Cyprus College of Art
Encyclopedia
The Cyprus College of Art (CyCA) is a post-secondary art
instutution located in the Mediterranean
island of, Cyprus
.
.
, and is the oldest art college on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus
. It has two campuses, one in Lempa near Paphos
and the other Larnaca
.
The college was originally based in the town of Famagusta
but, after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus
in 1974, it was forced to move to the town of Kato Paphos. It remained there until 1985, when the Cyprus Ministry of Education granted it use of a former school building in the village of Lempa, four kilometres north of Paphos.
The first programme offered by the college was the Cyprus Summer School, now renamed the Cyprus Summer Studio, which gave mainly British
and Irish
art students an opportunity to spend a period of time making art in Cyprus. In the early 1970s the college intended to launch a postgraduate fine art
programme, but this was delayed by the Turkish invasion in 1974, and did not start until 1978.
In 2002 the College gained additional premises in Limassol and it used this as an opportunity to launch several undergraduate fine art programmes. This included foundation, adult education and degree courses in painting
, sculpture
, photography
and printmaking
. Almost all of the programmes taught at the College follow a British art education model, and several are validated in the United Kingdom
by the British validation agency Ascentis
. In 2007 the College's Limassol site was closed and teaching transferred to a new building in Larnaca
, a city located on the south-east coast of Cyprus. The site at Lempa concentrates on postgraduate programmes and Larnaca on foundation and undergraduate programmes. Both sites are also used to house visiting artists from around the world.
In 2010 the College formed the Cornaro Institute, named after the last Venetian Queen of Cyprus Caterina Cornaro, to take over the College in Larnaca. This is likely to happen in 2011.
in the English city of Leeds
, where the artist Stass Paraskos
was a tutor at the Leeds College of Art. In this discussion it was suggested Paraskos organise a summer trip for the art students and tutors to Cyprus. Agreeing to do this, Paraskos started an annual event, which attracted students from other British art schools, and eventually grew into the Cyprus College of Art. This informal start led by artists remains a central part of the ethos of CyCA today, with artists rather than administrators still playing a central role in the institution, and stressing the freedom of the artist to be creative rather than academic bureaucracy.
announced that the art festival Manifesta 6 would be held in Cyprus in 2006. The Cyprus College of Art was initially enthusiastic about the prospect of an international art fair in Cyprus, publishing a supporting article in the College newsletter, ArtCyprus about Manifesta.
However a perceived unwillingness by the Manifesta organisers to engage with the College and the Cypriot art world resulted in the College becoming one of Manifesta 6's fiercest critics. This was compounded by the Manifesta team claiming there was no functioning art school in Cyprus, a charge that resulted in CyCA dedicating an entire issue of ArtCyprus to attacking Manifesta, accusing the Dutch organisation of cultural insensitivity bordering on racism. This is widely seen as tipping the balance against Manifesta in Cyprus government circles at the time.
In 2010 the College formed the Cornaro Institute, named after the last Venetian Queen of Cyprus Caterina Cornaro, to take over aspects of the College in Larnaca. This is likely to happen in 2011.
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
instutution located in the Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
island of, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
.
Academics
CyCA offers beginner courses in art, university-entrance programmes in art and design, bachelor degree equivalent programmes in Fine Art (AFA), and Master of Fine Art degrees at graduate level. The latter are awarded in association with the University of NorthamptonUniversity of Northampton
The University of Northampton is a university in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England.-History:In 1924, Northampton Technical College was opened at St George's Avenue, site of the current Avenue Campus. A new building for the college was formally opened by the then Duke and Duchess of York in 1932...
.
History
The Cyprus College of Art was founded in 1969 by the Cypriot painter Stass ParaskosStass Paraskos
Stass Paraskos is an artist from Cyprus, although much of his life was spent teaching and working in England.-Early life:Paraskos was born in Anaphotia, on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus in 1933, the son of a shepherd farmer. He went to England in 1953 and became a cook in his brother's...
, and is the oldest art college on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. It has two campuses, one in Lempa near Paphos
Paphos
Paphos , sometimes referred to as Pafos, is a coastal city in the southwest of Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos and New Paphos. The currently inhabited city is New Paphos. It lies on the Mediterranean coast, about west of the...
and the other Larnaca
Larnaca
Larnaca, is the third largest city on the southern coast of Cyprus after Nicosia and Limassol. It has a population of 72,000 and is the island's second largest commercial port and an important tourist resort...
.
The college was originally based in the town of Famagusta
Famagusta
Famagusta is a city on the east coast of Cyprus and is capital of the Famagusta District. It is located east of Nicosia, and possesses the deepest harbour of the island.-Name:...
but, after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus
Turkish invasion of Cyprus
The Turkish invasion of Cyprus, launched on 20 July 1974, was a Turkish military invasion in response to a Greek military junta backed coup in Cyprus...
in 1974, it was forced to move to the town of Kato Paphos. It remained there until 1985, when the Cyprus Ministry of Education granted it use of a former school building in the village of Lempa, four kilometres north of Paphos.
The first programme offered by the college was the Cyprus Summer School, now renamed the Cyprus Summer Studio, which gave mainly British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
art students an opportunity to spend a period of time making art in Cyprus. In the early 1970s the college intended to launch a postgraduate fine art
Fine art
Fine art or the fine arts encompass art forms developed primarily for aesthetics and/or concept rather than practical application. Art is often a synonym for fine art, as employed in the term "art gallery"....
programme, but this was delayed by the Turkish invasion in 1974, and did not start until 1978.
In 2002 the College gained additional premises in Limassol and it used this as an opportunity to launch several undergraduate fine art programmes. This included foundation, adult education and degree courses in painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
, photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
and printmaking
Printmaking
Printmaking is the process of making artworks by printing, normally on paper. Printmaking normally covers only the process of creating prints with an element of originality, rather than just being a photographic reproduction of a painting. Except in the case of monotyping, the process is capable...
. Almost all of the programmes taught at the College follow a British art education model, and several are validated in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
by the British validation agency Ascentis
Ascentis
Ascentis is a national qualification-awarding body based in Lancaster in the North West of England. It was formerly called the Open College of the North West, or OCNW....
. In 2007 the College's Limassol site was closed and teaching transferred to a new building in Larnaca
Larnaca
Larnaca, is the third largest city on the southern coast of Cyprus after Nicosia and Limassol. It has a population of 72,000 and is the island's second largest commercial port and an important tourist resort...
, a city located on the south-east coast of Cyprus. The site at Lempa concentrates on postgraduate programmes and Larnaca on foundation and undergraduate programmes. Both sites are also used to house visiting artists from around the world.
In 2010 the College formed the Cornaro Institute, named after the last Venetian Queen of Cyprus Caterina Cornaro, to take over the College in Larnaca. This is likely to happen in 2011.
Foundation and Ethos
The foundation of the College in 1969 was highly unusual. It began as a discussion in a pubPublic house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
in the English city of Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, where the artist Stass Paraskos
Stass Paraskos
Stass Paraskos is an artist from Cyprus, although much of his life was spent teaching and working in England.-Early life:Paraskos was born in Anaphotia, on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus in 1933, the son of a shepherd farmer. He went to England in 1953 and became a cook in his brother's...
was a tutor at the Leeds College of Art. In this discussion it was suggested Paraskos organise a summer trip for the art students and tutors to Cyprus. Agreeing to do this, Paraskos started an annual event, which attracted students from other British art schools, and eventually grew into the Cyprus College of Art. This informal start led by artists remains a central part of the ethos of CyCA today, with artists rather than administrators still playing a central role in the institution, and stressing the freedom of the artist to be creative rather than academic bureaucracy.
Controversy with Manifesta
In 2005 the International Manifesta Organisation, based in the NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
announced that the art festival Manifesta 6 would be held in Cyprus in 2006. The Cyprus College of Art was initially enthusiastic about the prospect of an international art fair in Cyprus, publishing a supporting article in the College newsletter, ArtCyprus about Manifesta.
However a perceived unwillingness by the Manifesta organisers to engage with the College and the Cypriot art world resulted in the College becoming one of Manifesta 6's fiercest critics. This was compounded by the Manifesta team claiming there was no functioning art school in Cyprus, a charge that resulted in CyCA dedicating an entire issue of ArtCyprus to attacking Manifesta, accusing the Dutch organisation of cultural insensitivity bordering on racism. This is widely seen as tipping the balance against Manifesta in Cyprus government circles at the time.
Future Development
In 2007 the College was included by the Cyprus Ministry of Education and Culture in a plan to transform the village of Lempa (Paphos) into a regional cultural centre. Although there has been no progress in this to date, the plan is still official government policy in Cyprus.In 2010 the College formed the Cornaro Institute, named after the last Venetian Queen of Cyprus Caterina Cornaro, to take over aspects of the College in Larnaca. This is likely to happen in 2011.
Notable associated artists and alumni
- Rachel WhitereadRachel WhitereadRachel Whiteread, CBE is an English artist, best known for her sculptures, which typically take the form of casts. She won the annual Turner Prize in 1993—the first woman to win the prize....
– artist - Terry FrostTerry FrostSir Terry Frost RA was an English artist noted for his abstracts....
– artist - Dennis CreffieldDennis CreffieldDennis Creffield is a British artist with work owned by major British art collections, including the Tate Gallery, Arts Council of England, the Government Art Collection, Leeds City Art Gallery, University of Leeds collection, University of Brighton collection and others.-Early life and...
– artist - Geoff Rigden – artist
- Norbert LyntonNorbert LyntonNorbert Lynton was Professor of the History of Art at the University of Sussex.He has published on architecture and on modern artists including Paul Klee, Ben Nicholson, William Scott. With Erika Langmuir, he coauthored the 'Yale Dictionary of Modern Art'...
– art historian - Stass ParaskosStass ParaskosStass Paraskos is an artist from Cyprus, although much of his life was spent teaching and working in England.-Early life:Paraskos was born in Anaphotia, on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus in 1933, the son of a shepherd farmer. He went to England in 1953 and became a cook in his brother's...
– artist - Jon Isherwood – artist
- Professor Peter de Francia – artist
- Euan UglowEuan Uglow-Biography:Euan Uglow was born 10 March 1932 in London and as a child lived in Tulse Hill in south London. His father was an accountant, and Uglow went to the local grammar school in Tulse Hill, called Strand School. Afterwards he studied at Camberwell School of Art from 1948 to 1950...
– artist - Ricky WilsonRicky Wilson (British musician)Ricky Wilson is the lead singer of English band Kaiser Chiefs. Wilson has also been on the panel of the BBC Television comedy series Shooting Stars in 2009, Never Mind the Buzzcocks in 2005, and was a guest host on the show in 2006.-Character and Style:Wilson is well known for wearing stripy...
– musician - Michael ParaskosMichael ParaskosMichael Paraskos, FRSA a writer on art, the son of the Cypriot artist Stass Paraskos. He has written several books, essays and articles on art, literature and politics, and has taught in universities and colleges and curated several exhibitions...
– writer - Benedict ReadBenedict ReadBenedict William Read is an English art historian, the son of the eminent art critic and poet Sir Herbert Read...
– art historian - Michael ParaskosMichael ParaskosMichael Paraskos, FRSA a writer on art, the son of the Cypriot artist Stass Paraskos. He has written several books, essays and articles on art, literature and politics, and has taught in universities and colleges and curated several exhibitions...
– writer - Peter DuncanPeter Duncan (actor)Peter Duncan is a British actor and television presenter, best known as a former presenter of Blue Peter and for his later family travel documentaries.-Education:...
– actor - Nic ArmstrongNic ArmstrongNic Armstrong is a British singer-songwriter, musician, painter and public artist. After writing and recording The Greatest White Liar album he founded the band Nic Armstrong & The Thieves ....
– musician - Jayne LawlessJayne LawlessJayne Lawless is an English installation artist from Liverpool.A 2004 Fine Art graduate from University Campus Suffolk in Ipswich she has exhibited work in London, Liverpool, Suffolk and Poland often as part of an artist residency....
- artist
Published histories
- David Haste et al. Stass Paraskos (London: Orage Press, 2010) ISBN 978-0954452353
- John Cornall 'Earth Wisdom – Cypriot Connections in British Art' in London Magazine 1996