Glyn Hughes 1931 - 2014

7 Address Sophia A. Michaelides Director of the Press and Information Office This publication, the result of an excellent collaborationwith the Pierides Foundation, butmainly a tribute due to an artist who left his mark on contemporary art and the cultural landscape in Cyprus as few have, is an honour for our Office. Glyn Hughes –of Welsh origin but a true Cypriot in heart and soul– was one of the people who shaped contemporary art in Cyprus through his rich and innovative artistic production, since he was one of the pioneers of introducing contemporary art trends to the island. At the same time, through his wider artistic production that included scenography, costume design and happenings, he contributed tremendously to the creation of a culture of participation of the public in cultural events. In May 1960, Glyn Hughes, together with his very close friend Christoforos Savva, founded the Apophasis Gallery in the old part of Nicosia. The collaboration of the two progressive artists was a milestone for the art scene in Cyprus at the time, and, in retrospect, the gallery was regarded as the first independent cultural centre on the island, as it is in this gallery that the public was introduced to new and innovative forms of art, such as happenings. Through their creative synergy and interaction, the two artists managed to capture the Cypriot reality of that era, the people and the beautiful colours of the nature of our island, with an unprecedented freshness and originality. Rarely has the artistic interaction and bonding of two people been so innovative and groundbreaking that they were able to shape the evolution of contemporary art in Cyprus. That is why we place such a value on it. Forus, thevalueof thispublication isenormous. Ourmissionat thePressand InformationOffice, as well as our responsibility, is to preserve history and culture and to ensure the continuation of existing and past knowledge and cultural heritage through recording, archiving, digitising and publishing. I am both proud and fortunate that we were given the opportunity, through the collaboration with the Pierides Foundation, to publish this book, which is a testimony of our island’s recent history through the eyes of the artist. Glyn Hughes passed away in 2014. In appreciation for his long and multifaceted contribution to the development and shaping of modern Cypriot culture, we present this publication, which is based on the exhibition organised by NiMAC (The Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre, Associated with the Pierides Foundation) in 2016. It highlights all the aspects of the legacy of the artist’s extensive work, an oeuvre as diverse and as important as its creator himself.