By Bejay Browne.
A renowned Paphos based artist has created a series of stunning birds which symbolise hope, peace and freedom during difficult times, and placed them in her garden.
The birds, pigeons and doves, are all individual and created by Yiota Ioannidou, who has a number of popular sculptures placed around Paphos.
For the first two weeks of the coronavirus crisis, the artist was ‘blocked’ and unable to work.
“I had all of the freedom to do so but I, like many others, was shocked at what was happening. The media was full of people suffering and dying from this terrible virus all around the world. After two weeks, I turned off the TV and I haven’t switched it on since.” the artist told the Paphos Post.
Instead, she found solace in her studio and began to work. Ioannidou was inspired by the plethora of birds that visited her own garden.
“I was sitting on my veranda one day and realised that there were so many birds in my yard and I thought how beautiful they are. I didn’t have any materials as all of the shops are closed, and so, for the first time, I decided to make them using papier mache. I used a lot of newspaper and while everyone else was making flaounas, I was making birds.” she said.
The artist said that using papier mache involves a lot of work, but that she now has plenty of time available. She created 22 individual and unique birds using this medium and painted them.
Ioannidou then decided to make a further 22, but this time in ceramic. A friend, who is also an artist, left her a bag of clay to use.
“I haven’t fired them in the kiln yet, they are drying out at the moment, so I’m not yet sure how they will turn out. I’m looking forward to creating all different colours and textures,” she said.
The birds in her latest work symbolise hope, peace and freedom.
The popular artist has a number of stunning public art pieces which are found in Paphos, ‘The Circle’, is the fourth sculptural composition by Ioannidou, The girl with a sparrow, The Little Fisher Boy and Sol Alter, a homage to Aphrodite, all attract hundreds of visitors.
Another of her sculptures is found in Argaka and honours rural mothers.
“I haven’t thought what I will do with the birds when the restrictions are lifted. I am enjoying creating them at the moment. I work a lot now, many hours as I have plenty of time. I find it therapeutic, all art has the power to do that. When I am working, I don’t think about anything else,” she said.
Ioannidou said she will keep creating the birds until the end of the pandemic.
