Cypriot artist and writer Andreas Karayian passes away at 83

Cypriot painter and award-winning author Andreas Karayian died on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at the age of 83. Born in Nicosia in 1943, Karayian initially studied medicine at the University of Athens before transitioning to art, studying at Camberwell and Central School of Art in London and printmaking in Germany. His career included significant literary contributions, such as his five-book series starting with "The True History" in 2008 and receiving Cypriot State Novel Awards for "Immoral Stories" (2012) and "Dark Stories" (2014). Karayian represented Cyprus at the Venice Biennale in 2001 and the Cairo Biennale in 2006. He held his final exhibition, "Landscape Paintings," at the Gloria Gallery in February 2026. The Cypriot House of Representatives awarded him a medal in May 2025 in recognition of his cultural contributions. He was also a long-time columnist for the newspaper Phileleftheros. Cultural institutions and officials, including President of the House Annita Demetriou, have publicly commemorated his influence on contemporary Cypriot art.