the AG Leventis Gallery’s art exhibition Niki Marangou, 1948-2013: In Memoriam, in memory of the poet, writer and artist who passed away three years ago. We also take a look at exhibitions by the more contemporary artists Elena Zymara – with her unique pebble art technique – and Nikolas Antoniou’s solo exhibition of paintings. And don’t miss our coverage of the Ayia Napa Street Art Festival, which saw renowned street artists from across the world flock to the island to brighten up the town’s buildings at its most quiet time of the year. This and much more for our loyal readers to enjoy in the January-March 2016 issue of Cyprus Today! 2 World Heritage of Cyprus: history, myth and religion The Conservation of the Creative Process New productions at the Cyprus Theatre Organisation Vestiges 1991-2016 16th Cyprus Contemporary Dance Platform 3 Towards Digital Cultural Heritage in Cyprus By Dr Marinos Ioannides s Jean Monnet said, if “Europe were to be Digital Heritage Research A reconstructed, I would begin with culture Lab Overview rather than the economy”. The cultural heritage of the old continent nourished the education, the The Digital Heritage Research Lab (DHRLab formation, the spirit of the generations which - http://digitalheritagelab.eu/) was established preceded us and we feel the responsibility in 2013, at the Department of Electrical to transmit one of the richest in the world to Engineering and Information Technology of future generations and to make sure it will be the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) preserved, enriched and shared. in Limassol. At the Digital Heritage Research Lab we are The main mission of the DHRLab is to working to promote an environment that will digitise, manage and implement programmes help to: and services to preserve and make materials - digitise, archive and share our rich and and collections accessible - from anywhere diverse common heritage - in all formats, for use by students, faculty, - link the past with the present researchers and any other possible user. In - preserve this heritage for future generations pursuit of our mandate, we stabilise, repair, - protect the interests of Cypriot creators conserve and perform digital production and - nurture creativity, including creative efforts reformatting services, and offer educational by non-professionals and outreach programmes and exhibits. - contribute to education and research In addition, the Lab conducts research on - spur development, innovation and entrepre- the digitisation, archiving, preservation, neurship. visualisation, protection, use and re-use of the Panagia Assinou Church, UNESCO World Heritage Listed Monument 4 Facade of the Municipal Library (Pattichion Municipal Museum, Historical Archive and Research Center) 5 cultural heritage (both tangible and intangible) and the many Greek Cypriots of our diaspora. data of our past. The research scientists and For this diaspora, the DHRLab anticipates doctoral fellows employed at the Lab are strong participation, contribution, solidarity and engaged in highly competitive EU research support in its efforts to promote our birthplace projects, with more than 150 national and to Europe and the rest of the world. We would international institutions, to explore the latest like to express our appreciation for the diverse technological advances in the field. and valuable contribution of the Greek Cypriot communities, and for being a major force in advocating the Cypriot Cultural Heritage around Our mission the world. Having in mind the words of Marco Tyllios Cicero (106-43 BC), one of the most renowned men of Rome, and following the Greek Digital Heritage Demosthenes – the most famous of the orators Research Lab Services in ancient years – “Don’t deprive from your Our activities in digitisation descendants the feeling of pride for your The staff at the Laboratory is in collaboration with ancestors”, DHRLab is vigorously involved in local institutions, individuals, municipalities, the preservation, organisation and dissemination communities, and small-and-medium cultural