What is art? Art can serve many purposes: it can be used for propaganda purposes, it can have a specific function, or simply be something pleasant to look at. For these reasons, the true purpose and definition of art, set by the artists themselves, lies in the eyes of the beholder. In the case of Cypriot art, when answering the question of what is art, the answers vary from person to person, including which side of the green line one asks the question. Due to Cyprus' location in the Eastern Mediterranean and the events of 1974, the island has become a true "melting pot of civilization and cradle of culture". Many may view art as simply something nice to look at, but for Cyprus, art may be the key to ending the island's division. Suzanne Cotter discusses modern Cypriot art, saying: Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay “while the [artists’] work we saw was therefore not consistent with anything one might dare identify as “Cypriot”… there was a shared concern with content that expressed more or less explicitly the condition of Cyprus, a divided country with a tragically brutal history (the bloody annexation of the north of the country by Turkish troops in 1974). the setting and the story. This is prevalent in modern art from Cyprus, an island with a long history of unrest and an unstable environment. Cyrus' modern art was influenced by ancient art, impacted by the events of 1974, and is the key to answering the question of who the true inhabitants of Cyprus are. Essentially, the discovery of the island's first inhabitants gives the island's current residents hope for a future without the Green Line, and art can lead us to those answers. The Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods are the first periods when human habitation was discovered. During these periods, “in addition to cooking tools and utensils…Cypriots produced works of art, either in connection with religious rituals or simply for their own sake.” Most stone sculptures from this period were made of andesite and later of raw clay. Of all the works of art from this period, “the best-known artistic production…is that of small soapstone [or steatite] figures.” These figures have “flat outstretched arms, a long neck and legs separated by a vertical groove… they have a “necklace” around their neck, with a pendant in the shape of a cruciform ideal. The “necklace” worn by the soapstone figure, like those of other Chalcolithic necklaces, is used in tombs as a gift for the dead; which represents the idea of ​​an afterlife in Cypriot culture. The idea of ​​the afterlife is also used in Egyptian culture, which may lead to the idea that the first inhabitants of Cyprus were of Egyptian origin. Another art form that supports this suggestion is the depiction of fertility gods and goddesses in terracotta; similar to early Egyptian fertility gods and goddesses. At the end of the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods, the Bronze Age begins. Karageorghis noted that "the first phase of the [Bronze Age] is characterized by...polished red pottery...[mainly] vases [which] were generally labeled as ritual vessels, but in these they are probably the creations of a potter who wanted to create extraordinary shapes to impress his clients. As in the Chalcolithic period, fertility also dominated in the Early Bronze Age. We could deduce that the need for more people,of animals and plants for Cypriot culture to develop provoked the passion for fertility icons. Another art form that dictates this period is scenes from everyday life. These scenes from daily life depict humans "cultivating the land to produce food [which at that time] was at a very advanced cultural stage... such models... are also known in Egypt." As the Bronze Age continued, "many styles of experimental ceramics were produced", such as "white painted pottery [and] all kinds of geometric designs." As Cypriot culture progressed to By the end of the Bronze Age, more and more non-Cypriot art was being introduced to the island's inhabitants. This is not surprising given the geographical location and trade of Cypriot art. acquired many influences through works of art such as "the so-called Tell-el-Yahadiya [which was] imported from Egypt. Another important step acquired by other cultures is the existence of". 'a script related to Linear A of Crete known as the Cyro-Minoan script. Additionally, advances in mediums such as the use of ivory to make pipes, plaques, mirror handles, etc. were common at this time. Besides Egyptian influences on Cyprus and vice versa, it is also important to recognize "the effect of Cypriot art on Greece itself". Although no Cypriot pottery has so far been found in the Attica region, we have observed that a number of changes in its ceramic style occurred between 1075 and 1050 BC, both in the form as well as in decoration… introduced into Attica by the Cypriots. The next advancements in Cypriot culture took place during the Iron Age. The Iron Age gave rise to a style of geometric pottery called Cyro-Geometric. Most of the items found in the tombs appear to be gifts, which is again similar to Egyptian culture. The Iron Age transformed into the Aracaic period with “the rise of the Assyrians as a new political power in the Middle East”. Soon after "the Egyptians replaced the Assyrians in the hegemony of the Near East... [Cypriot] artists opposed Egyptian influences by developing Greek artistic styles." Similar bronze artworks found in Cyprus have also been discovered in Greece. Even though Cypriot artists rebelled against Egyptian influences, votive offerings found in Cypriot shrines resemble the same ideas as Egyptian votive offerings. Another difference from Greek influences was the combination of human torsos and animal bodies; very similar to Egyptian ideals. Karageorghis states that “Bronze statues are rare, but Cyprus produced one of the most striking and best known: a life-size representation of the Emperor Septimius Severus. The artist decided to show him naked and athletic. This choice was more influenced by the Greeks and less by the Egyptians who traditionally show dressed characters. The flip-flop between Greek and Egyptian influences continued throughout the 6th century BC and finally ended when Cyprus came under Roman rule. The Romans influenced many mosaics and gave way to subsequent Cypriot influence; Christianity. Many temples, public buildings and towns were destroyed by two earthquakes in 332 and 342 AD. This gave rise to the advent of Christianity and splendid basilicas. Throughout seven thousand years of ancient Cypriot art, many artifacts have been able to be used to discover who the true first inhabitants of Cyprus were. Among the manyEgyptian and Greek influences, one could deduce that Cyprus is in fact a real “melting pot” given its geographical location and excessive trade. The ancient art of Cyprus can not only help us establish who the first true inhabitants of the island were, but also reveals why modern art in Cyprus is the way it is. Modern or contemporary Cypriot art, however, differs between the North and the South due to the event of 1974. What happened in 1974 to cause this division in the country and a separation of the arts? Hostility, anger, resentment… the list of words to describe the mutual feelings of North Cyprus and South Cyprus is endless. On July 15, 1974, Nikos Sampson took power, and upon hearing the news, Turkey immediately took action, knowing Sampson's reputation for violence against Turkish Cypriots. Five days later, out of fear of the Turkish Cypriots, Turkish troops landed in the hope of holding northern Nicosia. The end result is the Green Line. This divides the island of Cyprus in two, the North being controlled by Turkish Cypriots, the South being controlled by Greek Cypriots. The North is extremely handicapped, with virtually no running water or electricity and no economic system to support its population. On the contrary, the South is economically stable and has a great tourist attraction. With no solution in sight, the two groups continue to live their daily lives with two different cultures, two different religions, even speaking two different languages. These differences are illustrated in the artwork of both groups. There is no distinct form that qualifies as “Cypriot” art. This may be explained by the fact that “there are no art schools in Cyprus”. Most Cypriot artists travel on board for formal training in fine arts. For Greek Cypriots living in the South, there are many arts support programs and groups. For example, “the Artrageous group was formed by three Cypriot artists with the aim of creating a socio-political manifestation focused on the role of the artist as an agent of public awareness who nevertheless experiments in a contemporary artistic context” . The group is heavily influenced by the status of the country and states: "What is common in the work of [Klitsa Antoniou, Panayiotis Michael and Melita Couta] is the way they balance the impact of the socio-cultural context of their country with the weight of the international contemporary art scene, to the extent that both influence them, and how these two influences relate to their cultural identity. The work of these artists embodies cultural and political issues relevant to their country of origin, which help to identify characteristics in the artist's work that document a shared regional aesthetic and conceptual affinity. » The Artregrous group is paving the way for other artists seeking to express their discontent with the status of Cyprus through their art. Another program that opens the door to Cypriot artists is the ARTos Foundation which was “established in order to create a dynamic cultural presence in Cyprus and abroad by developing initiatives and participating in local, regional and international collaborations and programs in the fields of culture. and, particularly, in those of arts and letters, modern creativity, research, sciences and the environment. What are the differences between northern and southern Cypriot art? The only Northern Cypriot artist to exhibit his work at the “Coffee Break” conference was Sarep Kanay. Unfortunately, the only mention of him online is in Suzann's curator's diary..