Apostolos Kouroupakis
Andros Efstathiou's photography exhibition "Nicosia International Airport" opens on Friday, December 13th. Through evocative images of what was once a jewel of Cyprus and a symbol of the country's progress, Efstathiou narrates five decades of Cypriot history with brevity, narrative depth, and revelatory insight.
Efstathiou’s photographs transcend time. As he states, "This project is grounded in truth and only truth," emphasizing the resonance of his authentic vision. Since its debut in Nicosia in 2012, the exhibition has captivated audiences, later traveling to Thessaloniki as part of the Photobiennale (2014), Athens at Evripides Art Gallery (2017), and Frankfurt at the European Central Bank (2017).
With his distinctive gaze and a profound connection to Cyprus’s history, Efstathiou constructs a theatrical setting where human presence takes center stage amid the ruins of the past.
In these photographs, the abandoned Nicosia Airport is transformed into a living, vibrant space brimming with metaphorical vitality. The images are fragmented bursts of memory, recalling individuals who experienced the airport’s final flight on July 20, 1974. Dressed in period uniforms, the subjects are portrayed in a scene evocative of a dystopian narrative. Through his lens, Efstathiou captures the static and dystopian essence of the present, reflecting not just the desolate airport but the broader condition of Cyprus. "It could easily serve as a film script," the photographer notes, describing his five-year “wandering” within the airport, a journey that began as part of a curatorial project for an exhibition at the venue of bi-communal talks.
"Years were needed for the idea of photographing people in the derelict Nicosia Airport to mature within me," Efstathiou explains. Much of that time was spent in reflection, sitting in the empty waiting hall, waiting for a "sign." When it arrived, it turned this project into what he describes as an "inexplicable obsession."
A mirror of memory
Efstathiou's exhibition acts as a mirror for every Cypriot, whether or not they lived through the 1974 invasion. His photographs reveal the cracks in time, the stagnation of the status quo, and the enduring sense of a situation frozen in time.
Situated west of Nicosia, the airport was Cyprus’s primary hub from its completion in 1968 until 1974, standing as a symbol of progress and prestige in the Eastern Mediterranean. Today, it lies abandoned within the "Dead Zone," under United Nations control. Each new round of talks on the Cyprus issue begins there, accompanied by the enduring hope for resolution.
The real and symbolic space
Art historian Louisa Karapidaki describes Efstathiou's narrative as "neither a memorial of events nor an attempt at historical documentation or cinematic recreation. Instead, it invites viewers to freely associate the real and symbolic space with the historical events of the artist’s homeland, leading them into the realm of 'no oblivion.'"
This ambitious endeavor, shaped by intricate processes and extended discussions, offers a transformative experience not just for its creators but also for its audience. Efstathiou’s depictions, both familiar and hauntingly alien, navigate multiple conceptual paths through the landscape of memory. They highlight photography as a medium of profound communication, with Efstathiou's artistic mastery conveying drama, absence, and silence. This intentional approach stems from his personal emotional intensity and an urgent need for expression.
Efstathiou's strikingly poignant images bring lost time to life, illuminate the intangible dimensions of history, express a sense of duty to the nation’s past, and mark the end of a haunted era.
Details
Venue: Isnotgallery Contemporary, Odysseos 11, Nicosia
Duration: December 13, 2024 – February 6, 2025
Opening Hours:
Tuesday to Friday: 10:00 - 13:00 & 15:00 - 18:00
Saturday: 10:00 - 14:00
Andros Efstathiou's photography exhibition "Nicosia International Airport" opens on Friday, December 13th.
