For the 5th year in a row, I flew to Cyprus to attend Street Life festival and leave my mark on the island. My first stop was Athienou and Petrofani, located near the buffer zone.

In Petrofani, an abandoned Turkish village, I painted the portrait of a local elderly woman, Oxia. She’s turning 98 this year and I love how her face is marked by wrinkles. The artwork was painted on a stable with sepia tones, which match the building well.

“Oxia” – Zabou – 3x3m – Petrofani, Cyprus – 2019

I then created a second mural in the city centre of Athienou. The artwork, partly based on a photo by Pablo S. Salgado, depicts a young man with most of his face in the dark, taking off a theatre/drama? mask. Hiding behind a happy face, we all have our share of sadness, anxiety, traumas – our darkness. It can be hard to open up, so let’s make sure we listen and support each other.

“The darkness within” – Zabou – 4x7m – Athienou, Cyprus – 2019