22 Artists from 11 different countries

By Heidi Trautmann

Encounters are the source of the energy of life! A very true statement made by Feridun Isıman and Ahmet Özel, artists and curators of the current exhibition at the Atatürk Cultural Centre in Nicosia.

Artists who believe in encounters and seek the exchange of ideas will improve their vision and their energy not only for the time of creation but in general, it widens their horizon which reflects in their work. Encounters 5 is meant to overcome difficulties, differences in culture and religion, the barriers of borders and languages, of gender and race.  Encounters comprise the attitude of sharing, and this is the basis on which the exhibition is built upon.

Feridun Isıman has met the artists either in group exhibitions and/or on the many occasions of workshops or regular meetings at art colonies. Encounters out of which in each individual case friendships grew. 

The preparation for this exhibition, planned for some months, had met with many obstacles, said Feridun Isıman who had just come back from another encounter, from an art colony in Egypt. So it happened that everything had to be done in the last minute and working late at night, hanging the pictures, and by that time realizing that some works by the Russian artist had not arrived and were returned at the Turkish border because high tax fees were demanded which nobody could pay.  On top of that the weather in Cyprus got absolutely crazy and many art lovers dared not leave their house.

So the welcome speech by Hasan Bozer, the head of the Parliament, on the evening of the opening was addressed to only a few people. But nevertheless, the few that were there and had managed to come, enjoyed the show the more. As I had expressed in my announcement of Feridun Isıman’s invitation: as it is one of the rare occasions in North Cyprus to see art works by international artists,  it should be given more attention to it.

Delia Chausheva from Bulgaristan; He Jian Cheng, Sun Jia Cheng and Zhu Dong Hui from China; Nagore Amenabarro from Spain; Alexsandr Belugin from Russia; Toni Shulajkovski and Ljupka Galazka Vasilev from Macedonia; Anna Daria Merska and Magdalena from Poland; Cornelia Gherlan from Romania; Anka Krasna and Sasa Bezjak from Slovenia; Mutaz Eleman from Sudan; Marija Dukic from Serbia; from Turkey came Ahmet Özel, Fügen Batı, Sükrü Karakuş and Müfit Işler; and finally from North Cyprus were: Feridun Isıman, Inci Kansu and Bülent Salderay.

A rich and interesting display of so very different styles which made my heart jump because here we know each other’s work and ‘handwriting’ and it is like a refreshing shower of impressions to see something new. Also our Feridun Isiman and Inci Kansu have brought in some new and most interesting work.

There is still some time to see the exhibition. The viewing times are Monday to Friday 9:00 – 14:30. 

I cannot show all the paintings on this website, but there were many more I liked and I leave some for you to discover.