The Hambis Printmaking Museum in Plataniskia has closed temporarily due to extensive water damage, putting its valuable collection at risk. Despite efforts to preserve the museum and appeals to local authorities for help, the issues remain unresolved, highlighting the challenges of cultural preservation and the need for timely intervention.
Why has the Hambis Printmaking Museum in Plataniskia closed?
The Hambis Printmaking Museum has temporarily closed due to extensive water damage that risks the collection’s integrity. Despite continuous preservation efforts and appeals to local authorities for support, the issues remain unresolved, leading to the museum’s unfortunate closure and highlighting the challenges of cultural preservation.
A Sad Farewell to a Cultural Treasure
In an unfortunate turn of events, the Hambis Printmaking Museum located in Plataniskia, a village with a past of Turkish Cypriot heritage, has announced a temporary closure. This decision comes on the heels of extensive water damage that threatens the very fabric of the institution. Hambis Tsangaris, the museum’s founder and an acclaimed printmaker, expressed his frustration through a poignant statement released on Thursday.
The museum, celebrated for its vast archive of global printmaking masterpieces, now faces the risk of losing its treasures. Despite continuous efforts to keep the museum in shape by keeping its doors open throughout the year and using dehumidifiers at night, the looming threat posed by water encroachment from an adjacent house remains unaddressed.
A Struggle with Bureaucracy
Hambis Tsangaris, whose contributions to European heritage earned him a Europa Nostra award, recounted his years-long struggle with the local authorities. He recalled how his initial plea for help to the Plataniskia community leader led to a dead end, as did his subsequent appeals to the technical services manager of the Limassol Turkish Cypriot property agency, despite their acknowledgment of the problem.
Tsangaris’s efforts to save the museum didn’t stop there. He reached out multiple times through letters and emails to directors and district authorities in Limassol, the latest being over the summer of 2023. His dedication to the museum’s cause reflects not a personal nor a profit-making agenda but a selfless offering to the Cypriot culture.
The Silent Witness
In a defiant act, Tsangaris has left the archive room door open for the public to witness the damage and reflect on the negligence that extends far beyond the museum’s walls. His statement sends a powerful message about the indifference he has battled, drawing attention to the broader issue of cultural preservation.
The closure of the Hambis Printmaking Museum is not only a loss for the local community but also a blow to the international recognition and respect for Cyprus’s cultural assets. Tsangaris, who also operates a museum in old Nicosia, remains a steadfast guardian of his country’s heritage, yet his patience has its limits.
Preserving the Legacy
The closure of this museum is a stark reminder of the vulnerability of cultural institutions to both physical threats and administrative inertia. While Tsangaris has vowed to keep fighting, this situation underscores the importance of timely intervention and support for heritage sites. The legacy of printmaking and the cultural history of Cyprus hang in the balance, awaiting a resolution that could either rescue or relinquish them to memory.
In the end, Tsangaris’s open door serves as a silent plea for action, a monument to endurance, and a hope that the printmaking museum will once again welcome visitors to explore the art and history it was meant to preserve.
Quick Recap
- The Hambis Printmaking Museum in Plataniskia has temporarily closed due to extensive water damage, putting its valuable collection at risk.
- Despite efforts to preserve the museum and appeals to local authorities for help, the issues remain unresolved.
- The closure of the museum highlights the challenges of cultural preservation and the need for timely intervention.
- Hambis Tsangaris, the museum’s founder, has struggled with local authorities and expressed frustration over the lack of support.
- The closure of the museum not only affects the local community but also undermines the international recognition and respect for Cyprus’s cultural assets.
