A special evening dedicated to the memory of Ruth Kesisian, the woman who for decades was synonymous with the Moufflon bookstore and left her own mark on the cultural and intellectual life of Cyprus, will take place on Thursday, October 22, at Dance House Lefkosia.
“A Cascade of Messages for Ruth” is an initiative conceived and curated by Gianna Tsolaki, inspired by one of her last conversations with Ruth. The two of them had been planning a walk together in Agios Andreas, the neighborhood where they had both lived at different times, with the aim of exploring the personal and collective memories associated with that particular place. The walk never took place, but the idea behind it lies at the heart of today’s event.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Through the critical cultural perspective that characterizes Yianna Tsolaki’s work, the walk takes on a meaning far deeper than a simple physical tour of a neighborhood. Agios Andreas, a place marked by the division of Nicosia, the ceasefire line, and the historical shifts that shaped the city, becomes a space for re-engaging with memory, identity, and the human relationship with place. In this context, walking can also be seen as a form of “material resistance”—that is, a practical reclaiming of our relationship with the land and space in the face of colonial legacies, division, and exclusion. Walking thus becomes a journey through what we remember, what has been lost, and what continues to shape the way we perceive ourselves and the environment around us.
This idea is conveyed in “A Cascade of Messages for Ruth.” Responding to Yianna Tsolaki’s call, Ruth’s friends take part in a shared, imaginary walk, each bringing their own memories of Ruth and the neighborhood. Through personal stories, thoughts, and experiences, these different paths converge, weaving a collective journey through memory, place, and the mark Ruth left on the lives of those who knew her.
The event will feature Ruth’s friends and colleagues, as well as figures from the worlds of culture, the arts, and literature, such as Arianna Oikonomou, Vasouhan VX, Gabriel Koureas, Garo Kehechian, Chris Konnaris, Mary Plant, Natia Anaxagora, Sevina Floridou, Stella Evangelidou, Stefanos Stefanidis, Hourig Torosian, Nurica Mattosian, Haris Pellapaisiotis, Konstantinos Oikonomidis, and Diana Wood Conroy. The event is complemented by photographs by Andreas Drussiotis and music by Tasos Papamichail.
Ruth and Moufflon
The history of the Moufflon bookstore began in 1967, when Ruth’s brother, Zirair Kesissian, founded it. After his death, Ruth returned to Cyprus from Edinburgh, where she had been studying and working, and took over Moufflon in 1995, together with her parents. With books in various languages and a particularly significant collection of new and used publications on Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean—many of which were no longer in print— Moufflon became a go-to destination for readers, researchers, archaeologists, academics, and cultural figures.
Alongside its operation as a bookstore, Moufflon has developed a significant publishing program, with 26 publications of interest to Cypriot studies. Its publications cover a wide range of topics, including literature, archaeology, history, Byzantine studies, museology, medieval Cyprus, ancient theater, and the visual arts, and also includes translations of Cypriot publications into English. She was also a pioneer in Cyprus in the field of Artists’ Books, commissioning works from Cypriot creators and seeking out early examples of the work of important artists and poets.
Ruth possessed an almost encyclopedic knowledge of Cypriot history and literature. She knew the books on the shelves, in the boxes, and in the characteristic stacks at Moufflon and could guide visitors to publications and sources they would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. Ruth’s special connection to knowledge and people was also reflected in the messages that followed the news of her passing.
A Journey Through Memory
The walk that Yianna Tsolaki and Ruth Kesishian had planned to take in Agios Andreas ultimately never took place. Through “A Cascade of Messages for Ruth,” however, this walk takes on a different form. Participants are now invited to take it together, on a shared, hypothetical route, with their gaze fixed on Ruth, the neighborhood, and the memories that this place holds.
Movement through space is thus transformed into movement through memory. The neighborhood is not merely treated as a backdrop of the past, but as a vessel of history, loss, resilience, and identity. Through the participants’ personal accounts, memories, and diverse perspectives, this collective walk seeks to uncover what remains of Ruth not only in the people themselves but also in the way they view and re-engage with the place.
Information:
The event will take place on Thursday, October 22, at Dance House Lefkosia, 25 Parthenonos Street, Agios Andreas, 1105 Nicosia. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the event begins at 7:00 p.m.
Admission is free.
For more information, call 99 573420 or 99 486772.
