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Costas Joachim was born in
Bellapais Kyrenia, Cyprus. He studied art at Bath Academy or Art in Corsham,
UK, and the University of Bristol, from 1960, with specialisation in
painting, sculpture and visual perception. He also specialized in art
education.
In 1963 he was awarded the
Degree of Fine Arts and Education from the University of Bristol and in
1975, he received the Certificate of Fine Art of the School of Fine Arts of
the Polytechnic in Athens. In 1981 he received the Diploma of Post Graduate
Studies in aesthetics and history of art, at Byam Shaw and Chelsea College
of Art, London.
Costas Joachim has held 15
one-man shows in Cyprus and Germany, and has taken part in numerous group
exhibitions in Cyprus and Germany, and has taken part in numerous group
exhibitions in Cyprus and abroad - in Berlin, Munich, Los Angeles, Paris,
Montecatini, Hamburg, Athens and London. He has participated, representing
Cyprus in the following International Exhibitions:
1968 34th Biennale
of Venice
1969 Contemporary Painting
Montecatini Italy
1969 10th Bienale of
Sao Paolo, Brazil
1970 Contemporary Art
Commonwealth Institute London
1971 Triennale of New Delhi,
India
1971 Bienale of Young Artists
Paris
1971 Competition 'Jouez sur
deux tableaux' Paris
1974 Contemporary Art, Hamburg
1975 Contemporary Graphics,
London
1979 Contemporarty Art,
Salonica
Comments by Art Critics on the
work of Costas Joachim
'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 sensation. 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 paintings of Costas
Joachim are lyrical and elaborate in their delicate compositions, which
refer to the landscape and heritage of the mediteranean island, the
mountains, coast, sea and sky. In the paintings there is a transformation of
an impression of nature to a graphic formula. The paintings seemingly say
little about a realistic picture of the island, but evident in the colours
there is a direct expression of it.'
Die Welt, Exhibition at Europa
Gallery, W. Berlin
'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 this work, the fine graphic
quality and the emphasis on free-moving froms, 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.
'Costas Joachim's swirling
fluid paintings, based on mythological themes, blend the abstract and
figurative in a highly individual manner, with their references to the
landscapes of Greece and the rocks and coastline of Cyprus…'
Richard Le Fanu, director,
British Council
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