Thousands of pieces of art in the state collection

The State Collection currently has 4,480 works of art by Cypriot artists, 61 of which were acquired in 2023 and 72 in 2024, Petros Dymiotis, Cultural Officer of the Visual Arts Sector of the Department of Contemporary Culture, has told the Cyprus News Agency (CNA).

Asked about the presence of works of art by Cypriot artists in the country’s public buildings, Dymiotis explained that two distinct procedures are followed, the enrichment of buildings with works of art and the purchase of works of art.

Each procedure is governed by its own criteria, while special committees are established to carry out the procedures, he said.

Regarding the origin of the works of art, the official of the Deputy Ministry of Culture pointed out that these are purchased both from solo exhibitions of artists and from their workshops.

Replying to a question about the criteria purchases are based on, Dymiotis noted that the main criteria for purchasing a work of art are meeting the needs of the State Collection and the importance of the work in the development of Cypriot art.

Dymiotis said that the State Collection currently has 4,480 works, adding that 61 works were acquired in 2023, while 72 works were acquired in 2024, based on data from the Register of Works of Art kept at the State Gallery of Contemporary Cyprus Art.

He added that a very small number of the works of art purchased are placed in buildings with the aim of promoting contemporary Cypriot art, noting that some of them are in the embassies of the Republic of Cyprus abroad, while others are given on loan to decorate the offices of officials (e.g. Ministers or Ministry Permanent Secretaries). He also noted that in several cases the officials choose the works to be placed in their offices, adding that they usually choose paintings or sculptures.

Most of the works of art that are not exhibited are stored in the warehouse of the State Gallery, which is a space suitable for storage in special conditions, while a small number are in the ‘Majestic’ branch of the State Gallery, he concluded.