Cypriot engraver Hambis Tsangaris to close museum and demolish buildings in Platanisteia

Renowned Cypriot engraver Hambis Tsangaris has announced the closure of the Hambis Printmaking School and Museum in Platanisteia, ending a presence that has spanned over three decades. Citing years of bureaucratic conflict with the Limassol Turkish Cypriot Property Management Branch and frustration with official indifference, Tsangaris stated that he is initiating the countdown to dismantle the buildings he personally constructed on the site.

Tsangaris intends to return the property to the Limassol Turkish Cypriot Property Management Branch in the exact state it was in when he originally received it as ruins. He plans to demolish all modern additions and has announced that building materials—including doors, windows, tiles, fixtures, and even trees and vegetation—will be gifted to friends who need them. He expressed his profound disillusionment, stating he no longer wants this version of Cyprus.

While the deconstruction process begins, the museum and school will continue to function within the remaining space as long as possible. The move marks a definitive end to the institution’s operations at this location, serving as a final act of protest following a long-standing struggle with state authorities.