Alessandro Cazzola's Exhibition Documents Queer Memory in Cyprus at Koraï Project Space

Alessandro Cazzola's research initiative 'Collecting Queer Memories from Cyprus' has debuted publicly at Koraï Project Space in Nicosia, starting March 27, 2026. The exhibition, titled 'My Journey Through Your Memories,' addresses the significant archival gap concerning queer history on the island. Cazzola, an Italian researcher and curator now residing in Cyprus, initiated this project to explore and preserve LGBTQ+ experiences that have been systematically overlooked. The work functions as a curatorial practice, archival method, and emotional framework, engaging with earlier efforts like the exhibition 'nono, bad timing!' at the Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre in 2024. Cazzola's methodology involves one-on-one meetings where participants contribute personal objects and accompanying texts, which are displayed without alteration to maintain their original context. The project highlights the intersection of queer life with Cyprus's unresolved political divisions and heteronormative erasure, noting the absence of institutional frameworks for preserving such memories. Supported by Celadon Arts Centre, the collected materials will be temporarily housed in Kapedes village, Nicosia District. The exhibition is funded by the European Union and the Goethe-Institut, with additional backing from Celadon Centre for Arts & Ecologies. This initiative emerges alongside broader queer cultural activities on the island, including the work of Accept LGBTI Cyprus, Queer Collective, the Queer Wave Film Festival, and Sessions events, all contributing to increased visibility and discourse.