My compliments go to the organizers of this event, an exhibition of all students’ works to greet their art teacher Rüya Reşat, a young woman artist who died last year.

92 works by 27 adult and children/young people artists were showcased at the Atatürk Cultural Centre from 6 – 13 April, works which have been done at Rüya Reşat’s studio in Nicosia, a small house full of light, colour and inspiration.

The experience to study under such conditions has brought all her students together and they will not forget their time with her. Some of the young students have chosen to study fine arts and go to university.  There were some remarkable works displayed  as you can see for yourself.

I talked to Fatma Akcaba and Rüya’s sister at the AKM exhibition hall and we all three remembered Rüya’s house full of sunlight, the walls painted in yellow, orange and oxblood colours, decorated in a very artistic way, where I also had met Rüya for my interview with her for my book “Art and Creativity in North Cyprus”.  We remembered her laughter, her friendliness and her philosophy about art and life: “Art begins in the head” and “Il n’y a jamais un point final”. We talked about her love for flowers, especially roses, and her last exhibition at Bellapais and her experiments with digital art; we talked about Rüya’s love for Gustav Klimt and the painting she did as an homage to him: Love and Kiss, a painting, Fatma Akcaba is proud to own today.  I told them about the oncoming special event of the Gustav Klimt exhibition in Nicosia in May.

Rüya’s house will be left as it is and will soon be opened for an exhibition with works Rüya had intended for an exhibition before cancer took her life. The French Cultural Department will support this event. Her sister to whom she had a very close relationship will organize the exhibition; also the house will in future be open for the public to see Rüya’s work.

Both sisters have studied in Paris and have brought some of the French culture and savoir vivre to Cyprus, the lightness and elegance, and the love for the language. It is part of Cyprus culture.