Georgia Michaelide Saad

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Silk road iris 1 Iris kirkwoodiae

WELCOME

Georgia Michaelide Saad
My main preoccupation in terms of my work has been for many years the subject of landscape and my experience of nature. It appears that there is a widely – held view that landscape is an anachronism in contemporary painting and not a subject for ‘ serious – minded ‘ artists. I contend that landscape painting is more complex and far- reaching than pleasant and homely views of nature and in the sense that it can extend and renew our experience of the world it remains extremely relevant.

In my landscape representations I have used the form of the fragment ( the paintings are interpretations of fragments of nature ). The fragment , however , relates at the same time to a larger , transcendent reality which gives unity and coherence to the fragments. I believe that this transcendent reality can be grasped more adequately through the use of imagination and intuition and the human capacity for symbolic experiencing . Nature can provide such a symbolic framework .

In my latest work I have focused on the microcosm – close-ups of flowers . As a result of focusing on a single flower and then enlarging it each flower assumes its own separate identity. So, in a sense, these paintings are portraits of flowers. There are strong affinities between this particular body of work and the flower paintings of the great American artist Georgia O’ Keeffe. O’Keeffe has obviously been an influence but my intention was not to copy her work. Any similarities are a result , I think , of a similar empathy with the natural world.

My paintings are primarily expressive of a romantic sensibility and there are also affinities between my work and that of the Romantic painters , particularly Caspar David Friedrich ( in my paintings of the sea and rocks ). The traditions of naturalism and modernism are further influences on my work.

I use traditional materials such as oil paints , brushes and canvas , as I find them suitable to my method of working and I consider them to belong to the craft of painting which is of primary concern to me.

My paintings are ultimately expressive of my attempts to find unity and continuity in a contemporary experience which is characterized by flux and relativity.

CONTACT

My email address: [email protected]

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Born
Limassol, Cyprus . Lived in South Africa ( 1968 – 1996). Returned to Cyprus in 1996 where I have been living since

Education

University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg , Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts ( Painting). ( 1972 – 1976)

University of the Witwatersrand , Johannesburg. Higher Diploma in Education ( postgraduate) for secondary education. ( 1977)

University of South Africa, Pretoria. Master of Arts in Fine Arts ( Painting) (1990 – 1996)

Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol. Master of Arts in History and Theory of Art. (2018-present)

Awards

 Awarded the Robin Aldwinckle Merit Bursary, at the University of South Africa ( 1994). This award is not necessarily awarded each year unless the required standard is met.  

Works in public collections

– Ministry of Education and Culture , Nicosia , Cyprus
– Municipal Art Gallery , Nicosia, Cyprus
– Municipal Art Gallery, Limassol, Cyprus
– The Art Acquisition Department of the National Art Museum of China has acquired my work Iris Bostrensis, Silk Road with which I participated in ” The Silk Road and World’s Civilizations : The 7TH Beijing International Art Biennale , China 2017 ” for the National Art Museum of China.

Works in private collections 

Some of my works are in private collections in South Africa, Cyprus, France, England, Germany, Ireland and Russia.

Publication
Saad, G. 1996.Intimations of infinity: exploring transcendence in landscape painting. MAFA dissertation, University of South Africa, Pretoria.

Publications in which my work appears

– The Silk Road and World Civilizations: The album of the seventh Beijing International Art Biennale, China 2017. Compiled by China Artists Association. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
– Ancient and medieval parallels in contemporary Cypriot art. Copyright for the book: Municipality of Limassol. Copyright for the text: Nadia Anaxagorou.
– 50 Χρόνια ΕΚΑΤΕ. Λευκωσία: bookworm publication.
– Lemesos 2009: Recent Visual Trends and Perspectives. 2009. Limassol. Chamber of Fine Arts Limassol Municipality.
– Enlargement of the European Union: Celebrating accession 2004. 2004 London : International Systems and Communications in association with the European Commisions Directorate – General for Enlargement.
– Cypriot artists of the 3rd Millenium. 2002. Nicosia: Zampelas Art
– A directory of South African contemporary art: Volume 1 painting 1997/1998.1997. Stanford: Contemporary Arts Publishers in Association with Africus Institute for Contemporary art.

Professional Experience
1978 – 2017  Taught  Art at secondary school level at various  schools in South Africa and Cyprus

Membership to organizations
Member of the Board of the Cyprus Chamber of Fine Arts ( EKATE)

Red Iris 110cm x 90cm

BIOGRAPHY

Silk road iris 2 Iris bostrensis

EXHIBITIONS

Exhibitions 

2022 Mysterium Tremendum, solo exhibition, Exhibit8 gallery, Limassol, Cyprus. 

2022 ARTBOX PROJECT Venezia 1.0. Biennale Art Expo, Tana Art, Space, Venice, Italy 

2021 Artworks in Quarantine Time, group show, Nicosia, Cyprus.

2020 Shanghai International Art Fair 2nd Edition, National  Exhibition and Convention Center, Shanghai.

2020 Nomination/Participation in the Global Art Awards

2020 Botanical Online Exhibition, Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA. USA

2020 Art Museum 3D Virtual Gallery: International Interactive Contemporary Art Expo, Queen ArtStudio Gallery, Padua, Italy.

2020 Women of the World 2020, New York City, USA. This exhibition has been postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak 2019-2020 Homage to Georgia O’Keeffe exhibition, Museo Gustavo de Maeztu, Estella-Navarra, Spain.

2019 ARTBOX. PROJECT, Miami 2.0, Miami Artweeks, Miami, Florida 2019 International exhibition of contemporary art, Over the Realms IV Edition, Museo Luigi Bellini, Florence, Italy.

2019  International exhibition of contemporary art, Over the Realms III Edition, La Pigna Gallery, Rome, Italy.

2019  Exposition on the ARTBOX.SCREEN, ARTBOX GALLERY and the art platform ARTSY, Zurich, Switzerland.

2018  Secretum Hortus solo exhibition, Gloria Gallery, Nicosia, Cyprus

2018 Work selected to participate in Confluence’18 (an international artists’ show) – Fifth edition 2018, Galerie Eterne, New Delhi, India. 

2017  The Silk Road and World’s Civilizations: the 7th Beijing International Art Biennale, China,2017, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China. 

2016- 2017 40 Years group show, Gloria Gallery, Nicosia, Cyprus. 

2015 – 2016 Un Seul Grain de Riz group exhibition, International ‘ Small Format ‘ Art Competition & Show, Galerie Metanoia, Paris, France.

2015 Art on Your Plate exhibition, Pegasus Art Foundation, Limassol, Cyprus.

2015 CHEAPART group show, The Trade Event Venue, Limassol, Cyprus.

2015 CHEAPART group show, To Phytorio, Municipal Gardens, Nicosia, Cyprus

2014 Christmas group show at Gloria Gallery,, Nicosia

2014 50 years E.KA.TE group show, Evagoras Lanitis Centre, Limassol

2014 50 years E.KA.TE group show, Famagusta Gate, Nicosia

2014 50 years E.KA.TE gropu show , Municipal Art Gallery,  Larnaca

2014 50 years E.KA.TE group show, Old Powerhouse, Paphos

2014 CHEAPART group show, Zacharias Gallery, Limassol

2013 Christmas group show at Gloria Gallery, Nicosia

2013 Book presentation at Gloria Gallery, Nicosia.The book comprised illustrated Cavafy poems, and I participated with two illustrations.

2012 Works on consignment at Minima Gallery, Mykonos

2012 Group Exhibition at Arthouse 59 Vinaigrette. Limassol

2011 Solo exhibition at Gloria Gallery, Nicosia

2010 Summer Events at the Castle, 50 Years of the Republic of Cyprus Limassol Visual Artists at the Castle, Medieval Castle, Limassol

2009 : Recent Visual Trends and Perspectives, Evagoras Lanitis Centre, Limassol

2009 50 x 50 x 50 group exhibition, Orpheus Gallery, Limassol.

2008 50 x 50 x 50 group exhibition, Orpheus gallery, Limassol.

2007 – 2008 Self – portrait group exhibition, YK : EMX, Nicosia Municipal Arts

2007 Crossfire group exhibition, Melina Mercouri Hall, Nicosia.

2006 Cyprus Green Party group show, Zacharias gallery, Limassol.

2005 Solo exhibition at Orpheus gallery, Limassol.

2005 Solo exhibition at Apocalypse gallery, Nicosia.

2002 Cypriot Painters of the 3rd Millenium group show at Famagusta Gate, Nicosia.

2001 Solo exhibition, Apocalypse gallery, Nicosia.

Exhibitions in South Africa 1996 Solo MAFA exhibition, Visual Arts Building gallery, Harmonie Campus, UNISA, Pretoria.

1995 Kempton Park Fine Arts Awards exhibition, Kempton Park gallery, Kempton Park .

1994 UNISA ( University of South Africa) postgraduate students Show, UNISA gallery, Pretoria.

1991 Art Co – operative group show, de Vignon von Alphen gallery, Knysna .

1990 Wildlife group show, de Vignon von Alphen gallery, Knysna.

1989 New Visions group show, Market gallery, Newtown, Johannesburg.

1986 Gallant House group show,. Johannesburg.

1985 Women’s Festival group show, Natalie Knight gallery, Johannesburg.

1976 BAFA Graduates exhibition , Gertrude Posel gallery, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.