Ancient Cyprus: A Preview of the A.G.
Leventis Foundation Gallery of Cypriot Antiquities
The Royal Ontario
Museum (ROM) and the Leventis Foundation have announced the opening of Ancient
Cyprus: A Preview of the A.G. Leventis Foundation Gallery of Cypriot
Antiquities, a new display that honours the rich and diverse heritage
of Cypriot art and culture, in the 3rd floor. Greeks and
Etruscans gallery starting June 27, 2003.
Ancient Cyprus: A Preview of the A.G. Leventis Foundation
Gallery of Cypriot Antiquities will showcase approximately 60 pieces
from the ROM extensive collection of Cypriot artifacts and will focus on
the art that was created in Cyprus between the Bronze Age and the Roman
era (3000 BC – 200 AD). One of the most famous pieces that will be on
display will be a fragmentary bronze sculpture of a man carrying a large
copper ingot, the material that gave the island its name.
ROM curator Paul Denis, Head of the Western Art and Culture
department, explains, “This exhibit is a preview of the ROM’s
important collection of Cypriot pieces. A permanent gallery with
approximately 300 artifacts will open in December 2005, with phase one of
the Renaissance ROM expansion project. The permanent A.G. Leventis
Foundation Gallery of Cypriot Antiquities will serve as an entrance to
the Greek Gallery and will house a recreation of an outdoor sanctuary that
the Cypriots created to hold 6th century BC sculptures.”
Anastasios Leventis, who established one of the largest companies
in West Africa, established the A.G. Leventis Foundation in May 1979. From
1966, Leventis served as Cyprus honorary Ambassador and Permanent Delegate
to UNESCO. The aim of the Foundation is to support educational, cultural,
artistic and philanthropic causes in Cyprus, Greece and elsewhere. The
range and direction of its activities are still based on the philanthropic
interests of the founder.
The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is Canada’s largest museum and a
popular public attraction. Created in 1912, the ROM has an unusually broad
dual mandate of natural history and human cultures. Today, the ROM holds 5
million objects in its collections, providing engaging galleries of art,
archaeology and science. Showcasing Canada’s culture and natural
history, the ROM also conducts important scientific research. In 2001/02,
the ROM welcomed more than 1,050,000 visitors to its exhibitions,
education programs and facilities, surpassing one million visitors for the
second time in three years. Renaissance ROM, the new master plan project
to transform the Museum, will allow the display of more collectors in new
and renovated galleries designed by Daniel Libeskind, generate additional
revenues for collections, education and research, and anchor a new
cultural centre in Toronto.