The “Fine Arts End-of-Year Exhibition”, consisting of the works of academic staff and artists from the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design of Near East University, was opened at the Exhibition Hall of the Near East Art Museum with the participation of President Ersin Tatar. The “Fine Arts End-of-Year Exhibition”, which is the 399th exhibition of the Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts, can be visited free of charge until Friday, December 24, 2021.

President Ersin Tatar, Near East University Acting Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ and Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design Prof. Dr. Erdal Aygenç made speeches.

President Ersin Tatar: “To share all these beauties with the world, to be a part of the world; Beyond our right, is our contribution to world civilization.”
Starting his speech by reminding that they have opened the 399th exhibition of the Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts, President Ersin Tatar said, “I would like to congratulate you for this productivity. I will not miss the opening of the 400th exhibition. I will be with you again at the exhibition that will open on 20 December.” Expressing that these beauties created by Near East University, which is a source of pride for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and add great value to the country, President Tatar said, “The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus may have some problems, but such a productive university in every field has emerged from the heart of our country. Because the Turkish Cypriot Community is open to all kinds of creativity and production.

President Ersin Tatar said that by adding the Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts with new works and establishing a bridge between the past and the future, these works, which have been created despite all political obstacles in Cyprus, which has a history of thousands of years, are the indications of the message of ‘we exist’ rising from the Near East University Campus to the whole world. “We will continue to exist,” he said. “We are artistic, we are a society that has caught the universality. With all its courage and will, the works produced by the Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts are giving this message to the world,” President Tatar said, “To be able to share all these beauties with the world, to be a part of the world is our contribution to world civilization beyond our right. Despite all the embargoes and isolations, we are at a point that contributes to the world, not taking all these from the world. President Tatar said, “I see it as a debt to Dr. Suat Günsel, as today’s President, to say, on behalf of all politicians, ‘we can’t be more proud of you’.”

Emphasizing that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, despite the pandemic and economic difficulties, continues to produce its own values with its creative vision for the future, the President said, “We will continue to walk towards the future together with the self-confidence.” Reminding that Near East University ranks 488th among approximately 15,000 world universities, President Tatar said, “These are great achievements that make us proud. I believe that the Near East University will continue to move forward with this determination and courage.”

Concluding his speech by congratulating the artists who contributed to the Fine Arts Year-End Exhibition, President Ersin Tatar once again reiterated that he will attend the opening of the 400th exhibition of the Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts on 20 December.

Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ: “Near East University continues to work and produce with the awareness of representing not only itself and its country, but also the Turkish world in the international arena.”
Speaking at the opening of the Fine Arts End-of-Year Exhibition, Near East University Acting Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ emphasized that in every period of history, science, art and technology have carried countries beyond all borders and limitations. Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ said, “Near East University, which steadfastly continues its pioneering role in every field of existence by developing science, art, culture and technology, which are the most important parts of the progress that will create the future, continues to work and produce with the awareness of representing not only itself and its country, but also the Turkish world in the international arena.”
Emphasizing that Near East University has achieved an important success for the country by taking part among the top 250 universities in the world in the fields of “engineering” and “computer sciences” in the World Universities Ranking 2022 published by Times Higher Education, the international higher education rating agency, Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ said, “This week, another higher education rating institution, AD Scientific Index, listed the best universities in the world. In the ‘Top Universities Ranking 2022’ list, in which 13,600 universities from 206 countries are evaluated across the country, region, and the whole world, Near East University ranked 488th in the world, ranked first among the TRNC universities and third among Turkish universities.

In his speech emphasizing that Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts, Walled City Museum, Cyprus Car Museum, Günsel Art Museum, which gathers many historical objects reflecting the culture and history of the Turkish Cypriot community under the same roof in its rich collections, the Cyprus Herbarium and Natural History Museum, which brings together examples of living species and rocks reflecting the geological history of the island of Cyprus reaching 250 million years, and thousands of plants unique to the island, create a unique art atmosphere that spreads to the whole region and the world, Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ said, “I would like to express my deepest gratitude to our Founding Rector Dr. Suat Günsel, our Chairman of the Board of Trustees Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel and to each of our artists who contributed to the exhibition and to our President Ersin Tatar for opening this meaningful exhibition.”

Prof. Dr. Erdal Aygenç: “Museums enable the artistic and cultural existence of the society and the country to be strengthened, and enable future generations to be nourished by them.”
Reminding that as artists and lecturers of the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, they organize a group exhibition every month for the Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design of Near East University Prof. Dr. Erdal Aygenç said, “This time, we are together to open the Fine Arts End-of-Year Exhibition; Thank you for the honor.” Reminding words of one of his colleagues, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gökhan Okur said, “Works that have never been seen before, that are a source and inspiration for the next ones, are called ‘masterpieces’. Prof. Dr. Aygenç said “Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts is a masterpiece for Cyprus. With this statement, my esteemed colleague rightly emphasizes how strongly the museums will contribute to the strengthening of the artistic and cultural existence of the society and the country, and to the feeding of future generations from them.”

Also referring to the words of the curator of the “Fine Arts End-of-Year Exhibition”, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erdoğan Ergün who said, “No negativity can stop art and artistic production, because there is no life without artistic production”, Prof. Dr. Erdal Aygenç said, “We, the Near East artists are proud and happy to be a part of such a great breakthrough and unique formation.”