02 – 10 July, 2021, opening on 01 July 18.30 hrs

By Heidi Trautmann

All stories have a trigger story. Why would the two paper art associations of Cyprus and of Turkey initiate an art event such as Postal Artbooks. The trigger was an International art event organized by IAPMA for Postal Artists Books on a worldwide basis. Our local paper artists and IAPMA members Inci Kansu and Ismet Tatar took part in this event, also our local KKSD/ACPA member Mandana Mehrnia. The exhibition took place just recently in Sao Paulo, Brazil. I visited the exhibition online and reported on it. It was quite a time intensive experience because of the Pandemic. However, Inci Kansu and Ismet Tatar, both founding members and former Presidents of KKSD/ACPA association were so pleased with the experience of the event in Sao Paulo and the worldwide communication that they decided to suggest to the Association and its current President Eser Keçeci, to start an art event of the same kind.

It was during the first months of the Pandemic that they worked out a plan and the rules and invited the sister association in Turkey to take part in it and to invite their members to form a partnership with the artist members in Cyprus. The idea was to counter depression and restlessness, the inability to work and exhibit, to keep the members active and something to work for, to motivate them to work together and communicate.

What is a Postal Artists Book? Basically, it is an artbook to be created by one artist and telling half the story, the partner will have to complete it. So, in the end, there are two books per partnership. I have seen some of the artists books and it is fascinating to see the results. You will find out at the exhibition opening on July 01, 2021, at 18.30 hrs and will be on display until 10 July. Viewing hours are 09.00 – 17.00 hrs on weekdays.

The exhibition will be at a recently renovated building owned by Cyprus American University in the Arabahmet Quarter of Nicosia, Atelier 55/57 in Müftü Ziyai Sokak.

The best way is to park your car at the Selen Car Park, walk down to the Restaurant TaşEv which is opposite the Mosque and then walk down the street to the end.

Shortly before the opening of the artists books exhibition, there will be a literature event on the ground floor of the building, a presentation of Mehmet Kansu’s books ‘Five plus One’, i.e. his last five books plus one biography by Eralp Adanir. I will report separately. However, I mean, there is a connection, the books created with written words against the books created with all kind of speaking materials, a story or poem is created in both ways.

·         ACPA : Association of Cyprus Paper Artists

·         KSD: Association of Turkish Paper Artists