Evdeki Müze

24 May 2021

Paphos sun

Terry Frost (1915-2003), 'Paphos Sun Series', 1984, Collection of Costas and Rita Severis Foundation

1. Paphos sun - museum at home - PNT-00255_Terry_Frost_Paphos_Sun_Series.jpg

Sir Terry Frost is a very well-known British artist whose paintings can be found in the most famous art museums around the world. Frost came to Cyprus after 1974 invited by his friend, the Cypriot artist Stass Paraskos and taught for some time at the Cyprus College of Art, in the village of Lemba in Paphos. The artist was charmed by the hot summer sun of Paphos and made a series of paintings under this title.

Activity one: Visually moving along the painting

In the centre of the painting, there is a big hot sun.

Observe the colours and think:

  • Where was the artist when he saw the sun?
  • What is the time of the day in the painting?
  • What mood was the artist in as he was painting?
  • What does this painting make you feel?

The brushstrokes and the shapes of the painting give the impression of a continuous movement along the canvas.

Release yourself in the sounds of a calm music melody, ask someone to read to you the instructions below and move as if you are part of the painting:

  • You are the bright blue brushstroke! Spread your hands and move your torso and hands like the waves.
  • You are the red, hot sun. Lift up your hands, form a circle and rotate slowly around yourself.
  • Now the sun goes to sleep. With your hands lifted up, bend slowly your legs and sit on them. Then slowly stand up on your previous position.
  • The sun transforms into a colourful, spring flower. Lift up your hands and spread them slowly like the petals of a blossoming bud.
  • Like flower petals taken by the wind, listen to the music and move freely all around.
  • You are the light blue, yellow and red brushstrokes on the bottom of the painting. Try to imitate the sea with sounds and movements.

Activity two: Shapes and colours

Observe carefully the composition of the artist:

  • Which shapes do you recognise?
  • Which colours can you name?
  • Which is your favourite colour in this painting?

Do you like collage? Follow the instructions and make your own composition with the shapes of the painting.

  • Download the file HERE and print it out.
  • Using your scissors cut carefully the shapes.
  • Take plain paper and glue the shapes as you like.
  • Colour your compositions with colours of your choice.

Send us a photo of your creation at education@severis.org with the title ‘Museum at Home’

Activity three: The sun dresses-up

Frost’s sun, with the colours and brushstrokes, feels like is being transformed into something else.

  • Think of three things that the painting’s sun resembles

This transformation reminds us of carnival when we dress-up, wearing different costumes and masks!

Did you know…

People like dressing-up so we can find this custom in festivals around the world from antiquity to today. In Cyprus dressing up and celebrating follow the customs of Carnival that starts on Tsiknopempti (Lent), a few days before the fasting period leading up to Easter.

In the photo below you can see children in dress-up in Cyprus in the mid 20th century, around seventy years ago.

2. Paphos sun - museum at home  pht_042760.jpg

The photograph is black and white so we don’t really know the colours of the children’s costumes.

  • What colour do you think is each costume?
  • What shapes can you recognise on their costumes?
  • If you wore this costume, what colour would you choose?
  • What would you like to ask the children in the photo if you could talk to them?

Activity four: Pierrot

The children in the photograph are dressed as Pierrots.

Did you know…

Pierrot was a well-known character of the old Italian comedy Commedia del’ Arte along with the Harlequin and Columbine. Pierrot who used to be called Pedrolino was usually a poor suffering servant, honest and honourable. He was wearing a loose costume with big buttons and he had a sad face.

Listen to the story of a Pierrot HERE, by Maro Theodoraki (in Greek)

Challenge

The challenge for this week is to celebrate your own crazy carnival at home! Dress up like ‘pellomaskes’, which means you can wear anything you can think of or even your clothes inside down, put on some music and start dancing!

Did you know…

‘Pellomaskes’ is a custom of the Cypriot carnival. In the old days people used to dress-up wearing colourful rags and other unexpected objects, they were visiting neighbouring houses without revealing their identity, they enjoyed their treat and they had fun all together in the streets.

Let’s go to the museum

Sometimes for carnival, we choose to wear costumes from previous times. Did you know that CVAR owns a very big collection of costumes from the 18th to the 20th century? In the exhibition space, you can find dresses, coats, hats, shoes and other relevant objects from another time. So come to them museum and start discovering this very interesting collection!

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