The Museum of Art and Design is proud to announce its highly anticipated inaugural exhibition, opening on Friday, 17 October, 2025.
This landmark event marks a significant milestone in Cyprus’s cultural landscape and underscores the museum’s mission to become a leading destination for international contemporary art.
The exhibition will showcase works by two acclaimed artists, Italian mixed-media artist Leonardo Blanco and Greek painter Mara Tsafantaki, alongside a keynote address by distinguished Italian designer Giulio Masciocchi, whose aesthetic direction has shaped the prestigious collections of renowned Italian brands.
Giulio Masciocchi
Giulio Masciocchi born in 1990 on the shores of Lake Como, holds a degree in Graphics and Communication and graduated with honors in Product Design from Milan. After gaining international experience as a designer in London, he returned to Italy at the age of 23, initiating collaborations with leading national and international brands across the fashion, accessories, and design industries.
His multidisciplinary practice encompasses concept and product design, interior design, creative direction, textile and surface design, as well as graphic communication. His work is characterized by a refined aesthetic sensibility and a distinctive contemporary vision.
In 2016, he established G.DISEGNI, his personal atelier and design studio dedicated to applied arts. The studio operates across diverse creative fields, from textile and porcelain design to product development and fashion design.
Deeply passionate about decoration and sculpture, his creative research is grounded in a dialogue with contemporary culture, materials, and craftsmanship.
Leonardo Blanco
Santarcangelo di Romagna, 1968
Leonardo Blanco is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans painting, sculpture, and installation. Known for his remarkable versatility and refined aesthetic language, Blanco has exhibited extensively on both national and international stages.
He has held numerous solo exhibitions in San Marino, Italy, and Belgium, and has participated in prestigious group exhibitions in cities such as London, Los Angeles, Istanbul, the United Arab Emirates, Beijing (2nd Art Biennale, 2005), Venice (Open 10 – International Exhibition of Sculptures and Installations, 2007), and Kassel (Documenta – EUARCA, 2022).
His works are held in both public and private collections, with permanent installations located in San Marino, Strasbourg (at the Council of Europe), Nazareth (Basilica of the Annunciation), and Beijing (Water Cube Museum).
In 2009, Blanco was selected to represent the Republic of San Marino at the 53rd Venice Biennale of Visual Arts, participating in the national pavilion.
He has received several prestigious public commissions, including the creation of a monumental steel sculpture, now permanently installed at the entrance to San Marino’s city centre.
Mara Tsafantaki
Mara Tsafantaki is a distinguished Greek painter, born in Athens in 1974. She graduated with a degree in Painting and an integrated master of fine arts in 1999 from the Athens School of Fine Arts, under the mentorship of Professor Chronis Botsoglou. During her studies, she also pursued Set Design with Yiorgos Ziakas. In 1998, she was awarded a scholarship to attend the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Seville, where she studied symbolism, mythology, and illustration under Professor D. Luis Martinez Montiel.
Her work has been showcased in three solo exhibitions in Athens and in numerous group exhibitions both in Greece and internationally.
Since 2003, Tsafantaki has illustrated eleven children’s books, published by leading Greek publishing houses Patakis and Papadopoulos.
Her illustration for “Little Leo and the Circusmicroworld”, written by Kostas Charalas, was longlisted for the 2006 Greek State Illustration Awards and was later published in South Korea.
Opening Reception
Friday, October 17, 2025 | 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
The evening will feature a refined program including quality networking, artist presentations, live saxophone music, and a sushi cocktail gala reception.
Public Viewing
Saturday, October 18, 2025 | 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Sunday, October 19, 2025 | 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
This inaugural exhibition represents our commitment to bringing world-class contemporary art to Cyprus while fostering dialogue among international artistic communities . The works of Tsafantaki and Blanco offer profound engagement with global cultural narratives, inviting visitors on a compelling exploration of cross-cultural expression. Selected for their innovative approaches and universal themes, Tsafantaki and Blanco will present new series that reflect distinct cultural perspectives.
Visitors can expect an enriching experience that bridges geography, medium, and tradition.
Founder and Artistic Director of the Museum of Art and Design Maria Ignatiou Shiakalli
Maria Ignatiou is an awarded artist and art consultant, known for her expertise in fine arts, design curation, and art education. With a career spanning over three decades, she has significantly influenced the art world through her creative works, consultancy services, and philanthropic contributions. As a painter, ceramicist, and educator, Maria has played a crucial role in fostering artistic accessibility, particularly for visually impaired students. Her ability to merge artistic excellence with strategic art consultancy has made her a sought-after figure in the global art and design industry.
Achievements and Awards
Beyond academia, Maria has achieved multiple professional honors and leadership roles. She has been actively involved in art education, curation, and philanthropy. In 2004, she was appointed as an Art Educator by the Ministry of Education in Cyprus, where she spent 16 years pioneering art programs for visually impaired students. In 2020, she resigned from the Ministry of Education and founded the Museum of Art and Design, dedicated to promoting inclusive artistic experiences. Her contributions were formally recognized in 2018 when she received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Cyprus-Russia Gala for her philanthropic efforts in supporting children with special needs. Her artwork has also been auctioned for charity, including her piece Agape, which sold for €10,000 at the 11th Cyprus-Russia Gala in 2017.
Art Consultancy and International Recognition
As an art and design consultant, Maria has worked on prestigious international projects, collaborating with galleries, collectors, and developers. In 2023, she was appointed as the exclusive Art Consultant for Reem Mall in Abu Dhabi, one of the UAE’s most ambitious architectural projects. She was also selected to create the monumental artwork Falcon’s Flight, symbolizing the Emirates' vision for the future. Through her expertise in art curation, valuation, and consultancy, Maria continues to shape the art world, merging creativity with strategic investment in fine arts.
Chief Curatorial Strategist & Partner of Museum of Art and Design George Taxiarchopoulos
George Taxiarchopoulos is an International ISO-17024 and internationally awarded visual artist, active since 2001 until nowadays. Ηe was the awarded artist of the 8th International Prize for Young Creators from the Louis Vuitton Moet Hennesy group (Paris 2002), the 1st Pan-Hellenic
Prize Award for Greek Artists from the Y&Z Spyropoulos Foundation (Athens 2003) and has achieved several scholarships from established cultural foundations, such as: the Germination13 (EU Biennial, Paris 2001), The National Scholarship Foundation of Greece (IKY, Athens 2004-2007), the B&E Goulandris Foundation (Athens
20072008), the CCA Kitakyushu Scholarship Committee (Kitakyushu 2007-2008), the UNICULT2020 International Cultural Management & Cultural Policies capacity building program of the Rijeka2020 ECOC (Rijeka 2016).
He is currently serving as Artistic Director of the Limassol Municipal Arts Centre - Papadakis Warehouses and Founder of ACEY Europe - Arts & Culture Community (non profit entity based in Greece), bringing institutional credibility and global network expertise. Yorgos has served among other positions 12 years as Director in the Art-Athina International Contemporary Art Fair and 5 years as director in the Art-Thessaloniki art fair and has organised the largest art exhibition ever held in Greece at the Technopolis Cultural venue (2009-2010, at the Gazi area in Athens) with 4000 artworks and over 1200 participant artists with great success among all other projects that he has led during the total of his 24 years career in excellence.
Location
Museum of Art and Design
37 Demostheni Severi Street (Presidential Palace Road) Nicosia, Cyprus
For more information, please contact: 00 357 22 011349
