Glyn Hughes 1931 - 2014

37 Apophasis Gallery: The prolific and emotional years With the establishment of ApophasisGallery a first attempt wasmade to give even a rudimentary ‘organizational structure’ to what until then were scattered thoughts and visions of a group of youngpeoplewhowelcomed the1960s: aperiod inwhichCypruswasemerging fromcolonialism and entering a new democracy with the independence of the island. Savva’s genuinely folk way of thinking, combined with what he experienced and gained during his studies and wanderings in London and Paris, and Hughes’ Western, enthusiastic and ground-breaking outlook was what Cyprus needed at that time. Their bohemian way of life, often bordering on poverty and penury, but also the embrace of intellectuals, young scientists and educated professionals, members of high society, foreign diplomats and directors of Educational Institutions like Roger and Tatiana Milliex, created over the years an almost mythical framework for the Apophasis. The new Apophasis Gallery opened its doors in September 1960 at 44 A Apollo Street. The first exhibition held there was the ‘Autumn Collection’ (23 September–6 October) with the works of seven Cypriot artists: Stelios Votsis, Andreas Chrysochos, Georgios Themistocleous, Maria Konstantinou, Elli Ioannou and sculptors Andreas Savvides and Nikos Dimiotes. Very soon, the Apophasis became an artistic hub with a dynamic presence that Nicosia needed so much at the time. Older and younger artists came together, showed their work, exchanged views and ideas. Apart from the exhibitions, other important cultural events were also held at the gallery: lectures, discussions, theatre performances, literary and musical presentations. Glyn Hughes remembers: “With Savva’s socialist connections, there were speakers like the great Russian film director, Sergei Bondarchuk, and a photographic exhibition with copies of works of great artists, such as Renoir, Poussin, El Greco, Rubens, Rembrandt, Titian and others that were in the collection of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg 38 –then known as Leningrad– which, however, was not well received because it was not considered sufficiently ‘modern’.” 39 It is important to emphasize at this point the multifaceted and versatile vision for Apophasis Gallery, as Hughes and Savva intended it. They did not want to establish just a gallery, but in fact a cultural centre that would bring together visual arts with all other art forms, a nucleus that would creatively gather all the intellectuals and art lovers of the time, not only Cypriots but also foreigners. One could argue that this was a common goal among most of the artist-run spaces in the Western world at the time – promoting, in other words, exchange and experimentation between artists, based around notions of collectiveness and participation: “With their attitude of opposition toward the traditional art canon and their search for alternative forms of cooperation, those blazing the trail for progressive art tendencies very much resembled their predecessors, the avant-gardes of the early 20th century and institutions founded at that time such as the Wiener Secession.” 40 Indeed, quite a fewpeople visiting Cypruswould pass by the gallery. For example, in 1962, Marian Engel, one of the leading Canadian writers (1933–1985), together with her husband, author of police novels, Howard Engel, were on the island and visited the gallery. Ruth Keshishian recalls