Each summer, in the days leading up to enlistment in the Cyprus National Guard, young men from the
Kokkinochoria, the red-soil villages of the Famagusta district, take part in a distinctive local tradition.
After growing their hair for months, they gather to shape it into elaborate mohicans, dyed in the reggae
colours of green, yellow and red.
“MOIKANES” takes its title from the Greek term used locally for these Mohican hairstyles. The exhibition
by visual artist Nikolas Louka, whose primary medium is photography, examines this social
practice as both a visual phenomenon and a rite of passage. Presented through photography, installation
and live performance, the project will take place for one day only at Serena Beach in Protaras on 3 July
2026.
The preparation begins long before the final hairstyle is made. After finishing school and shortly before
entering compulsory military service, the young men come together with friends for a process that can
last six to eight hours. Using improvised techniques and materials such as glue, reeds and string, the
hairstyle becomes more than an act of styling. It becomes a shared ritual, shaped collectively.
The making of the Mohicans often takes place in rural sheds, makeshift shelters in privately owned fields
in the area. These informal spaces are temporarily transformed into sites of gathering, exchange, waiting
and creation. Friends assist one another, while older participants who have lived the same experience
pass on their knowledge. In this way, a tradition, believed to date back to the 1980s, continues from one
generation to the next.
In “MOIKANES”, the artist approaches the hairstyle not simply as a striking visual form, but as a social
event and a moment of transition. It marks the passage from school life and adolescence into military
service and adulthood. For a brief moment, before the uniform, conformity and discipline, the body
becomes a space of individuality, freedom and collective expression.
Temporary by nature, the Mohican becomes an ephemeral sculpture on the body. It is created to stand,
to be seen, photographed and remembered, but also to disappear. Its final act is the shaving of the hair, a
disappearance that signals the beginning of the next stage of life.
The project draws attention to a lesser-documented aspect of youth culture in the Famagusta district.
Through portraits, process images, details of the body, materials, gestures and moments of waiting, the
exhibition creates a visual record of this local ritual and the community that surrounds it.
On the day of the exhibition, the project will be presented at Serena through photography and
installation, creating an experience that connects the images with the setting and the atmosphere of the
day.
The exhibition will remain open throughout the day and will conclude with a party at the venue, as a
natural continuation of the energy and atmosphere of the project.
Short Artist Biography
Nikolas Louka is a visual artist. His work moves between the stylised and the raw, with an emphasis on
intensity, presence and the truth of the moment.
He studied photography in Athens and moved to London in 2011. In 2017, he founded E2 Studios in East
London, through which he collaborated with international brands, publications and creative organisations
including British Vogue, i-D, Dazed, Prada and Sony. His work has been presented in cultural spaces and
international contexts.
His solo exhibition “Beyond the Blur” was presented at the Cyprus High Commission in London, while
“2033 Miles” was presented on Shoreditch High Street in London. His photographs were also included in
the project “Anew” at the 17th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia.
Since 2024, is based in Cyprus, where he continues to develop new projects locally and internationally.
“MOIKANES” is his second solo exhibition and third exhibition presentation overall in 2026, following the
warm reception of “PERAS” at the Nicosia Municipal Theatre and the successful presentation of
“Paralimni Textures” in Paralimni.
Website: nikolaslouka.com
Instagram: @nikolaslouka
Exhibition Information
Title: MOIKANES
Artist: Nikolas Louka
Medium: Photography, installation
Venue: Serena Beach, Protaras
Date: 3 July 2026
Hours: 12:00 to 00:00
Duration: One day
Admission: Free
Also read: Exploring summer on the Protaras Riviera
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