Christoforos Savva

The painting of the Cypriot artist Christoforos Savva (1924–68) was unparalleled in the incipient Cypriot art scene of the 1960s, and indeed beyond. Appropriating and reinventing themes and styles, with references ranging from Greek and African classical art to Cypriot craft, folk art, art informel, pop and other avant-garde movements. Savva was among the artists representing Cyprus in its inaugural Pavilion at the 34th Venice Biennale.

This book is the result of a long-term research project that has its first iteration as a large-scale survey exhibition housed at the recently renovated modernist building of the State Gallery of Contemporary Art – SPEL, Nicosia. In May 2019, the exhibition forms part of the Cyprus Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. The book contains reproductions of paintings, as well as rare archival material such as sketchbook pages, photographs and documentation on the artist’s life and work.