I am Assistant Professor at the Open University of Cyprus, Program “Studies in Hellenic Culture”. My research focus is on the interactions between artworks and social milieu. Particular fields of research are human figure and public space; cultural identities; national identities; cultural memory; commemoration; art and power; visual culture; public sculpture; contemporary Greek art. My last book Uses and abuses of culture. Greece 1974-2010 is published from University Studio Press, Thessaloniki in 2013 (in Greek), and from Cambridge Scholars Publishing, in 2015 (in English). In 2013 I concluded the research program "Cyprus: land of memories, places of art", were I explored public sculpture in Cyprus, and its role in the shaping of national and cultural identities. The official website of the project is the http://publicart.ouc.ac.cy More on my work at http://www.ouc.ac.cy/web/vkaraiskou