Artist: Theodoros Vasiliou
Location: Palaichori Orinis entrance. Nicosia district.
Dimensions: 159 cm x 111 cm x 159 cm the pedestal
2 meters the statue
Category: Cypriot Women, EOKA 1955-59
Photography: Evangelia Matthopoulou
The oversized seated mother is the most impressive visual element of this memorial. The massive size and the layout are reminiscent of the colossal Egyptian seated statues. Her heavy body is covered with a long, plain dress and her head is wrapped in a headscarf, typical everyday attire of the peasants who were taking care of the family and assisting with working the fields. Her strictly frontal position, the clear and simple lines and volumes of the stone and the absolute lack of any motion and emotion make her seem disconnected from the dead fighters next to her. Under her feet the two lines from Aggelos Sikelianos poem “Alafroiskiotos”: “Mother you breast fed me with fire turning my heart into a shining star”, underline her role and duty in the Cypriot society.
Michalakis Karaolis (Μιχαλάκης Καραολής), Kyriakos Matsis (Κυριάκος Μάτσης) and Nikos Georgiou’ (Νίκος Γεωργίου) bas reliefs are presented on the nearby commemorative wall.
The initiative for the memorial was taken in 1961 by Polykarpos Yiorkatzis, the Paleochori athletic and cultural union (APOP). Zina Kanther funded the memorial. The unveiling took place on November 19th 1961. In 1982 Andros Kazamias undertook the preservation of the statue.
Selected sources:
~ Ελευθερία (Eleftheria), November 22, 1961, p. 2.
~ Σημερινή (Simerini), September 5, 1983, p. 3.
~ Φιλελεύθερος (Fileleftheros), May 7, 1969, p. 3.
~ Φιλελεύθερος (Fileleftheros), May 13, 1993, p. 7.
~ Χαραυγή (Haravgi), November 21, 1961, p. 4.
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