‘ela, ela’ is the innovative name under which International Artists at the Cyprus College of Art showed the fruits of their Postgraduate year.

This twin show resided at both the Panicos Mavrellis Gallery in Lemesos (17th May – 24th May) and a parallel studio show in Lempa (19th May – 3rd June). We are grateful to the following sponsors for their financial support in having made this exhibition in both Lemesos and Lempa possible; British Council Cyprus, Currency Solutions, Cyprus Resales Direct, Grish Art, Rock FM, Simon Emery’s Deals on Wheels and Steptoes. We would also like to give a special thanks to Photos Photiades Distributors Ltd, for supplying Hennessy Cognac refreshments at ela,ela opening nights.

Professional artists from around the world joined together to work in a group studio environment from October 2006 to June 2007, engaging in challenging constructively their own work and the practice of others. This postgraduate diploma has been an invaluable source of new ideas, experimentation and a time for play, and lateral thinking within the college’s basic facilities and ethos of simple, uninterrupted making and living. Although joined by a common theme of exploring the abundance of nature, culture, history and social structures of Cyprus, artists in this double show came from diverse backgrounds and experiences, originating from a vast multitude of countries: Great Britain, Ireland, America and Canada.

These dual shows in Lemesos and Pafos saw visitor numbers of over 1000 and sales of artwork of over 5,000 CYP. The ela,ela artist group successfully raised funds, organised, promoted and managed both art events in Cyprus and is now planning to show across Europe with the first stop being ‘La Viande’ gallery in Shoreditch. London from 1st to 9th September 2007.