Protaras, Cyprus. A photographic exhibition on a tradition among teenage boys preparing to enter the army in Famagusta villages in the Kokkinochoria area will be held at Serena Beach in Protaras next week. The one-day exhibition, titled Moikanes (Mohicans), by Cypriot visual artist Nikolas Louka will take place on July 3.
Focus of the exhibition
The photographs will focus on the elaborate mohawk hairstyles styled by young men from the Kokkinochoria villages before beginning compulsory service in the National Guard. The exhibition explores the hairstyle as both a visual symbol and a social ritual.
Tradition and preparation
Participants spend months growing their hair before gathering with friends to shape and dye it using improvised materials including glue, reeds, and string. The preparation can take between six and eight hours and is conducted collectively by the boys in shacks and temporary spaces used for the occasion.
Historical background
According to the exhibition, the tradition is believed to date back to the 1980s and has been passed between generations of would-be soldiers. Louka presents the practice as a moment of transition, capturing what organisers describe as the period between rebellious adolescence and military service.
Documentation and event details
The project documents the hairstyle as an ephemeral sculpture on the body, created to draw attention and be photographed before being shaved off as military service begins. The exhibition will remain open from midday until midnight and will conclude with a party at the venue.
About the artist
Louka studied photography in Athens before moving to London in 2011, where he founded E2 Studios and worked with international publications and brands including British Vogue, Prada and Sony.
