Loukia Nicolaidou (Greek: Λουκία Νικολαΐδου-Βασιλείου, 1909–1994) was the first Cypriot woman to study art abroad and is considered a pioneer for women professional artists in Cyprus. Her painting The Good Fruit of the Earth is part of the collections of the State Gallery of Contemporary Cypriot Art.
Loukia Nicolaidou was born in 1909 to a wealthy family in Limassol. After graduating from the School of Foreign and Greek Languages, she began a correspondence course with the ABC School in Paris. Encouraged by the painter Vasilis Vryonidis, she made the unusual decision to go abroad to study. At the time, women were not typically engaged in professions, as the expectation was that their role was that of wife and mother. She enrolled in 1929 at the Académie Colarossi, where she spent one year before Konstantinos Dimitriadis, helped her enroll in the École Nationale des Beaux-Arts. One of the painters with whom she studied was Lucien Simon, who would influence her works. Graduating in 1933, she returned to Cyprus.[1]
Career
Nicolaidou hosted her first solo exhibition in 1934, in Nicosia and Limassol, but the public response was unfavorable to her modern tendencies.[1][2] Works painted by Nicolaidou between 1929 and 1933, during her schooling tended to embrace European ideals and focus on the female body and sexuality.[2] Upon her return to Cyprus, her work continued to explore women's form, but did so in a more primitive style, reminiscent of Paul Gauguin. Her palate shifted to warmer hues and her figures took on a more exotic appearance, with darker skin tones and hair.[3] Her chosen subject matter challenged the traditional depictions of women, as domestic mothers and wives, in Cypriot art, portraying them instead as educated and liberated members of a cosmopolitan and progressive society.[4][5] As one of the few Cypriot painters of her period who painted nudes, Nicolaidou's works are unique, in that they did not focus on women as objects of desire, but instead, her subjects are defiant, tend to ignore the viewer rather than engaging with the audience, and are typically monumental in size.[3][6] Other themes present in her works include scenes of every day life and landscapes.[1]
After hosting other solo shows in 1935 and 1936,[2] with lukewarm reception from the public, Nicolaidou moved to London in 1937, where and older sister was living.[1] Like many other Cypriot women artists, moving abroad in a self-exile, allowed Nicolaidou to pursue a career in art, out from under the patriarchal restrictions of society in her homeland.[7] In England, her works became more expressive with a focus on geometrical shapes, influenced by Picasso.[1] In 1939, she participated in a group exhibition for which she received acclaim. That same year, she married, Ioannis Vassiliou, a ship owner from Hermoupolis and withdrew from public exhibitions, focusing on raising a family.[8] Her works were largely forgotten in Cyprus until 1992, when art historian Eleni Nikita published a biography of her and restored Nicalaidou's pioneering role as an artist at a time when the profession excluded women.[5]
Death and legacy
Nicolaidou died in London in 1994.[1] She is remembered as one of the pioneers of modern art in Cyprus and her works are held in the State Gallery of Contemporary Art (Greek: Κρατική Πινακοθήκη Σύγχρονης Τέχνης) in Nicosia "that is informally referred to as the Fathers section".[2] She also has works in the collections of Bank of Cyprus and in the art gallery of the Municipal Bank of Limassol.[1]
Λάμπρου, Γιώργος (2014). Ομοερωτισμοσ Στην Τεχνη: Απο Τον Μοντερνισμο Στον Μεταμοντερνισμού, Και Η Περιπτωση Τησ Κυπρου [Homologation In Art: From Modernism to Postmodernism, And The Case of Cyprus] (PDF) (PhD) (in Greek). Limassol, Cyprus: Technological University of Cyprus. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
Πετρίδης, Παναγιώτης, ed. (2016). "Λουκια Νικολαϊδου-Βασιλειου (1909-1994)". έργα Κυπρίων καλλιτεχνών [Works by Cypriot Artists: Nikolaidou-Vasileious Loukia (1909–1994)] (PDF) (in Greek). Cyprus: Υπουργείου Παιδείας και Πολιτισμού, Παιδαγωγικό Ινστιτούτο. ISBN978-9963-0-1580-1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 October 2018.
Photiou, Maria (2012). "Who Are We, Where Do We Come From, Where Are We Going To?: Greek Cypriot Women Artists in Contemporary Cyprus" (PDF). Women's Studies. 41 (8): 941–958. doi:10.1080/00497878.2012.718691. ISSN 0049-7878. S2CID 54690353. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
"Loukia Nicolaidou-Vassiliou". Cyprus To-day. Nicosia, Cyprus: Public Information Office, Ministry of the Interior. 30: 43–56. 1991.
Further reading
Nikita, Eleni S. (2002). Cypriot Artists: Loukia Nicolaidou-Vasiliou, 1909–1994. Cypriot Artists: The First Generation. Vol. 10. Nicosia, Cyprus: Cultural Centre Laiki Group. ISBN978-9-96342-246-3.
January 31, 2023
loukia, nicolaidou, greek, Λουκία, Νικολαΐδου, Βασιλείου, 1909, 1994, first, cypriot, woman, study, abroad, considered, pioneer, women, professional, artists, cyprus, painting, good, fruit, earth, part, collections, state, gallery, contemporary, cypriot, Λουκί. Loukia Nicolaidou Greek Loykia Nikolaidoy Basileioy 1909 1994 was the first Cypriot woman to study art abroad and is considered a pioneer for women professional artists in Cyprus Her painting The Good Fruit of the Earth is part of the collections of the State Gallery of Contemporary Cypriot Art Loukia NicolaidouLoykia Nikolaidoy BasileioyBorn1909 1909 Limassol CyprusDied1994 aged 84 85 London EnglandNationalityCypriotOther namesLoukia Nicolaidou Vassiliou Lucia Nikolaidou VassiliouOccupation s artist painterYears active1929 1939 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Death and legacy 4 References 4 1 Citations 4 2 Bibliography 5 Further readingEarly life EditLoukia Nicolaidou was born in 1909 to a wealthy family in Limassol After graduating from the School of Foreign and Greek Languages she began a correspondence course with the ABC School in Paris Encouraged by the painter Vasilis Vryonidis she made the unusual decision to go abroad to study At the time women were not typically engaged in professions as the expectation was that their role was that of wife and mother She enrolled in 1929 at the Academie Colarossi where she spent one year before Konstantinos Dimitriadis helped her enroll in the Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts One of the painters with whom she studied was Lucien Simon who would influence her works Graduating in 1933 she returned to Cyprus 1 Career EditNicolaidou hosted her first solo exhibition in 1934 in Nicosia and Limassol but the public response was unfavorable to her modern tendencies 1 2 Works painted by Nicolaidou between 1929 and 1933 during her schooling tended to embrace European ideals and focus on the female body and sexuality 2 Upon her return to Cyprus her work continued to explore women s form but did so in a more primitive style reminiscent of Paul Gauguin Her palate shifted to warmer hues and her figures took on a more exotic appearance with darker skin tones and hair 3 Her chosen subject matter challenged the traditional depictions of women as domestic mothers and wives in Cypriot art portraying them instead as educated and liberated members of a cosmopolitan and progressive society 4 5 As one of the few Cypriot painters of her period who painted nudes Nicolaidou s works are unique in that they did not focus on women as objects of desire but instead her subjects are defiant tend to ignore the viewer rather than engaging with the audience and are typically monumental in size 3 6 Other themes present in her works include scenes of every day life and landscapes 1 After hosting other solo shows in 1935 and 1936 2 with lukewarm reception from the public Nicolaidou moved to London in 1937 where and older sister was living 1 Like many other Cypriot women artists moving abroad in a self exile allowed Nicolaidou to pursue a career in art out from under the patriarchal restrictions of society in her homeland 7 In England her works became more expressive with a focus on geometrical shapes influenced by Picasso 1 In 1939 she participated in a group exhibition for which she received acclaim That same year she married Ioannis Vassiliou a ship owner from Hermoupolis and withdrew from public exhibitions focusing on raising a family 8 Her works were largely forgotten in Cyprus until 1992 when art historian Eleni Nikita published a biography of her and restored Nicalaidou s pioneering role as an artist at a time when the profession excluded women 5 Death and legacy EditNicolaidou died in London in 1994 1 She is remembered as one of the pioneers of modern art in Cyprus and her works are held in the State Gallery of Contemporary Art Greek Kratikh Pinako8hkh Sygxronhs Texnhs in Nicosia that is informally referred to as the Fathers section 2 She also has works in the collections of Bank of Cyprus and in the art gallery of the Municipal Bank of Limassol 1 References EditCitations Edit a b c d e f g Petridhs 2016 p 24 a b c d Meecham 2017 p 482 a b Meecham 2017 p 483 Meecham 2017 p 484 a b Photiou 2012 p 943 Lamproy 2014 pp 44 45 Photiou 2012 pp 943 944 Cyprus To day 1991 pp 46 47 Bibliography Edit Lamproy Giwrgos 2014 Omoerwtismos Sthn Texnh Apo Ton Monternismo Ston Metamonternismoy Kai H Periptwsh Ths Kyproy Homologation In Art From Modernism to Postmodernism And The Case of Cyprus PDF PhD in Greek Limassol Cyprus Technological University of Cyprus Archived PDF from the original on 3 October 2018 Retrieved 3 October 2018 Meecham Pam ed 2017 A Companion to Modern Art Hoboken New Jersey Wiley Blackwell ISBN 978 1 118 63980 1 Petridhs Panagiwths ed 2016 Loykia Nikolaidoy Basileioy 1909 1994 erga Kypriwn kallitexnwn Works by Cypriot Artists Nikolaidou Vasileious Loukia 1909 1994 PDF in Greek Cyprus Ypoyrgeioy Paideias kai Politismoy Paidagwgiko Institoyto ISBN 978 9963 0 1580 1 Archived from the original PDF on 2 October 2018 Photiou Maria 2012 Who Are We Where Do We Come From Where Are We Going To Greek Cypriot Women Artists in Contemporary Cyprus PDF Women s Studies 41 8 941 958 doi 10 1080 00497878 2012 718691 ISSN 0049 7878 S2CID 54690353 Retrieved 3 October 2018 Loukia Nicolaidou Vassiliou Cyprus To day Nicosia Cyprus Public Information Office Ministry of the Interior 30 43 56 1991 Further reading EditNikita Eleni S 2002 Cypriot Artists Loukia Nicolaidou Vasiliou 1909 1994 Cypriot Artists The First Generation Vol 10 Nicosia Cyprus Cultural Centre Laiki Group ISBN 978 9 96342 246 3 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Loukia Nicolaidou amp oldid 1112090230, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
