The Museum of Naive Art in Mazotos

ostas Argirou is a Cypriot sculptor, renowned for his naive art. In November 2023, the official opening of the museum took place in his native village of Mazotos. Costas Argirou was born in 1917 in the village of Mazotos, into a peasant family. After completing seven years of schooling, he started farming and herding cattle. Eventually, he established his own olive press and mill, began quarrying for stone, selling sand-gravel mixture and stone, and caring for metal items. He only started practicing art at the age of 52, without any special knowledge or experience. The trigger was a random visit to the Larnaca Archaeological Museum.

Ancient Cypriot statuettes made an indelible impression on the farmer, and he began to try himself as a creator of works from stone and wood. He also experimented with mosaic and painting. Costas Argirou found inspiration in folk traditions, everyday life, the world of animals, the history of Cyprus, ancient Greek mythology, and Orthodox iconography. He held private exhibitions and participated in collective exhibitions in Cyprus and abroad. For his works, Costas himself built a museum building in Mazotos. Externally, it resembles a church because it was originally built as a temple.

Argirou designed this building himself, thereby leaving his artistic imprint on the building's design. The sculptor passed away in 2001. On November 11, 2023, the official opening of the Costas Argirou Museum took place. The ceremony was led by the head of the Ministry of Culture, Vasiliki Cassianidou. The foundation managing the museum expects that the new cultural space will become the nucleus of development, an important place for the residents of Mazotos, and representatives of Cypriot society.

The new museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday, inclusive, from 10:00 to 17:00. In its first year of operation, admission will be free.