The 8th Symposium and Photograph Exhibition of Turkish Cypriots Who Left a Trace Behind, was organized by the Eastern Mediterranean University Center for Cyprus Studies (EMU-CCS) on Friday, the 25th of November 2016. The event that took place at the Rauf Raif Denktaş Culture and Congress Hall commenced at 09:30 with an opening ceremony. The event that takes place once every two years was comprised of three sessions in which Photo Deanna, Photo Kervan, Photo Atlas, Photo Umit and Photo Şık were discussed.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, EMU-CCS Chair Prof. Dr. Naciye Doratlı stated that the Turkish Cypriots Who Left a Trace Behind Symposium normally features individuals that are no longer among us, noting this year for the first time this is not the case. Highlighting the importance of the symposium, Prof. Dr. Doratlı noted that information which will shed light for new generations will be shared and archived. Stating that the EMU-CCS aims to carry out every type of research about Cyprus, Prof. Dr. Doratlı thanked those in attendance for their participation.
In his speech EMU Rector Prof. Dr. Necdet Osam noted that the artists have witnessed numerous historical moment stating that he is very happy to be in the presence of individuals who have left a mark on Turkish Cypriot society. Prof. Dr. Osam underlined the importance of the event organized by EMU-CCS, stating that it is very important to appreciate and understand the value of such personalities whilst still alive.
After the opening speeches, the photograph exhibition comprising of the photographs taken by the symposium subject artists was launched. Famagusta District Governor Dürdane Acı, EMU Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Cem Tanova and Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Özkaramanlı, Faculty Deans and academic staff members were present at the grand opening of the exhibition.
The first of three sessions at the symposium included presentations from researcher and writer Kadir Kaba, Cyprus Photography Association (FODER) Executive Board Member and Pharmacist Dr. Ayşe Gökyiğit as well a joint presentation from Near East University (NEU) Chair of Radio-TV and Film Studies Department Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fevzi Kasap and Çağlayan Dursun. The presentations were respectively titled “1948-1974 The Golden Age of Turkish Cypriot Photography”, “Photography is a Journey-Photo Deanna” and “Photo Şık in Turkish Cypriot Photography”.
The second session included presentations from Dr. Ayşe Gökyiğit, a joint presentation from American University of Cyprus Faculty of Political Sciences Chair, Prof. Dr. Ulvi Keser and Selçuk University Faculty of Fine Arts academician Kübra Müezzinoğlu as well as photographer Buket Özatay. The seminars were respectively titled “Foto Şık, A Lifetime Devoted to Photography”, “Unknown Facts and Interesting Characteristics of Foto Şık” and “69 Years with Photography- Faik Atlas”.
The third and final session included presentations from EMU-CCS Visual Arts Archive Project Manager Zehra Şonya and writer Kadir Kaba, NEU Culture Center Director and photographer Ceyhan Özyıldız as well as researcher and writer Hüseyin Kaba. The seminars were respectively titled “Ümit Ali (Esinler): A 75 year story”, “Tracing Ümit Ali Esinler’s (Foto Ümit) photography in Turkish Cypriot History from the 1950s to the 2000s: An analysis of critical sociopolitical photographs” and “Zeki Kervan”. The symposium comprising of a total of 9 presentations ended after the closing and evaluation sessions.
