Born in Nicosia, Cyprus 1943.  Studied medicine at the Athens University, graduating in 1967.  Karayan gave up medicine and studied art in London  at Central and Camberwell Schools of Art  1968-1972 and in  Germany -etching at  the Kunstakademie Stuttgart 1975.  Represented Cyprus at the 49th Venice Biennale 2001 and at the 10th Cairo Biennale 2006 and at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria 2007.

" In his earlier themes he describes psychological states of people enclosed through circumstances in small spaces with an intensely erotic atmosphere created perhaps by the absence of erotic satisfaction. He develops his themes into the streets and parks. Familiar human figures walk past faded posters in the blazing sun, under the shade of a bus stop or in telephone booths. Andreas Karayan thus succeeds in giving us the landscape of contemporary life in a constantly changing city. His work approaches photographic realism and actually surpasses it, since out of his paintings always springs forth the intensity of a passion and a particular love for the circumstances that he is attempting to describe to us."
Yiannis Gaitis, 1981 artist

"The paintings of Andreas Karayan  have the character of a sensual nightmare on the one hand, and on the other, they express a sadomasochistic type of sexually over-charged male youthfulness, devoid of any ideals. The soldier and the everyday youth interpret a reality that is entirely anonymous. These fantasies have sexual undertones while behind is hidden a feeling of unrequited loneliness."
Stelios  Lydakis, art critic


Information courtesy of  the artist from published catalogues including some reviews which indicate his style of painting which is figurative and always oil on canvas.