Kyriakos Theocharous
Kyriakos Theocharous graduated from the School of Fine and Applied Arts, of the Aristotle University of the Thessaloniki (2015), under the supervision of Professor Manolis Giannadakis. His first solo exhibition took place in “Helios Printmaking Centre” (Thessaloniki,2015). He has also taken part in a two artists solo show “Trade Secrets of a Long-Distance Relationship” (Nicosia 2022). He participated in various exhibitions in Cyprus and abroad, amongst them the international participations at “19th Biennial of Engraving of Sarcelles” (Sarcelles, France,2019), “4th Athens Print Festival” (Athens,2018), “Ways and Transformations” (Strasbourg,2017), Kobe Art Exchange (Kobe, Japan,2015). He has taken parts in various group shows, among of which: “Surmounting Reality” Printmaking Art Centre Pandolfini-Siaterli (Athens,2021), “Performing Silence” (Cyprus 2021), “Telemachos Kanthos Foundation” (Nicosia ,2016). In 2015 he was awarded the Second Prize in Kobe Japan and the First Prize in “Telemachos Kanthos Visual Arts Competition 2016”.
Kyriakos Theocharous designed the set for some theater shows/performances: the children’s musical show “The Tickler” (2019) of Dimitris Balsam “Performing Silence” (2021) by Petros Konaris and more recently he worked as stage designer’s assistant at “Ichor// Blood of God” and “Non_Binary Project 01001110” by Annie Khouri.
The International Project “Orpheus and Eurydice“
Organised by The Cyprus Centre of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians (CYCSTAT)
2022 Nicosia, Cyprus.
Curator of the International Project: GEORGIOS KOUKOUMAS
The project it is a first cooperation between CYCSTAT, Accademia di Belle Arti di Frosinone (Italy) and Union of Young Theatre Artists (YTA) – OISTAT National Center of Georgia.
The participants had invited to take part in the workshop by studying the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice from the perspective of the others’ countries cultural representations, for instance the participant from Italy was investigate the representation of the myth as seen within the culture of Georgia or Cyprus and vice-versa.
The project is aimed for professional performance designers, set designers, costume designers, lighting designers, architects, theatre architects, fashion designers, fine artists and students from performance design, set and costume design, lighting design, fashion design, architecture and fine art courses.
Scenography was the part of the project where the process was carried on cooperating the “contemporary design” of the project. Exploring the theme of “mythology today” in an artistic design perspective: the participants had the opportunity to bring together the “images” of the memory and cultural heritage which was diversely shared upon each country.
Throughout the process the participants from Cyprus, Italy and Georgia had the opportunity to explore the virtual image of mythology from different countries.
The best three works from each country was chosen by a special committee with the criterion of the artistic and the technique execution of the work.
The winners received a diploma and their works are exhibited at the Tbilisi Biennale of Stage Design 2022 (Georgia).
The winner of the competition from Cyprus ( profesional section) – Kyriakos Theocharous, graphic designer, scenographer,
Concept
My involvement with the art of scenography gave me great excitement because it combines my two passions: creating art and making it accessible to everyone. I define scenography as an applied art work. Its practical aspect immediately creates an environment in which other narratives emerge. It is opposed to the art piece hanging on a wall in the familiar austere white space of a gallery.
I always approach the scenography of a performance with my knowledge from printmaking as a starting point. Maybe because it is my personal fetish or because my mind and hands are trained this way and it’s second nature to me.
I approached this project firstly by searching a representation of Orpheus and Eurydice at museums and other Cyprus-based galleries. Unfortunately, I did not find any engraving or painting with this theme so I expanded my research to the online search platform of Google.
There I found a print “Orpheus and Eurydice” 42 x 59 cm of the 19th century (etching on zinc) by Thiersch Ludwig (1825-1909) that belongs to New York Public Library.
I started off by making some pencil sketches of it, removing the human figures of the characters and then I printed a small edition (digital prints) by using a copy machine.
Experimenting with printmaking methods familiar to me, such as cut outs and layering, led to the creation of my first 3D model representation of the work.
My suggestion to realize it in the actual of a theatre stage is to be made by digital prints glued on marine plywood with wallpaper glue. Play inside theatres also in outside, gets dirty ageing like an organic does, flexible and easy to move down to down. The layers hold on scaffolds easy to store and restore, ecologically to the environed can reuse in other forms composed an recacle