The President of the Republic, Mr. Nikos Anastasiadis, opens the retrospective painting exhibition of Akis Theodosiou, at RIK, Nicosia, Cyprus.
The exhibition of Akis Theodosios, who created the portrait of Makarios, was opened by President Anastasiades
The exhibition of the visual artist, Akis Theodosiou, who among others was invited in 1976 by Archbishop Makarios to create his full-length portrait, was inaugurated on Tuesday afternoon by the President of the Republic, Nikos Anastasiadis, in the event hall of the RIK Archive. President Anastasiades, praising the work of the artist, expressed the wish to have the same honor, so that his portrait would also be painted by Mr. Theodosiou.
In his greeting during the opening ceremony, President Anastasiades noted that the artist was distinguished from his childhood for his original talent and that painting was an expression of his emotional world and a creative way out of everyday life. He added that the artist's goal with his work is “to evoke different feelings, to awaken memories, to move, to give birth to feelings through his artistic expression”, pointing out that he has tackled all types of painting art, including hagiography.
“Through the unique pieces of art that he eternally captures on canvas, he succeeds in preserving his own moment in eternity, turning them into the mirror of the soul of the one who observes them,” continued the President. He then recalled that Akis Theodosiou, while studying at the Pancyprian High School, had as teachers and strict judges Adamantios Diamantis and Telemachus Kanthos, while upon his graduation from the Pancyprian High School he was honored with the art prize.
Finally, the president congratulated the Cyprus Radio Foundation for the initiative to host the retrospective exhibition with works by Akis Theodosios. “You are honoring a loyal partner as well as an excellent painter,” he said, adding that “in addition to honoring a man of his own, who served it in various capacities for 39 consecutive years until he reached the rank of Production Support Manager, this exhibition it is significant for the cultural development of our country”.
In his opposition, Mr. Theodosiou thanked both the President, as well as the contributors and public relations department of RIK for organizing the inauguration. In fact, he offered as a gift to President Anastasiades a work of his own, an icon of the Virgin Mary, which he painted himself. Mr. Theodosiou mentioned that he has been involved in painting since elementary school and that from the first moment he was filled with enthusiasm for this occupation. “I realized it's great,” he said.
He noted that during his studies at the Pancypriot High School, his teacher Telemachus Kanthos collected works from two students, one of whom was himself, and took them to Europe. He finally referred to the two painters he recognizes as the best in the world, on the one hand Van Gogh, who first met him from a painting of sunflowers at the Pancypriot High School, whom he admires because he “tamed color”, and on the other hand Picasso, which he admires because he tamed the shape.
Welcoming the opening of the exhibition, the President of the Board of Directors of RIK, Michalis Michael, noted that it is a pleasure for RIK to host the work of its own people. “The RIK was fortunate to have executives with a rich cultural work and a work of high artistic value,” he noted, then praising the work of Akis Theodosiou, who worked for 39 years at the Foundation since 1967, and underlining the important role that art had in his life.
Mr. Michael mentioned that Akis Theodosiou, from the position of cinematographer “worked with zeal in all the important productions of RIK and his love for photography was comparable to his love for painting”. He also noted that he collaborated with director Maroulla Avraamidou in series such as “Manolis and Katina” and “History of the Country”, among others. He also added that his contribution to the creation of Studio 3 and the shaping of the area around the RIK theater was important, while he mentioned that, having passed through all the levels in the RIK, he retired from the position of director.
“Tonight we express our emotion that Akis presents this retrospective painting exhibition in his second home”, concluded Mr. Michael, thanking the President for the honor he did to the artist and RIK, as well as RIK executives who worked for the realization of the event.
The works of Akis Theodosios will be exhibited at the RIK Archives for approximately 15 days.
