By Heidi Trautmann
On July 3, Girne American University plus College opened their first international painting workshop with 17 artists from different countries. Şenol Özdevrim, art teacher at the College, has organised this event with the help of Toya Akpinar who had recently won the 1st prize in the TRNC Youth Art Competition and with the support of Hikmet Uluçam, Head of the Graphic Design Department at the Girne AmericanUniversity.
It takes months to prepare such an art event – it was already planned for last year – and it also requires funds to be made available to invite the artists. “For many years we artists from the TRNC have been invited to join art workshops in other countries, so we thought we should start repaying this hospitality. For our art students at the college and university it is important to see professional and experienced artists at work, to look over their shoulders. The venue of the workshop was therefore planned at the big cafeteria of the UniverCity building in Karaoğlanoğlu, so students coming in for lunch would have the direct approach,” explains Şenol Özdevrim, when I visited the workshop some days later. It is a big room full of light and ready for any service the artists might want.
Participating artists:
Asli Özen, Turkey, Erol Kiliç, Turkey, Mehmet Birol, Turkey, Nuriye Göçer, Turkey,
Deniz Kandan, Turkey, Hacer Doğan, Turkey, Ayşe Yetki, Turkey, Azer Aliyef, Azerbeidjan,
Ildar Gilmanov, Baskurdistan, Muriel Clutten, TRNC (South Africa) Maryam Rahmani, Iran, Gülmira Telgozieva, Kazakistan, Ayder Aziyev, Ukrainia, Ayca Akarcan, TRNC, Toya Akpinar, TRNC, Hikmet Uluçam (TRNC) Şenol Özdevrim (TRNC).
I took my time to go around the room and inspect what they have been working on for the first couple of days. I tried not to disturb them in their concentration and just took a look over their shoulders. Very good work of middle aged to young artists and very interesting techniques. I talked to Muriel Clutten, one artist of my Thursday Art Group, she was using sketches of our lıfe drawıng sessıons for a painting. There was no theme. Hardly any abstract work, but semi-realistic. I really enjoyed what I saw, and especially the good craftsmanship. But it is too early to make any deeper going comments.
The artists coming from other countries are taken on short tours around the Kyrenia area to get a chance to fill their sketchbooks and catch an idea for another painting. The participants live at the GAU guesthouse. I heard they all work late, sometimes until 2 am in the morning.
The workshop finishes on July 17. There will be a reception on the GAU campus on July 16 on the terrace of the café, around 7 pm. The proper exhibition of all works finished will be presented in an official exhibition in September.
Those who want to visit the workshop and look over the shoulders of the artists are welcome to come any day, but Tuesdays and Thursdays the artists are present all day long at the UniverCity Guest House.
If you have any questions please contact SenolÖzdevrim 0542 851 3962
For English Hikmet Ulucam 0533 866 0057