Clowns
Upon his return to Cyprus, Efstathiou created a series of paintings in the mid to late 1990's which depict clowns in various shades and colours. The technique of abstraction would soon become his signature mark, as he slowly moved away from figuration towards capturing merely the essence of human forms.
This series was created as a natural reaction to the artist's living circumstances at the time. In the first steps of his career, Efstathiou took up jobs in the hospitality industry. Due to the nature of his profession, Efstathiou had to act in a specific way, following the strict etiquette of the sector. During that period of his life, Efstathiou felt he was performing a role, similar to the people who work in the entertainment industry, such as clowns.