The Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts, which has played host various exhibitions since its establishment, is organizing an exhibition titled "To Be Exist with Art" in memory of Ismet Vehit Güney, who is considered as the father of the Turkish Cypriot art of painting.
According to the press release issued by the Directorate of Press and Public Relations Office of Near East University, the exhibition titled "To Exist With Art" would be organized in memory of the tenth death anniversary of Ismet Vehit Güney, who had a great role not only in laying the foundations of the Turkish Cypriot art of painting but also in registering the societal existence of Turkish Cypriots in the context of the contemporary civilization.
The exhibition, which will be organized by the Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts, will be held at the Cyprus Arts Center that located in the foyer area of Atatürk Culture and Congress Center (AKKM) on April 25, 2019. The Cypriot painters will be invited to participate in the event. The exhibition will cover all disciplines engaged in plastic arts.
The Designer of the Modern Flag of the Republic of Cyprus...
Ismet Vehit Güney, one of the cornerstones of the Turkish Cypriot art of painting, is best known as the designer of the modern flag of the Republic of Cyprus, the country's coat of arms and the original Cyprus lira. Ismet Vehit's design of the flag for the young Republic of Cyprus was a simple drawing on white background with a golden Cyprus map and with two green olive branches symbolizing peace between the two communities of the island. This flag is currently the flag of so called the Republic of Cyprus and is the one flying at the headquarters of the European Union.
He Was Held in High Honor with an Art Center in His Name...
In 2005, the Ministry of National Education and Culture opened an art center bearing the name of Ismet Vehit Güney, who had won many awards either by his solo exhibitions or by participating in group exhibitions in both Cyprus and abroad. Güney, who was the first Turkish Cypriot painter to open a solo art exhibition in Cyprus, created many distinguished artworks. From England to America, from foreign embassies to many official buildings, his works are used to decorate many spaces.
Who is Ismet V. Güney?
Ismet Vehit Güney, one of the doyens of Turkish Cypriot art of painting, was born in 1923 in Limassol, Cyprus. He began painting while he was a student in high school. In 1947, Güney became the first Turkish Cypriot painter to open a solo art exhibition. He worked as an art and art history teacher at Lefkoşa Erkek Lisesi from 1948 to 1977. In 1967, a scholarship enabled him to study at Belfast Queen's University's Stranmills College. In 1986 he had a grand retrospective exhibition in Nicosia and he was deemed worthy for Culture Art Service Award by TRNC Government. Towards the end of his life he worked in various fields including cartoon, advertising, graphics, photography, serigraphy and color-separation. He also wrote poems and stories. He died on June 23, 2009, at the age of 85.
