Photography and Cyprus: Time, Place and Identity (International Library of Modern and Contemporary Art Book 13)

Formerly a British colony, the island of Cyprus is now a divided country, where histories of political and cultural conflicts, as well as competing identities, are still contested. Cyprus provides the ideal case study for this innovative exploration, extensively illustrated, of how the practice of photography in relation to its political, cultural and economic contexts both contributes and responds to the formation of identity. Contributors from Cyprus, Greece, the UK and the USA, representing diverse disciplines, draw from photography theory, art history, anthropology and sociology to explore how the island and its people have been represented photographically. They reveal how the different gazes- colonial, political, gendered, and within art photography- contribute to the creation of individual and national identities and, by extension, to the creation and re-creation of imagery of Cyprus as place. While Photography and Cyprus focuses on one geographical and cultural territory, the questions this book asks and the themes and arguments it follows apply also to other places characterized by their colonial heritage. The intriguing example of Cyprus thus serves as a fitting test-ground for current debates relating to photography, place and identity. Formerly A British Colony, The Island Of Cyprus Is Now A Divided Country, Where Histories Of Political And Cultural Conflicts, As Well As Competing Identities, Are Still Contested. Cyprus Provides The Ideal Case Study For This Innovative Exploration, Extensively Illustrated, Of How The Practice Of Photography In Relation To Its Political, Cultural And Economic Contexts Both Contributes And Responds To The Formation Of Identity. Contributors From Cyprus, Greece, The Uk And The Usa, Representing Diverse Disciplines, Draw From Photography Theory, Art History, Anthropology And Sociology To Explore How The Island And Its People Have Been Represented Photographically. They Reveal How The Different Gazes- Colonial, Political, Gendered, And Within Art Photography- Contribute To The Creation Of Individual And National Identities And, By Extension, To The Creation And Re-creation Of Imagery Of Cyprus As Place. While Photography And Cyprus Focuses On One Geographical And Cultural Territory, The Questions This Book Asks And The Themes And Arguments It Follows Apply Also To Other Places Characterized By Their Colonial Heritage. --publisher Website. Edited By Liz Wells, Theopisti Stylianou-lambert, Nicos Philippou. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover Page Author Bio Title Page Copyright Dedication Table of Contents List of Illustrations Notes on Contributors Acknowledgements One: Introduction The Colonial Gaze Two: John Thomson: Through Cyprus with a Camera, Between Beautiful and Bountiful Nature Three: The National Geographic and Half Oriental Cyprus The Political Gaze Four : ‘Imagining Cyprus’: Photographic Exhibitions on Cyprus and their Reception in Greece, 1950s–80s Five : Pride and Prejudice: Photography and Memory in Cyprus Six: Developing Identity: An Autoethnography of the Turkish Cypriot Photographic Subject The Gendered Gaze Seven: En-Gendering Cypriots: From Colonial Landscapes to Postcolonial Identities Eight : En-Gendering a Landscape: The Construction, Promotion and Consumption of the Rock of Aphrodite Nine: The ‘Photographic Pietà’: A Model of Gender, Protest and Spatial-Temporal Dislocation in Mo dern Cyprus The Art Gaze Ten: Tracey Emin’s Photographs and Films of Turkey and Cyprus Eleven : The Art of the Buffer Zone Twelve : The Archive as a Space for Negotiating Identities: Defying ‘Cypriotness’ in the Work of Haris Epaminonda and Christodoulos Panayiotou Index