An unusual museum has been opened in the picturesque village of Mazotos, located about 20 km from Larnaca.
The exhibition consists of works by Cypriot sculptor Costas Argyrou, famous for his naive art.
The official opening of the museum took place on November 11, 2023. It was attended by local officials, relatives of the sculptor and even representatives of the Ministry of Culture of Cyprus.
It should be noted that the construction of the museum building lasted a long time. The architectural project was developed by the sculptor himself, who, unfortunately, never saw the result of his efforts, as he died long before the completion of the construction. It is interesting that externally the building resembles a church, as it was originally built as a temple.
There are several halls in the museum of Costas Argyrou, where sculptures of different sizes and themes are displayed. The main idea behind the foundation of the new museum is to show the creativity acquired by a non-professional author as a result of his labors and on the slope of years, the gift of joy, truth and simplicity given to the viewers and the gift as a form of creation and a way of existence of the museum for all times.
Costas Argyrou was born in 1917 to a peasant family in the village of Mazotos. After seven grades of school, he started farming and herding cattle. Later he founded his own oil mill, started mining rocks, selling sand and gravel mix, and caring for metal objects.
He became interested in art when he was 52 years old. The impulse was triggered by a visit to the archaeological museum in Larnaca. Ancient Cypriot statuettes made a lasting impression on the farmer. He began to try his skills working in stone and wood, experimenting with mosaics and painting. At first, he held private exhibitions and participated in group exhibitions in Cyprus and abroad. Then he decided to build a museum in Mazotos to exhibit his works.
For reference: Insitic (naive) art is one of the directions of primitivism. It is when self-taught artists make amazingly expressive paintings, graphics, wood carvings, and sculptures.
The Costas Argirou Museum is open to the public from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, and admission is free.
