Hambis Printmaking Museum in Cyprus

Hambis Printmaking Museum, Cyprus.

I wrote a post in April about the successful funding to support the development of a new home for Edinburgh Printmakers. 
Now some more good news of another open access print centre expanding.

In 2008 the Hambis Printmaking Museum was opened in Cyprus, not far from the tourist beach of Pissourri, about 30 minutes drive from Limassol town.
Over the years the centre has become a small but important part of the Cypriot art scene: running regular community workshops, exhibitions, 'visiting artists' programmes and print tuition for school students and teachers as well as other literary and performance events.

The centre arose as a natural development of the generous, inspirational teaching and support offered by the illustrator & printmaker Hambis Tsangaris to local artists .
He set up home in the hillside village and began teaching in his studio in 1995, initially with 10 students. The centre has now worked with several thousand local & visitors since 2008.
Printmaking is now a required component of the state school curriculum.

The museum in Platanisteia 

When I visited Hambis during the Easter break (he kindly agreed to be interviewed for a component of my MA studies) he was excited to let me know that the organisation had taken a significant step forward.
They had acquired a beautiful building in the centre of Nicosia as a second, gallery, museum and education space.
Cypriots might be suffering with serious financial problems but it is great to hear that PRINTMAKING continues to thrive in Cyprus, even in difficult economic times.

The new museum building in Nicosia

As a charity the centre relies upon the very reasonable course fees, donations and continuing support from the Government and Hellenic Bank.
The museum is small but packed with really interesting and informative displays, historical & contemporary prints and information in several languages.
The collection started with 200 prints - it now has an archive of well over 3000 images. 

The new centre will allow for a significant increase in the public access to print shows, courses and presentations.

Have a look at the website and I look forward to hearing about other BBH members who visit the centre. Not planned your summer holidays yet?

I did take part in an etching course a couple of summers ago with the french printmaker Isabelle Panaud. It was interesting and a little scary - Health & Safety paranoia has not made it to Platanisteia! 

Last year I spent a very happy week making woodcuts with local printmaker Stella Lantsia.
(Give me a piece of lino any day!)


www.hambisprintmakingcenter.org.cy

Douglas.