How many stories are told over a cup of coffee? What can a coffee cup itself reveal about those who drink it? Coffee culture in Cyprus is undeniably deeply rooted in our everyday life. A quick cup in the morning, a catch-up with friends, a visit to the grandparents.

There is a lot to explore and be said about the presence of coffee in our society and that’s exactly what the oral history project People of Cyprus has researched. Their findings – a series of photographs and texts – are presented this summer at the AG Leventis Gallery.

Inspired by, and presented in parallel with, the exhibition currently on Look at Me! Portraits in Greece by Robert A. McCabe, the gallery in collaboration with People of Cyprus, will now present a fascinating exhibition about the culture and people of Cyprus.

Titled Kafenes: Stories in Black and White, the exhibition is a tribute to traditional Cypriot coffee culture. It includes old and new faces as a way to document whether it is a tradition that is slowly fading or whether it is transitioning into something new. From June 17 to July 31, visitors will be able to discover everyday coffee stories.

“The traditional coffeehouses of Cyprus are custodians of heritage, preserving a deep-rooted love for memory and origins,” say organisers.“This ongoing dialogue with the past lies at the heart of the exhibition – a journey through time, a silent documentation of what is slowly disappearing. Through the lens of photography, quiet gestures, lost habits and fading figures are captured – elements that vanish along with the old ‘kafenes’. The worn wooden table, the steaming cup of coffee, hands shuffling a deck of cards, the shadow of a patron at the door, the gaze of the coffeehouse owner patiently observing the flow of life. A tribute to collective memory – to what once was and, in some way, still lives on.”

Kafenes: Stories in Black and White

Exhibition by People of Cyprus. Parallel showcase of the ‘Look at Me!’ Portraits in Greece by Robert A. McCabe. June 17-July 31. A.G. Leventis Gallery, Nicosia. Opening: 7pm. Thursday-Sunday: 10am-5pm. Wednesday: 10am-8pm. www.leventisgallery.org. Tel: 22-668838