The “Fine Arts October Exhibition”, exclusively prepared for the Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts by 19 award-winning academic artists from the Near East University Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, was opened by President Ersin Tatar at the Near East University Atatürk Culture and Congress Center Exhibition Hall. Nicosia Deputy Ürün Solyalı also attended the opening of the exhibition.
The exhibition, which can be visited free of charge until December 10, brings together 50 works consisting of paintings, sculptures, ceramics and printmaking with art lovers. The exhibition is the 466th exhibition of the Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts.
The opening speeches of the exhibition, which attracted great interest from art lovers, were made by President Ersin Tatar, Near East University Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ and Near East University Faculty of Fine Arts and Design Dean Prof. Dr. Erdal Aygenç.
President Ersin Tatar: “In a world where material valuesare pursued, art and culture offer us the expression of freedom and creativity.”
President Ersin Tatar, who started his speech by thanking all the artists who contributed to the “October Fine Arts Exhibition”, said, “Near East University is a home of values that internalizes and sustains culture and art, beyond being an educational institution.”
Stating that TRNC continues to exist as a strong Turkish state in the Eastern Mediterranean despite all the propaganda, President Ersin Tatar said, “Near East University, which is among the leading universities in the world, is frequently mentioned in our country not only with its academic achievements but also in the field of art and culture.” Stating that the preservation of thousands of works by Near East University with its museums and exhibitions is of great importance for future generations, President Ersin Tatar said, “Culture and art are bridges that carry humanity forward. In a world where material values and consumption are pursued, art and culture offer us the expression of freedom and creativity.”
Emphasizing that each work was produced in a free environment and clearly reflected the feelings and thoughts of the artists, President Ersin Tatar said, “All these works are a treasure. As the Turkish Cypriot people, we know very well the value of freedom, culture and art. Therefore, we aim to carry this heritage even further.”
Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ: “While all these works serve as a bridge between art and society, they will also strengthen the transformative effect that art has on society.”
Near East University Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ began his speech by saying, “This special exhibition, adorned with works from different disciplines of art, is very valuable as a symbol of our commitment to the cultural heritage of our country, beyond being just an art event.” Also mentioning President Ersin Tatar’s recent international contacts and the speeches he gave there, Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ said, “We followed with great pride President Ersin Tatar’s statements regarding the success of our university in the world rankings and the success of our country’s domestic automobile GÜNSEL in the international arena during the 11th Summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States held in Kyrgyzstan, and during his contacts in Belgium and Poland. On this occasion, we would like to express our most sincere thanks and gratitude to him.”
Continuing his speech by emphasizing the academic achievements of the Near East University, Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ said, “We were among the ‘world’s most influential top 300 universities’ in the ‘2024 World Universities Impact Ranking’ updated by Times Higher Education a few weeks ago. In the same study, we were ranked 6th in the world in ‘Quality of Education’ and 8th in the world in the ‘Sustainable Cities and Societies’ category.”
Stating that they see art as the cornerstone of social development, Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ said, “While all these works serve as a bridge between art and society, they will also strengthen the transformative effect that art leaves on society.”
Prof. Dr. Erdal Aygenç: “Art is an aesthetic process created by the coming together of the human hand, brain and heart.”
Prof. Dr. Aygenç, who started his speech by making important emphasis on the essence of art and the creative process, quoted from the conversation of the famous painter Brullof with his student and said, “Brullof makes a small correction on the work of one of his students. The student looks at the painting that has changed completely with a small correction with astonishment and says, ‘You touched a single point, but how much has the work changed?’ Brullof gives the following answer: ‘Art begins where that small point begins. Indeed, the starting point is very important in the formation of a work. After that, every form and color takes shape around that magical point. From this perspective, every work of art is a symbol of the universe, each piece is connected to each other within itself.”
Prof. Dr. Aygenç also said, “It is not enough to look at just one detail to understand a work of art. Just like the universe, art also has a harmony. Art is an aesthetic process created by the coming together of the human hand, brain and heart. Its purpose is not to copy the universe or nature, but to interpret, express them and intuit the future.”
Prof. Dr. Erdal Aygenç concluded his speech by saying, “We would like to thank our Founding Rector Dr. Suat Günsel, whose energy and motivation we always feel, who enables us to come together with the exhibitions we open every month and share our works as well as to talk about art. Once again, I would like to express my most sincere gratitude to İrfan Günsel and the entire Günsel family. I congratulate all our participating artists and the exhibition curator Prof. Erdoğan Ergün.”
