2011 » Cyprus » Section of Countries and Regions

Curator:	Marina Maleni
Authors of Theme:	Melita Couta, Marina Maleni, Haris Kafkarides
Designer / Architect of exhibition:	Haris Kafkarides, Melita Couta
Institution:	Cyprus Theatre Organisation (THOC) Director: Varnavas Kyriazis

At the shifting point of the turning world... stillness. Shift - in spaces

In the past four years, a series of events, either accidental or planned, brought a major movement in terms of theatre and performance spaces in Cyprus. Theatre companies relocated either because plans for new facilities were finally realized or because of abrupt changes of plans brought on by major disasters, such as fires, storms, collapses or owners‘ decisions for change of use. Four new theatres have been and are in the process of being built, including the State Theatre and a grand-scale cultural centre. Not all the changes are of big scale, as at the same time small theatre spaces are being born, either within the texture of a historically significant building or following the new trends of the white cube. Small independent theatre groups sprout and, despite all the difficulties, plant the seeds for offering a platform for young voices to express themselves. When thinking of theatre, there is something extremely interesting to be noted about shifting points, about the process by which a new trend begins to formulate, a different expression starts to be formed and a diversion leads the way from what ‘was’ to what ‘shall be’. New theatre groups need new spaces, and newborn spaces need alternative proposals. Therefore, the rebirth of spaces is closely linked with the rebirth of activity and creativity. By focusing both on specific spaces that have experienced an important “shifting process” and on recent activities within them, we ask the questions: How can the history/biography/past life of a space (theatre, alternative space, transformed space or urban space) be thought of in relation to the performance it is hosting? What are the connections, influences and references that link the space with the performance design and its narrative content? How can scenography be perceived and influenced within the urban space? In some of the cases presented, the links are directly apparent; in others these connections might not be immediate or obvious (contemporaneous) but more of an abstract link. If we consider the capital city of Cyprus, Nicosia, it is a fact that the city is undergoing important political, geographical and social changes. The idea of the reunification of the north and south part of the island under a different constitution is the strongest concern, one that affects the divided capital directly. Borders are being opened and passages are being created in place of UN dead-ends, while large numbers of immigrant groups are changing the character of city areas. This urban arena, a constantly shifting space, could be perceived as an urban scenography. This is exactly where small independent spaces are inviting groups and individuals to find a voice, and where the practice of art is in a state of flux. The shifting point is a bridge between contrasting realities as it is manifested either in urban spaces or on theatre stages. The Cyprus curatorial team will thus focus on the idea of the “shifting time and space” through specific tensions: construction vs. destruction, established places vs. urban ready-mades, textures as historical traces vs. the aesthetic of the clinically new. The notion of creation within an ambiguous state will be demonstrated through the common ground shared by the works of the presented scenographers, performance artists, sound designers and other artists, as well as the kinds of plays that are chosen. A separate section within the pavilion, called “Urban Ready-Mades” will be presented, focusing on hybrid scenography, city interventions, public performances and individual initiatives. The idea behind the design of the Cyprus national pavilion is based in the process of “moving”, “relocating”, “transporting” from one place to another, even “relocating” or “reallocating”. The recent construction and distruction of several theatrical spaces in Cyprus mentioned before, as well as the use of urban spaces as stage areas, lead to a design that suggests an accumulation of objects, furniture, theatrical props and archives, packed and stacked. An installation of objects, a library of works, a game of discovery, a teaser of dimensions, a cabinet of curiosity, an exposition of works, an interactive world, a sense of mobility and spatial transformation. The Cyprus participation questions the relationship between spaces/stages that have undergone experienced a transformation or have undergone a change of use, a change of activity, that demonstrate a sense of freedom, of expectancy. The space of possibility, of expectation, moving from “what was” to “what will be“.

Curatorial Team: Marina Maleni, Meelita Couta, Haris Kafkarides