Consisting of 16 artworks that exclusively prepared for Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts, “Turkish Artists Exhibition”, which reveals the extraordinary vision of 4 artists coming from Turkey, was opened by Hasan Taçoy, Minister of Economy and Energy.
The Directorate of Press and Public Relations Office of Near East University released that the opening ceremony of the exhibition was realized at the Exhibition Hall of the Faculty of Medicine with the participation of the Economy and Energy Minister Hasan Taçoy, Near East University Founding Rector Dr. Suat Günsel, vice rectors, deans, directors of graduate schools, faculty members, artists and guests.
The opening remarks of the exhibition were respectively delivered by Professor Ali Efdal Ozkul, the Dean of the Faculty of Sciences and Arts and the Founding Chairman of the Executive Board of Cyprus Turkish National History Museum, Gülay Yüksel, on behalf of Turkish artists, and Hasan Taçoy, Minister of Economy and Energy.
Near East University will take place amongst the world’s top 500 prestigious universities…
In his opening remarks, Professor Ali Efdal Ozkul, the Dean of the Faculty of Sciences and Arts and the Founding Chairman of the Executive Board of Cyprus Turkish National History Museum, underlined that Near East University, which started her educational life in 1988, had left her mark on many outstanding accomplishments and made her name known in this geography as a leading university. “When the leading role and outstanding accomplishments in education, science, health, innovation, sports, art and culture are taken into consideration, Near East University comes into mind first in this geography. Near East University with her educational, research and scientific accumulation use her energy to contribute to the economic, social, psychological and cultural development of the society in local and global scale. Since its establishment, Near East University has been covering firm steps towards being a global information center. Within 31 years, a period of time that can be considered relative to the history of a comprehensive and high level institute of science and education, Near East University has developed with a dazzling pace and become the largest education, culture and research center of Cyprus.
As of 2018, more than 1200 articles of faculty members of Near East University were published by prestigious journals scanned by Web of Science and Scopus, the largest abstract and citation databases of peer-reviewed literature covering tens of thousands research topics across all scientific disciplines. Considering the number of publications, Near East University ranks the 3rd place among universities in Turkey and top among TRNC universities. Our aim is to take place among the world’s top 500 prestigious universities. As NEU’s academicians we progress on this route with firm steps” said he.
We have brought 60+ Refresher University and Özay Günsel Children's University into effect…
Underlining that Near East University meant quality, innovation and accomplishment in all domains of science, art and education, Professor Ali Efdal Özkul stated that Near East University had adopted lifelong education encompassing all between 2 and 60+ years of age. "In the line of our lifelong education strategy, Near East University and her sister university, the University of Kyrenia, are committed to offering quality education for all beyond standards set by national and international bodies. To this end, we opened 60+ Refresher University in the academic year of 2018-2019. Besides, we opened Özay Günsel Children's University, which is the only and first university of Cyprus for children aging 2-17.
Within the scope of Erasmus Exchange Program, Near East University hosted 61 students from 22 countries this summer...
Underlining the crucial role of research and exchange programs in providing students with opportunity to gain educational and training experience abroad, Professor Ali Efdal Özkul expressed his views: “We have realized internship and research exchange programs with many universities across the world through more than 60 student clubs affiliated with our university. This summer, within the scope of these exchange programs, 61 students from 22 different countries engaged in internship or research programs on Near East University Campus. The research and exchange programs also enable our students to engage in internship and research exchange programs at universities abroad. “This year, we have realized a first in TRNC and sent 2 students to Lithuania within the scope of Erasmus Exchange Program. We have set a foot towards initiating the academic staff exchange program within the Fall Semester.
We offer world class health services to our society and people living in the region with a total of 5 hospitals including Near East University Hospital, NEU Dental Hospital, NEU Animal Hospital, Dr. Suat Günsel Hospital and Dental Hospital of University of Kyrenia. As a science-producing university, Near East University houses 20 faculties, 6 graduate schools, 33 research centers and 104 high-end laboratories, all of which are in service of research and development studies. In the last three years, 380 research projects were accepted by BAP, which we support with our own resources, and 120 of these projects have been completed.
Expressing that works towards involving in CERN project as Near East University and TRNC had been initiated, Professor Özkul underlined their commitment to opening new horizons for the country. "With RA-25 and RA-27 solar-powered car project, Robotic Soccer Team, Technology Transfer Office NERITA, Near East University has made her name and TRNC known across the world. And now, with Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts Project, we are bringing together all Turkic republics and communities and Turkey in Northern Cyprus via an "Art Bridge"" noted he.
Near East University, in addition to her achievements in education, she has combined science and art like the two wings of a bird by accelerating her activities in the field of art...
Stating that the mankind had always been in an attempt to express themselves by using various ways since prehistoric ages, Professor Özkul noted that the pictures engraved on the walls of the caves, sculptures, documents and other archeological findings belonging to prehistoric and historic times shed light on the history of humanity. "Without these works and documents, we wouldn't have known what people had done in the past. The museology and museums have a crucial role in conveying this historical heritage to the present day. It is also important not to forget those who initiated the museology, because establishing a museum in contemporary sense is an arduous process requiring great efforts and sacrifices" said he.
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk: “A nation deprived from art is a nation one of its vital veins is ruptured"
Expressing that the first examples of museology in the sense of exhibition emerged during Roman Empire, Professor Özkul said that Roman soldiers used to exhibit their spoils of war. "Since the Roman era, museums have undergone various stages and museums have become places where a link between past and future has been established. “Art is for people to understand each other. It is another world that describes the world we live in via different emotions. It is for realizing social and universal peace. Art is the expression of aesthetics and emotions. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's saying "A nation deprived from art is a nation one of its vital veins is ruptured" expresses the importance of art and its crucial role in the development of a society in the best way. One of the aspects of an elevated society is the love for fine arts and to ascend with it. Because of this, Near East University has taken it as her fundamental objective to ensure all her possibilities for the benefit of our society and take gigantic steps towards elevating our people’s high character, steadfast vigor, intelligence, devotion to science, and love for fine arts. Art is creativity, it enhances human's liking, and societies develop as much as the importance they attach on art. A nation deprived of art and artists will never live life to its fullest” noted he.
Near East University Increases the Number of Museums to 7
Prof. Dr. Ali Efdal Özkul: "We, as the Near East Family, attach importance on art and museology as much as we attach importance on science. Our three museums (Cyprus Car Museum, Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts and Cyprus Herbarium and Natural History Museum) located on the Museums Zone on the Near East University Campus, provides the visitors with opportunity to spent their times in an environment full of science, technology and art. New museums consisting of Cyprus Turkish National History Museum, Maritime Museum, Knife and Sword Museum have been designed to be constructed. Consequently, a total of 7 museums located in the Museums Zone on Near East University Campus will be a clear indicator showing the importance that Near East University attach on science, culture and art.
Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts will be opened to service of art-lovers with more than 20 thousand of artworks on 15 November 2020
Underlining that as Near East University, they had been exerting effort not only raising social awareness in art but also for promoting TRNC in international platforms, Professor Ali Efdal Özkul stated that Near East University as well as TRNC are known in full details in 14 Turkic republics and communities, in Balkans and in Middle East geography. An art bridge connecting Central Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean is being built up. Our domestic artists together with artists from Turkey and Turkic republics and communities are building up this bridge together. Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts will be a unique art destination reflecting solely Turkic art and culture. Currently, more than 12 thousand of artworks of various art forms constitute the core of the inventory of the museum. It is clear that this number will exceed 20,000 when Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts opens its doors on 15 November, 2020. The name of the artists that participated in our art workshops and contributed to the museum with their unique artworks will take place among the names of the founders of the museum” noted he.
"We are very happy to be a part of this great project”
Speaking on behalf of Turkish Artists at the opening of the exhibition, artist Gülay Yüksel expressed her views: "Today, we are opening the exhibition consisting of paintings that we, as four artists from Turkey, exclusively prepared for Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts. Thank you all for coming. We are pleased to be part of this great project of the Near East University. When this project is completed, it will be the largest Museum of Modern Art in this sense. During this time, we had the chance to meet with other participating artist fellows and see their works. We are greeting them all. We would like to thank the Founding Rector Dr. Suat Günsel and the whole team exerting effort to host us. I hope we will see you again at the opening of the Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts" said she.
Minister Taçoy: "Dr. Suat Günsel has proved everyone that art and culture stand forefront in paving the ways for societies towards rapprochement in understanding"
Touching upon the crucial role of art in overcoming the challenges encountered while promoting our country, Economy and Energy Minister Hasan Taçoy expressed his views: "We have not achieved yet to make the countries pioneering and advocating civilization understand the view of this tiny Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus at the point of transforming abstract into concrete. I think we might get somewhere by covering the stages in the process of integrations. Near East University has proved everyone that the first path not only to realize the integrations but also to provide the rapprochement of societies with understanding each other needs to pass through art and culture”.
By pointing to the construction of Cyprus Museum of Modern arts, Minister Taçoy went on his remarks: "Perhaps, it was a dream for everyone. However, the construction rising towards the sky is in front of you. This is a point where that abstract will become concrete. Even though, the world has a different point of view about the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, even they try to ignore the education here, Near East University with her resounding accomplishment has once again proved that it is time for overcoming these challenges” noted he.
Hasan Taçoy: "Near East University has become a place where education, science, health, culture and art come alive"
Indicating that with the importance that it attaches on education, science, innovation, R&D studies, health, culture and art, Near East University offered everything that a university could offer, Minister Taçoy stated that the university had achieved a point where all beauties experienced.
Touching upon Professor Özkul's remarks, Minister Taçoy stated that he had a firm belief that Near East University with all her accomplishments was far beyond of many world's universities. "Once again, congrats to Near East University in recognition of creating such a distinguished museum attracting the interest of the world” said he.
“From now on, countries adopting intellectual freedom and countries advocating the continuation of that freedom will have the chance to come to these lands and see the artworks of our artists who exhibit their freedom and artistic vision through art. So, the values created on this tiny country, Cyprus Museum of Modern arts featuring more than 20 thousand of masterpieces of more than 1500 artists, and all scientific accomplishments achieved by our academics will make them understand the value of Near East University, University of Kyrenia and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” noted he.
Plaques were presented to the artists…
Following the speeches, Economy and Energy Minister Hasan Taçoy presented plaques and certificates of appreciation to Turkish artists Gülay Yüksel, Gülümay Çıraz, Murat Tefek and Durmuş Ali Akça.
The exhibition was toured...
Then the ribbon was cut and the exhibition was opened for visits. The exhibition at the Exhibition Hall of the Faculty of Medicine will be open between 08:00-16:00 hours on week days until 17 September 2019.
