By Heidi Trautmann

Olive trees, garden scenes with cacti, pots , weeds and undergrowth, human models like Leonie, Udi, Yasin and Serife, in pastel and charcoal, 44 drawings selected from the huge archive Christina is still hiding in her drawers, a treasure when you had the chance to see them as I had. Many friends have been pushing her hard to finally show her beautiful work to the public.

Christina Hessenberg has been living in North Cyprus since 1985 and since that time has been hoarding her impressions of the island and its nature in her drawers, except in three personal shows and three group exhibitions. Her drawings are all life drawings, not taken from photos but sitting for hours with her easel to paint and learn the secrets of nature, of light and shadow.  I don’t know anybody who has better brought to life these old olive trees on drawing paper than her. It is also remarkable that among the artists in North Cyprus it is mostly foreign artists who have painted Cyprus landscapes, the reason may be the impact Cyprus’ nature makes on people, especially artists, when they first come here.  For many it is the great variety of plants, the explosion of colours in spring, the transparent air and the light enhancing the values of colour.

Many friends and art lovers had come to the opening of the exhibition and I do hope that many more will come to see the exhibition before Christina stores her beautiful work again in her drawers.

The exhibition at the Girne Belediye Sanat Galeresi – the former TRAFO Building in the centre of Girne Sanayi – the road to enter opposite the City Tower in Girne Main Street - is open until 03 November. Visiting hours are Mon – Fri 10:00 –17:00 hrs, Sat: 10:00 – 15:00 hrs; Sunday and Monday Oct 29 it is closed.