This article was originally published on Parathyro, Politis' culutral page
A research team at the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) is seeking photographs, archival material and personal testimonies to help document the history of furniture-making and domestic life in Cyprus over the past century, and is calling on the public to contribute.
The project, carried out by the university's Serious Products Lab and licensed by the Cyprus Bioethics Council, aims to trace how furniture was made, by whom, and under what conditions across different periods of Cypriot history, from the British colonial period to the present day.
The researchers are particularly interested in Formica furniture made in Cyprus, workshops and factories from the past hundred years, receipts and invoices that shed light on the business side of the craft, product catalogues and sketches, and photographs of home interiors, including images taken during the 1974 invasion. They are also looking for examples of furniture used in unusual ways, such as chairs repurposed as walking aids or tables, and for craftsmen who can speak to the evolution of furniture-making methods over the years.
The research is coordinated by Eva Koraï, with illustration and research by Marios Konstantinidis, and additional research contributions from Konstantina Niina Achilleos, Tuomas Venalainen of DioDio Collective, and Marios Andreou of Cypriot Bauhaus.
Those who wish to contribute can submit photographs and information through the following form: https://forms.gle/cRP5MoZWvXWnLoST7
