“Circle of Life”, the first exhibition organized by the Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts in 2023, was opened by the Minister of Economy and Energy Olgun Amcaoğlu at the University of Kyrenia Prof. Dr. İlkay Salihoğlu Republic Hall. The opening ceremony, hosted by Near East Enterprises Chairman of the Board of Trustees Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel, was attended by the University of Kyrenia Rector Prof. Dr. İlkay Salihoğlu, Near East University Acting Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ, Head of Museums Department of the Near East Enterprises Prof. Dr. Ali Efdal Özkul, artist Ferdiye Yurdakul, 60+ University of Kyrenia students and many art lovers.

“Circle of Life”, the 433rd exhibition opened by the Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts, can be visited free of charge until February 10.

The opening speeches of the exhibition were made by the University of Kyrenia Rector Prof. Dr. İlkay Salihoğlu, artist Ferdiye Yurdakul and Minister of Economy and Energy Olgun Amcaoğlu.

Prof. Dr. İlkay Salihoğlu: “Every work begins with a line. Sometimes it seems so simple. However, it creates a consistency with the message it gives with its fiction.”
Making the opening speech of the exhibition, the University of Kyrenia Rector Prof. Dr. İlkay Salihoğlu said, “Every work starts with a line. Sometimes it seems so simple. However, it creates a consistency with the message it gives with its fiction.” Referring to the biography of Ferdiye Yurdakul, whose works met with art lovers in the exhibition they opened, Prof. Dr. Salihoğlu said, “In her life that started in a village in Cyprus, she received an education in one of the best institutions on Turkish Language and Literature and had a very successful professional life. She analyzed all the elements in her life one by one. She interpreted them and the result is clear with these beautiful works.”

Thanking the artist Ferdiye Yurdakul for this beautiful work, Prof. Dr. Salihoğlu also expressed that he was delighted as the Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts opened its first exhibition of 2023 at the University of Kyrenia.

Ferdiye Yurdakul: “Mandala is essentially a circle of life. That’s why I named the exhibition ‘Circle of Life’. We are all mandalas because we live. We are lively. We are not static.”
Artist Ferdiye Yurdakul, who says she is in an attempt to describe life in the “Circle of Life” exhibition, said, “If you examine the works carefully, the circle-shaped life cycle will engulf you. Because these works have great magic in macro and micro terms. Mandala is not just a drawing art.” Emphasizing that the mandala is a therapy method, a healing method, and a meditation technique, Yurdakul said, “Mandala is essentially a circle of life. That’s why I named the exhibition ‘Circle of Life’. We are all mandalas because we live. We are lively. We are not static.”

Stating that the “Circle of Life” exhibition brings together 43 mandala works with art lovers, Yurdakul said that she has been drawing these works since 2015. Yurdakul said that the word “drawing” is actually wrong and emphasized that these works should be seen as “transmissions from the heart” and “instant projections” on paper, canvas or wall. Expressing that she is very proud to be under the roof of the University of Kyrenia 60+ Renewal University, the artist thanked everyone who contributed to her and all art lovers who participated in the opening.

Olgun Amcaoğlu: “With the mandala works in the exhibition, we once again witnessed the power of interpreting life positively.”
In his speech, he said, “Despite all kinds of deficiencies and needs, the leadership displayed by the teachers by taking responsibility during the pandemic period was admirable.”
Starting his speech by saying “Now, we see another virtue of our teachers here,” Minister of Economy and Energy Olgun Amcaoğlu said, “We once again witnessed the power of interpreting life positively with the mandala works in the exhibition.” Minister Amcaoğlu said, “Especially as someone who comes from the same village as Ferdiye Hanım, I am very happy that such ores come out of us. As I have emphasized on every ground, we need to give much more value to art and artists. Because reaching universal values is possible only in proportion to the value we can give to art and artists.”