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The “Flip Side of Tradition”, an exhibition of contemporary design from Cyprus, was hosted for five weeks (4 October - 4 November 2007) at the Design Forum Finland in the heart of Helsinki. Organised by the Embassy of Cyprus, the exhibition brought together seven artists from Cyprus who produced original creations in traditional art forms using materials which are also very popular in Finnish art. The participating artists were: Gavriela Kokias (jewellery), Stacie Tzortzis (pottery), Lara Alphas (illustrations, drawings), Popi Taliadoros (iconography), Stavros Kofteros (glassblowing), George Spyrou and Simon Simakis (wood works). They have drawn ideas and inspiration from their childhood, their ancestors and Cypriot popular traditions and gave their own modern spin to otherwise conventional forms. Welcoming Remarks by Ambassador Thalia Petrides Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to welcome you to the opening of this first of a kind exhibition outside Cyprus. The Flip Side of Tradition is an Exhibition of contemporary design. It brings together seven artists whose original creations transform traditional art into a captivating image of today’s Cyprus. The inspiration for the title of the Exhibition came from the vinyl music culture of the 50s and the 60s, which generates powerful nostalgic emotions in the baby boomers generation and a vibrant new interest among younger people. The very definition of the phrase “flip side” is “…an opposite, reverse, or sharply contrasted side or aspect of something”. In music it is “the reverse and usually less popular side of a vinyl record”. The title of the Exhibition stresses the connection of contemporary design and the huge impact of tradition in Cypriot society. The artists have drawn ideas and inspiration from their childhood, their ancestors and Cypriot popular traditions and gave their own modern spin to otherwise conventional forms. Why did we choose Helsinki to launch the European tour of such an Exhibition? Taking the risk to state the obvious, Helsinki is the capital of innovative design, and as the materials used by our artists are very popular in Finnish art, we expect to raise a keen interest among the Finnish public. Pottery, jewellery, glass blowing, woodcarving and woodturning, drawing and iconography, are present in Cyprus for thousands of years. They are reflections of the island’s history and customs, which have endured through the millennia and a sweeping number of conquerors who left there their footprint. About a hundred exhibits will familiarize the visitors with the richness of imagination and artistic craftsmanship of Gabriella Kokia (jewellery), Stacie Davidowski Tzortzis (pottery), Lara Alphas (illustrations, drawings), Kalliopi Taliadorou (iconography), Stavros Kofteros (glassblowing), George Spyrou (woodcarving), and Simon Simakis (woodturning). Design is the keyword of the Institution which hosts for a period of a month “The Flip Side of Tradition”, the Exhibition of contemporary design from Cyprus. I wish to express publicly our heartfelt thanks to Design Forum Finland and the members of the team headed by Ms Laila Alanen, whose efficiency and creativity made possible the organization of our Exhibition. A word of appreciation is also due to my personal assistant Ms Marianna Vasileiadou-Turkka, whose enthusiasm, dedication and hard work was instrumental in encouraging my spark of inspiration to become a feasible project. To me, Ladies and Gentlemen, cultural diplomacy is the cornerstone of a country’s representation abroad. Small countries, like Cyprus, who possess a powerful cultural message, should use it abundantly as a tool to promote world peace and understanding. Helsinki, 4 October 2007
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