Making art more accessible

A series of art events starting this month with run all the way until December. Responding to Pylon Art & Culture’s invitation to think of ways to make contemporary art more accessible and relevant to a wider audience, curators Elena Parpa, Thalia Spyridou and Evagoras Vanezis present three exhibitions and a series of events under the title Safely Held with the aim of contributing to the public’s engagement with art and its practice.

The programme unfolds throughout the course of seven months and the exhibitions’ overarching concept evolves in response to pylon, the chosen name of the newly-found art and culture initiative. The first exhibition will run at Pylon Art & Culture in Limassol from Friday to July 15. Curated by Spyridou, the Not Knowing Yet – Possibly Not Knowing Ever exhibition includes works by Mariel Kouveli, Sara Naim, Dala Nasser and Maria Toumazou. It brings together artists who use their immediate surroundings; culture, body, material and land as a way to understand the characteristics and limits of their structures, how we connect to them, their ambiguity and absurdity. The artists move between historical, scientific and poetic narratives, overlapping materials and practices that involve sculpture, photography, collage and moving image.

“A sense of not knowing is communicated through the works in the exhibition,” say organisers. “Works that are in changing state, works that came out of accidents, accidents used to make work, inability used as a mechanism. The exhibition is situated in a state of fragility and uncertainty. Through the themes explored, audiences are asked to challenge the rigidity and power of structures that we hold on to – be they social, historical or psychological, and approach them from a position of vulnerability.”

Curator Spyridou will run three guided tours throughout the duration of the showcase, on June 3 and July 8 at 12pm and on July 13 at 6pm. To book a spot, email [email protected].

Not Knowing Yet – Possibly Not Knowing Ever

Exhibition by Mariel Kouveli, Sara Naim, Dala Nasser and Maria Toumazou. May 26-July 15. Pylon Art & Culture, Limassol. Opening night: 7pm-10pm. Thursday and Friday:5pm-8pm. Saturday: 11am-1pm