THERE IS AN ISLAND III – Official Opening

The Cultural Section of the Cyprus High Commission in London is pleased to present the official opening of THERE IS AN ISLAND III, the third edition of a growing exhibition series that has now established itself as a recurring cultural platform at Cyprus House.

Curated by the Cultural Section of the Cyprus High Commission, THERE IS AN ISLAND III brings together 21 British Cypriot artists living and working in the United Kingdom, offering a rich, multi-voiced exploration of Cyprus through contemporary artistic practice. Painting, photography, ceramics, textiles, sound, poetry and mixed media come together to form a shared narrative shaped by memory, everyday life, identity and belonging.

The exhibition unfolds around three thematic pillars that guide Cyprus’s cultural programme in 2026: women, everyday life, and Cyprus as a bridge and crossroads of the Mediterranean. Cyprus is presented not only as a geographical place, but as a lived experience — a site of encounter, exchange and transformation, shaped by histories of movement, coexistence and resilience.

As visitors move through the exhibition, they encounter landscapes of Cyprus, fragments of the Cypriot lira, textiles, and photographic traces of places across the island, including its occupied areas. These works speak of continuity and loss, intimacy and displacement, and the ways culture is carried across borders and generations. In a dedicated space, British Cypriot women artists reflect on womanhood — how women see themselves, represent themselves, and are seen through the eyes of others. The exhibition then opens onto a more abstract, contemporary visual language, forming a conceptual bridge from one island to another, from memory to modernity.

The exhibition brings together artists shaped by different journeys and lived experiences, working side by side within the same space. This plurality of voices lies at the heart of THERE IS AN ISLAND III, where culture becomes a shared language — creating common ground and allowing dialogue to continue, quietly and persistently.

The exhibition is dedicated to the memory of the late President of the Republic of Cyprus, Giorgos Vasileiou, whose lifelong commitment to dialogue, reconciliation and openness resonates deeply with the spirit of the exhibition and its emphasis on bridges rather than borders.

With this third edition, THERE IS AN ISLAND evolves beyond a single exhibition into a long-term institutional framework. Over the coming months, the exhibition will host curated tours, workshops, performances and parallel events, becoming a living set design for a wide range of cultural encounters at Cyprus House.

Participating Artists (alphabetical order):

Alev Adil

Alexis Andreou

Mustafa Afsaroglu

Theo P. Brooks

Maria Sophia Christodoulou

Marina Emphietzi

Ioanna Georgiou

Enver Gürsev

Mehmet Hassan

Hamit Uçok

Katerina Joannou

Irene Kattou

Mikaela Mousicos

Kika Pierides

Celia Potoudis Macpherson

Arabella Ross

Mary Spence

Mary Spyrou

Arabella Thompson

Sibel Yenagrali

Gültekin Uzuner

The official opening marks the beginning of a five-month programme of events and invites audiences to experience THERE IS AN ISLAND III not as a static exhibition, but as an evolving cultural space — one that continues to grow through conversation, presence and participation.