NICOSIA - A DIVIDED CITY

 Travakunta (Tsinitalkai) is a mythical creature with two heads, one on its front and one on its back.  Each head controls two of the creature’s legs and goes to the opposite direction of the other head, maintaining a struggle between the two, unable to go into any direction.  Here he symbolizes the tension between the two sides of Nicosia: The Greek-Cypriot and the Turkish-Cypriot.

 In the painting, we see Travakunta depicted as an ancient Cypriot sculpture filled with patterns and symbols that used to decorate ancient ceramics and clay sculptures.  He is depicting the ancient cultural heritage of the island, as well as the staleness and staticness of the conflict between the two sides.  Below Travakunta is a depiction of the old Nicosia without the line that separates the two sides, and with some of its most distinctive buildings.