The binational group exhibition Islandic Parallels: Transformed Landscapes, From One Island to Another is presented from 30 April to 30 May 2024 at Contemporary Art Platform CAP in Kuwait.
Under the patronage of His Excellency the Ambassador of Cyprus in Kuwait Michael Mavros, this contemporary art exhibition is organized by Klitsa Antoniou (Cyprus) and curated by Maria Photiou (Cyprus) and George Lazoglou (Cyprus). It features works by the following Kuwaiti and Cypriot artists: Rania Abulhasan (Kuwait), Mohammad Alkouh (Kuwait), Klitsa Antoniou (Cyprus), Constantinos S. Contantinou (Cyprus), Melita Couta (Cyprus), Panayiotis Doukanaris (Cyprus), Nicos Philippou (Cyprus), Mohammed Sharaf (Kuwait), Lefteris Tapas (Cyprus), Maria Trillidou (Cyprus) and Marilena Zackheos (Cyprus).
The artworks in Islandic Parallels make historical, cultural and environmental parallels between the countries of Cyprus and Kuwait with a focus on the Kuwaiti island Failaka, the name is believed to have originated from the Ancient Greek «φυλάκιο» meaning “outpost.” Both Failaka and Cyprus are marked by histories of interculturalism with significant strategic and commercial importance. Both have been influenced by the diverse civilizations and cultures that have inhabited them over the centuries.
According to Greek historians Strabo and Arrian, Alexander the Great himself ordered that Failaka be called ‘Ikaros’ due to island’s size and shape, which resembled the Greek island Ikaros in the Aegean Sea. As the ruins excavated in modern era reveal, it became part of the Hellenistic world in the 4th century BC, just a little later than Cyprus. In the modern era, conflicts and war have left scars on the body of the land as well as the souls of its inhabitants. The 1990 invasion of Kuwait resulted in the depopulation of Failaka’s residents. Today, parts of Failaka resemble Cyprus’s Buffer Zone and the Famagusta ‘ghost’ town left uninhabited since the 1974 invasion of Cyprus. When strolling along the deserted areas of the two islands, one feels like time has stopped: there are abandoned houses and vehicles, and ruins from the time of the war.
The artists participating in this exhibition actively seek and respond to the interaction of natural phenomena and human activities. They rediscover their own landscapes by reflecting and assembling parallels of different territories. The projects offer new perspectives for understanding the critical issues of social justice and environment. Exploring the theme of the Islandic Parallels, the exhibited works highlight their transformed landscapes within our global and local political history and natural environment. The artists’ creative observations of the various ecosystems (sea, desert, island and mountain) together with the personal local experiences bring to light a sense of resilience that shows an optimism for an alternative future.