Panayiotis Michael was born in Nicosia in 1966. He studied graphic arts at the V.I. Surikov Moscow State Academic Art Institute (BA, MFA) and fine arts at Queens College in New York (MFA). He is currently an Associate Professor and Vice-Dean of the Department of Arts and Communication at Frederick University, Nicosia, where he also served as Head of Department between January and October 2019.
Michael foregrounds his research and artistic interests in the factors, phenomena and documentation of transitional periods as a process of constructing identity. Concepts accentuated by the recent history of Cyprus shine through in his work, such as the ephemeral nature of space and identity, remembrance, belonging, linguistic expression, socio-political ideologies, performative culture, and the way in which these aspects relate to space and place. Migration and the emotional, social and political processes of the adjustments brought about by a change in environment are another key interest.
More recently, newspaper clippings and archiving have become an important part of Michael’s artistic approach. As part of a long-term process of collating and classifying both national and international news stories, Michael collected ‘future memories’ – little narratives that would otherwise be lost in the greater scheme of history. This anticipatory process of remembrance renders the temporality of history abstract, as the forgotten or unremarkable past is represented, highlighting everything we gloss over or forget. In Phileleftheros and Haravgi, the artist uses Greek and Turkish newspaper clippings from the first round of reunification negotiations (2015–2016) that took place between the respective leaders of the two communities. In order to be selected, the articles had to feature a photograph of the two leaders side-by-side.
These considerations are extended to his sculptural work through a more direct spatial reflection. The unveiling of monuments evoke emotions and memories of specific spaces, becoming deeply embedded. Panayiotis seeks to explore these manufactured legacies.
The artist represented Cyprus at the Venice Biennale in 2005, the Alexandria Biennale in 1999 and the Rijeka Biennale in 1997. He also participated in the e v + a Limerick Biennale in 2006. Key contributions include Roaming Images (Thessaloniki Biennale, 2011) and Occupation: Unknown, Manifesta Coffee Break, Liverpool Biennale 2004. He is a co-founder of the ‘pick nick’ art group. He was artist in residence at the Point Centre for Contemporary Art, Nicosia; the Embassy of Foreign Artists, Geneva; Capacete, Rio de Janeiro; the Helsinki International Artist Programme; Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin; the Apartment Project, Istanbul; and Herliya Artists’ Residence, Israel. Recent publications include Symphonic Node, a Book of Small Things and Dandilands.
