“Poetic Women” Exhibition at CIU
The ribbon cutting of the “Poetic Women” Painting Exhibition with the theme Cyprus, women and poetry was executed by Hasan Taçoy, the Minister of Labor and Social Security and the exhibition is organized by Cyprus International University Women and Gender Studies Research Center (WGSRC), in collaboration with TRNC Deputy Prime Ministry, and the Directorate of Cultural Office of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Environment.
Speaking at the exhibition where the portraits of 11 Turkish Cypriot women poets are exhibited at the CIU Education and Graduate Sciences Center, Taçoy, the Minister of Labor and Social Security, stated that women have always had a great influence on the territorial issues of Cyprus and noted that their names have been recorded in history.
Stating that every knowledge we gain today is passed on to future generations, Taçoy added, “Art is a symbol of painting how the future will be like and depicted both in writing and in painting. For this reason, the duty of universities is to educate, to conduct research and to be at the service of the society.”
CIU Rector Prof. Dr. Halil Nadiri in his speech at the inauguration of the exhibition stated that they attach great importance to the fact that activities organized at universities should not remain on campus but go beyond the walls of the campus so as to be a way of contributing to the country, the society, and concluded by saying, “We will continue to be at the service of the community as we have so far done and provide opportunities for intellectual growth in the society.”
Director of the Cultural Office, Şirin Zaferyıldızı Zaimağaoğlu, said that their mission as the Cultural Office is to embrace all art lovers and all branches of art, stating "It is our duty to do our best under the unifying umbrella strategy of culture."
Speaking at the event, Painter Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ferhunde K. Öner also stated that painting is the best way to express herself and said, “I want them to know that when I do these paintings, as a woman I identify myself with them. Poetry, culture, femininity, Cyprus… Even before we met, we became friends thanks to this common denominator, I got to know them through poetry. Maybe they know me because of their familiarity with my paintings.”
WGSRC Chair Assist. Prof. Dr. Mihrican Aylanç, on the other hand, stated that the exhibition went through a long mental preparation process and said, “The paintings are images of a woman's revolt against being referred to as a woman poet, depicting how, with which identity and sound she gains her personality and her desire for a world in which she does not have to explain herself.”
Following the opening speeches, the works exhibited were presented to the guests.