Near East University Faculty of Communication Lecturer Gazi Yüksel brings the visual memory of Cyprus together with art lovers with his retrospective exhibition consisting of his 40-year photographic archive.
The 40-year visual memory of Cyprus, reflected through the lens of Near East University Faculty of Communication Lecturer Gazi Yüksel, meets art lovers. The “Retrospective Exhibition” will present a selection of photographs taken by Gazi Yüksel, who continues to share his experiences as a photojournalist and researcher-writer with his students at Near East University, throughout his professional life. The exhibition will be opened on Monday, May 12, 2025 at 15:00, at the foyer of Near East University Faculty of Communication, with the participation of Republican Turkish Party Chairman Tufan Erhürman.
The exhibition includes a rich selection reflecting Yüksel’s professional knowledge and visual narrative power. From news and sports photographs to black-and-white images created with darkroom techniques; The wide range of works, from conceptual macro shots to experimental compositions produced in digital media, will offer visitors a comprehensive experience.
This retrospective is not only an art exhibition, it also provides an in-depth look at the transformation of photography in Cyprus over the years. In the exhibition, visitors will be able to closely observe how technology has intertwined with the art of photography, as well as the frames that witness history through Yüksel’s lens.
This journey, extending from the nostalgic magic of the darkroom to the pixel world of the digital age, invites the viewer to an impressive discovery of both the past and the present. The frames that Gazi Yüksel has collected over the years will take their place in the exhibition not only as photographs but also as powerful narratives where collective memory, personal observation and artistic intuition come together.
This comprehensive retrospective, which will open its doors on May 12, can be visited every day between 08:00 and 20:00 until May 25 as a reflection of a lifetime of labor, discipline and a vision shaped by passion.
Who is Gazi Yüksel?
Gazi Yüksel was born in Nicosia in 1963. After graduating from Haydarpaşa Commercial High School, Gazi Yüksel entered journalism life in 1981 and worked as a photojournalist for Birlik and Halkın Sesi newspapers and Türk Ajansı-Kıbrıs for 20 years.
Gazi Yüksel, who won nearly 40 awards in national and international competitions, founded the Northern Cyprus Photojournalists Association in 1991 and served as its president. Gazi Yüksel, who has 12 solo exhibitions including news, sports, darkroom and art photographs, repeated some of these exhibitions in various cities in Turkey. Gazi Yüksel published his photography-poetry-music works titled “Two Faces of Nicosia” in 2001, “Scarf from Cradle to Grave” in 2003 and “Peace Fight” in 2004. Gazi Yüksel graduated from the Department of Plastic Arts-Painting at the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design at Near East University in 2012 and completed his master’s degree in 2018.
Gazi Yüksel has been teaching “Basic Photography”, “Press Photography”, “Studio Photography”, “Advertisement Photography” and “Image Processing” at the Faculty of Communication at Near East University since 1991 and is the Head of the Department at the Vocational School of Photography and Videography. Yüksel has 7 published books on the history of photography and photography. Yüksel has also been the curator of the Near East University International Photography Days for over 20 years.
