Marios Stavrou

Impact Narrative

Mario is from the island of Cyprus.   He wrote the following and was awarded 3 books. “I became aware of the fragility of the environment and our island very early. After living abroad for the past 11 years and recently having come back to Cyprus, it is even more noticable to me how far behind we are in environmental matters.It has always felt like a struggle as it only feels a handful of people here are sensitive or conscious about such problems here and around the world. Since the “crisis” hit a couple of years ago, such matters are of even less importance in peoples eyes, as money and survival are the priority.

As an artist and maker I try and show that such issues need to be addressed. I tend to only work with materials that I reclaim from the streets and boat yards, scrap yards, skips,etc.; even the paint I use is often what I find. I believe that in this way I can engage with people in an easier and more explicit way that they will understand. In my paintings my theme is the sea and its creatures, often painting fish, jelly fish and whales.

I would therefore like to use these books when exhibiting my work in solo or in collective exhibitions, at music festivals and even at local photography centres on the island.”

Marios’ work can be seen at the following websites:
furniture: http://nawenad.tumblr.com/
painting: http://opsis-things.tumblr.com/
photgraphy: http://itsonlymonday.weebly.com/humans-traces.html