For the Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts, the “Fine Arts Republic Exhibition” consisting of paintings, sculptures, ceramics and prints of 28 award-winning artists from the Turkic World including Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Ukraine, and of the artworks of the academic staff from the Faculty of Fine Arts of Near East University was opened by Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel, Chairman of Board of Trustees of NEU, following the opening speeches in the Hall 101 of the Hospital. Near East University Faculty of Fine Arts and Design Vice Dean and Günsel Art Museum Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erdoğan Ergün, artists, institute directors, deans, lecturers and guests attended to the opening ceremony.
At the exhibition, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, Prof.Dr. Erdal Aygenç and Vice-Rector Prof.Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ made speeches. Later, the exhibition was opened.
Prof. Dr. Erdal Aygenç; “While enjoying the 358th exhibition, we look forward to the opening of the Walled City Museum of which the opening ceremony will be held on the week of November 15″
Prof. Dr. Aygenç started his speech by stating that in the 97th anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of Turkey he commemorate Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his colleagues with respect and gratitude, said “This is the 358th Exhibition in the journey that started about two years ago. On the other hand, we are eagerly awaiting the opening of the “Walled City Museum” which will be held on the “15 November Republic Day Week”.
Full scholarship opportunity for TRNC citizens
“Another excitement is that the Art History Graduate Program, which will provide full scholarships to TRNC citizens and fill up an important gap in the fields of science and theory of art, is being implemented.”, said Aygenç, and shared a small story from the history of art with the audience. Prof. Aygenç stated that one of the most important inspiring sources of art and even science is love and when love is mentioned, one does not only talk about the person’s intense feeling. Aygenç; “It is the love of the country that establishes the republic. It is love that makes Near East University the first in its geography and enlightens its path to becoming a world university. It is love to lay the building blocks of a county of museums, starting from the university of museums. Our Founding Rector, who gave us the motivation to create with love…. I would like to express my gratitude to Suat Günsel. In addition, all the artists who enriched the exhibition with their works and the curator Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erdoğan Ergün, thank you all.”
Prof. dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ; “Republic Day is one of the most important national holidays for the Turkish people, where national unity, solidarity and social solidarity are at the highest level”
Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ also said; “Turkey State’s form of government declared as the Republic by the decision of the Grand National Assembly on 29 October 1923 by the adoption of the proposed constitutional amendment which aimed to modernize Turkish society as part of the Turkish Revolution and prepared by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and opened a way for the innovations and reforms.”
Underlining that the Republic Day, which will be celebrated for the 97th time this year, is one of the most important national holidays in which national unity and social solidarity are at the top level for the Turkish people, Prof. Şanlıdağ said; “We offer our love, respect, and gratitude to all the heroes who walked on this honorable path with the founder of the Republic of Turkey, especially to Gazi Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and his comrades, women, children, young people and old people who walked this path with him.”
In his speech, Şanlıdağ said “Atatürk, who knew that the Republic is not just a regime, but a rebirth that allows a nation that has taken over its sovereignty to turn towards contemporary culture, who knew where the mind is chained there can be no creative thinking, art cannot develop, civilization cannot flourish, created a civilized society in all aspects and believed that the reforms would spread through art. He knew that for the revolutions he made to be successful, first of all, it was necessary to be successful in fine arts.”
Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ continued his speech as follows; “Artists are people who are not in a separate position from the society, they are intertwined with the public, and evaluate themselves with a contemporary interpretation. All studies in the field of culture and art reveal the fact that art is the most important building block for a nation to reach a civilized, contemporary level. Art belongs to a group of people, it is an element that unites the people rather than a class indicator. The artists, on the other hand, are not in a contradictory, extreme, separate position from the society, however, they are intertwined with the people, who take their subjects from the essence, from the intellectuals. Their way is not separate from society, they are intertwined with the public, reflective and they evaluate the society with a contemporary interpretation. Today, we are together within the scope of the Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts projects, at the “Fine Arts Republic Exhibition”, which is the 358th exhibition consisting of the works of artists from the Turkic World. On this meaningful day, we will have the opportunity to see the works of our award-winning academics and artists. May our devotion to art and the Republic never diminish. I would like to congratulate all our artists, especially the Günsel Family, who are constantly walking on this path, and I present my endless thanks to those who have contributed to this glorious event.”
After the speeches, the exhibition was opened at the hall of the Near East University Hospital by Chairman of the Board of Trustees Prof. Dr. İrfan S. Günsel, academicians and artists. The exhibition can be visited between 08.00-16.00 at the exhibition hall of the Near East University Hospital until 13 November 2020.
