Exhibition in Paphos: Two Ways to Paint a Utopia

In just a few days, Blue Iris Gallery in Paphos will welcome a new exhibition of paintings by contemporary artist Rinos Stefani. The opening event on March 11 will be held by outgoing minister for culture Dr Yiannis Toumazis, who is also an art historian and academician.

Commenting on the artist’s work and this upcoming exhibition, Professor Emeritus in the History of Art, Athens School of Fine Arts Niki Loizidi writes: “The truth is, you cannot speak of the works of Rinos Stefani without touching upon their profound, violent and at the same time lyrical eroticism. We are not simply dealing with an artist who embraces modern trends but with a creator that nurtures an arduous yearning for life and nature.”

Stefani has always been a creator with wide open horizons, nurturing a vibrant, friendly curiosity about the way of life and thinking of other civilizations; above all, he is an artist of profound social and political engagement. He belongs to the rare – if not altogether scarce –genre of travellers/pilgrims who open-heartedly and with tender curiosity receive what the ‘Other’ may offer. In his travels from the Amazon jungle, the Andes of Colombia to Ohio, USA and from there to Hefei, China, the difference between softy traveller and peregrine becomes visceral: it is what distinguishes the relaxed, ignorant traveller who thinks he has seen and admired all there is from the pilgrim/traveller who looks at everything as mystic and unknown as though in a feeling of déjà vu.

Stefani’s big painting Crawling Man– presented in the exhibition – seems to condense the human adventure and resounds with sarcastic insinuations: it took some pithecoid mammal, millions of years to attain the (proper) posture that would allow him to evolve into a human being; even so, today, the man of the technological era essentially resembles a gagged ape.

“The great interest in Rinos Stefani’s work should be sought in his inventive and witty style. His contemporary visual language is largely inspired by the Byzantine artistic tradition and training. I strongly affirm that for someone to express themselves in an internationally understandable language, they must, above all, be well versed in their own language,” Loizidi concluded.

Two Ways to Paint a Utopia

Exhibition by Rinos Stefani. March 11-25. Blue Iris Gallery, Paphos. Opening night: 7.30pm. Monday – Tuesday: 10am-1pm and 3pm 6pm. Wednesday – Saturday: 10am-1pm. Tel: 99-310893