BoCCF, Pierides Museum to present exhibition of works by pioneer sculptor Nina Iacovou

“I was a ‘Varoshiotoui’ [kid from Varosha]; I wanted to work, to create and I didn’t have enough time; I had to learn as much as I could, as fast as I could.” ~ Nina Iacovou

The Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation (BoCCF) and the Pierides Museum – Member of the Bank of Cyprus Group of Companies present: “Nina Iacovou: eyes to see and hands to touch”, an exhibition providing a comprehensive and insightful exploration of the pioneering artist’s work.

The exhibition brings together works from different periods of Iacovou’s creative career, highlighting the diverse and multifaceted aspects of her artistic practice. Ceramics, paintings, sculptures, drawings, installations and mixed-media works, rendered in her idiosyncratic visual language, full of sensitivity yet also powerful, introduce us to the artist’s reflections and agonies, centred on the female form.

Drawing on the full scope of her artistic practice, the exhibition sheds light on Iacovou’s relationship with the Cypriot land, its clay and stones, as well as with its people, the memory of the place and the narratives that shaped her visual universe.

In her work, lived experiences, events and traditions are shaped into forms that resonate with the social imaginary. Gestures, materiality, touch and gaze intertwine with empathy and knowledge, weaving a personal, transcendent mythology in which the local acquires a universal dimension.

The exhibition will open on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at 7.30pm, at the Pierides Museum in Larnaca. A reception will follow in the Museum’s courtyard.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a publication featuring sketches, drawings, and handwritten notes from the artist’s archive. 

Curation: Dr Yiannis Toumazis, Demetra Ignatiou, Katerina Patsalidou, Irini Khenkin.

About Nina Iacovou

Nina Iacovou (Famagusta 1931 – Larnaca 2025) was a pioneering Cypriot female sculptor, with a creative career spanning more than six decades. She studied at the Athens School of Fine Arts in the 1950s and in the studio of the sculptor and ceramics professor Giorgis Georgiou. In Cyprus, she came into contact with the island’s ancient pottery and, working alongside master potters, became acquainted with the traditional ceramic heritage of Famagusta. She was particularly fascinated by the form of the anthropomorphic koukkoumara, which found creative expressions in her work. At the same time, she pursued a professional career in sculpture, creating monumental works for hotels, primarily in Famagusta.

In the wake of the tragic events of 1974, she was forced to leave her hometown and settled in Larnaca, where she lived and worked until her death in 2025. Although she is primarily known for her sculptures and ceramics, Iacovou utilised a variety of media and techniques. Her works are held in private collections in Cyprus and abroad, as well as in the State Art Collection. In 2021, she was honoured by AKEL’s Central Committee with the “Teukros Anthias and Theodosis Pierides Award for Cultural Contribution” for her overall contribution to Cypriot culture.

“Nina Iacovou: eyes to see and hands to touch”

Exhibition details:

• Opening: May 7, 2026, @7.30pm
• Duration: May 7, 2026-May 6, 2027
• Location: Pierides Museum, 4 Zenonos Kitiou Street, 6023 Larnaca
• Hours: Monday–Thursday: 9am–4pm | Friday & Saturday: 9am–1pm

For further information:  

• Call: 22-128175
• Visit: www.boccf.org
• Follow: @boccf | @pieridesmuseum