​In the sun-drenched hills of Cyprus, Aristotelis, a remarkable landscape painter, brings the essence of the Mediterranean countryside to life on his canvases. With his bold, expressionistic strokes, he captures the vibrant beauty of his homeland, creating works that feel both timeless and fresh. His paintings radiate with energy, offering viewers a glimpse into a deeply personal vision of the natural world. While best known for his landscapes, Aristotelis is also gaining recognition for his new figurative works, further cementing his position as one of Cyprus' leading contemporary artists.

Born and raised on the island, Aristotelis has always been drawn to the rugged terrain and brilliant colours of the Cypriot landscape. His passion for art took him to the Athens School of Fine Arts at just 20 years old, where he honed his skills under the guidance of renowned Greek painters Panayiotis Tetsis and Dimitris Mytaras. These formative years gave him the technical foundation he needed, but it was the landscape of his native Cyprus that truly became his muse. The golden hues of the hills, the shimmering blue of the sea, and the burst of colour from vermillion poppies and scarlet rooftops find their way into almost every brushstroke.

“I never work indoors,” Aristotelis explains. “I must get out to explore the shapes and shadows of the hills, the endless array of colours, the ever-changing light.” His process is an intimate one. Rather than painting vast vistas, he focuses on smaller sections of the landscape, reducing and abstracting the forms to their essentials. The result is a body of work that is as much about the experience of being in nature as it is about representing it. Using large brushes and palette knives, Aristotelis applies oil paint with sweeping gestures, building texture and form as though sculpting the landscape itself.

His approach to painting is deeply intuitive and physical, with the large-scale canvases echoing the expansive spaces he paints. Interestingly, his technique carries over to his figurative works as well. When painting the human form, Aristotelis approaches it as he would a landscape—considering the volume, the flow of light and shadow, and the way the figure inhabits the space around it. This cross-pollination of techniques gives his figurative work a unique vitality and depth, adding to the sense of innovation that pervades his entire practice.
Aristotelis’ passion for landscapes began in his childhood, sparked by a painting he saw in a neighbor’s house. This early experience left an indelible mark on him, and even today, every time he approaches a blank canvas, he seeks to recapture the wonder and excitement of that first encounter with art. “I try to re-create that same intense feeling of inspiration,” he reflects. And he succeeds. His canvases glow with the energy and colour that define his vision, inviting viewers to share in the magic of his world.

As writer, painter, and art critic Glyn Hughes aptly puts it, “Aristotelis is a Master of the contemporary Cyprus landscape. His work is unique. It is both a highly contemporary vision and timeless as well.”

What makes Aristotelis’ landscapes so compelling is the way he approaches painting as an exploration. For him, the act of painting is a journey, an investigation of unexpected shapes and forms. His works invite us to look deeper, to appreciate the play of light and colour, and to experience the landscape in a new way. In every canvas, there is a sense of discovery—of finding beauty in the familiar and seeing the world with fresh eyes.
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As he continues to push the boundaries of his craft, both in landscapes and figurative works, Aristotelis stands at the forefront of contemporary Cypriot art, offering a vision that is both personal and universal. His paintings not only capture the essence of Cyprus but also the emotional resonance of nature itself, leaving an indelible impression on all who view them.

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