A photo exhibition about the “mohawks” of Cypriot conscripts will be shown in Protaras

On July 3, 2026, Serena Beach in Protaras will host a unique one-day exhibition by Cypriot photographer Nicolas Louca, titled “Moikhanes” (“Mohicans”). The multimedia project, which includes photography, installations and a live performance, is dedicated to a specific local ritual of Cypriot conscripts. The exhibition will be open to the public free of charge from 12:00 to 00:00 and will end with a festive party.

The essence and origin of the tradition:
The exhibition title refers to the local Greek term for mohawk hairstyles. Every summer before being sent to compulsory service in the National Guard, young men from the Kokkinochoria region (“red soil villages” in the Famagusta district) take part in a unique rite of passage:
— Preparation and styling. For several months, the young men deliberately grow their hair. On the eve of enlistment, they gather in groups in village sheds or under canopies in the fields, where they spend 6–8 hours creating elaborate vertical mohawks.
— Technique and colors. To set these extreme hairstyles, improvised materials are used: construction glue, reed sticks and ropes. The finished structure is painted in reggae colors — green, yellow and red.
— Continuity. The tradition originated in the 1980s. The styling technique is passed down from older boys who have already completed their military service to the new generation of conscripts.

Social and artistic context:
Nicolas Louca sees these hairstyles as “ephemeral sculptures on the body,” existing for only a few days before the recruits are shaved completely bald at the reception center.
For the artist, this ritual is a manifesto of short-lived freedom, individuality and collective identity on the threshold between teenage life and strict military discipline, uniformity and obedience. The young men create these images for one final moment of attention and for memorable photographs.

About the project’s author:
Nicolas Louca is a professional photographer with international experience. He received his specialist education in Athens and then worked in London from 2011, where he ran his own studio, E2 Studios. His portfolio includes commercial and creative projects for such global brands and publications as British Vogue, Prada and Sony. In 2024, Louca returned to Cyprus, where he continues to combine local art projects with international work.