Controversial artist defends latest work

Stirring up discussion and posing questions are vital elements of artistic creations and significantly influence their value, controversial painter Giorgos Gavriel said on Wednesday.

“Art is not just meant to please our eyes, it often provokes, offends, awakens, shakes us, and troubles us, and every artist must feel free to express themselves, to speak about what they consider critical, even if it disturbs or shocks, because it is what often causes the necessary socio-political change,” he told the Cyprus News Agency (CNA).