Costas Joachim at the 7^th International Biennale of Florence Dec 2009

Cyprus Artist Costas Joachim will exhibit his latest work at the
7^th International Biennale of Contemporary Art in Florence, Italy
opening on 5^th December.

Costas Joachim, who has lived and worked in Cyprus for many years, has been selected by the Internal Committee of the International Biennale of Contemporary Art, Florence, to participate in the 7^th International Biennale of Florence which will be held in the historic Fortezza da Basso Conference Centre, from 5th to 13^th December.

The Biennale in collaboration with the United Nations, officially participates in the ‘Dialogue Between Civilizations’ program, putting into practice the thoughts expressed by former UN Secretary General. The Biennale is honoured to have the High Patronage of the President of the Italian Republic, the official endorsements of the Ministry of Culture, the Region of Tuscany, and the Province and City of Florence.

The 2009 Biennale has selected artists within the categories of painting – in which Costas Joachim will participate; also sculpture, graphics, mixed media, installations, photography and digital art.

According to views expressed by the organisers and many participants, the Biennale is most democratic and favours the meeting of artists from all over the world who gather together in Florence for this event to exchange ideas, with art as the common language.

The works on show in this exhibition can be characterised as a ‘dialogue with the canvas surface’. On the surface of the canvas, the concepts and ideas are subject to congestion, economy of means, abstraction and initiative creation of the Visual Image.

This is a continuous ‘Dialogue with the Surface’

‘His style is personal and without references to other painting… The world of Costas Joachim is particular and unique, it captures with its lyrical character and pushes the imagination into unknown virgin paths. Joachim echoes the inner beat of his heart and his sensations. …Joachim’s sensuous temperament is expressed by the enhancing of colour and shape inspired directly from nature. This is a type of work which demands an intimate participation by the viewer, through the abandoning of oneself to the pleasure of vision.’

Tony Spiteris, General Secretary AICA

The basic characteristic of the painting of Costas Joachim is the emphasis on the flowing kinetic freely drawn shapes, the limited colour, the combination of the calligraphic line and strong composition. In several examples of his work, the fine graphic quality and the emphasis on free-moving forms, give a wonderful poetic and dreamlike content to his paintings. Vibrating surfaces, dialogues between colour and space, forms which develop with unlimited expansion over a white depth, give a rich expressive voice to his works and, moreover, a secret charm.’

 Chrysanthos Christou, art historian and lecturer at the University of Bonn and the University of Salonica.