By Heidi Trautmann….

Exhibition Feza A. Sanıvar and Diren Sanıvar - Paper Artist and Painter was held at the Ismet Güney Art Centre Nicosia from 13 – 20 Sep 2023

Two Sanıvars – Mom and daughter – together in one exhibition…. two extremely creative artists working in different fields of art, at least right now, as the 19 years old Diren, a student at the Eastern Mediterranean University in Famagusta, says herself: We never know what life will present us with while walking our road.

I went to see the exhibition where I met this young woman, independent and self-confident, and she led me through both parts of the exhibition, first the paper art section. I have known Feza A. Sanivar for some years now and I visited her last exhibition in April this year in Girne at GIGEM. Who in the TRNC does not know Feza for her many activities, you meet her at most village art markets and festivals with old and new techniques in the fields of art and craft, and especially also for her natural soaps. She is an environmentalist in the true sense of the word.

I let her speak for herself with her biographical presentation translated into English which you will find at the end of my text.

She uses all her acquired skills and combines them into small unique artworks. Somehow, they remind me of village stories told with hands and humour.

In the next room, Diren Sanıvar accompanies me along her collection of portraits in all stages of mood…. anger and joy, exuberant and crazy, boredom, unhappy and desperate faces… and she does it in different techniques, very clean and exact…. But not only portraits are on display, also some very well-done sketches also show her good observance and feeling for texture. We talk... she tells me of her childhood, nobody pushed her to do things in a certain way, and she was free to develop her own visions which she still does today. She could see herself as an illustrator of books, magazines, etc. but there is still so much to see and experience. She is strong-willed and will reach it, I am sure; I wish her good luck.

For her too, I have attached the translated text of her biographical presentation.

Biographical presentations:

FEZA A. SANIVAR

She was born in Limassol. Feza A. Sanıvar, whose interest in painting started in her high school years, could not continue her art education academically due to special reasons.

She continued creating and producing in her own studio.

Art began to take a more important place in Sanıvar's life when she presented her drawings from high school to a painting evaluation board committee that she had heard about on the radio one day.

She had the opportunity to work for a short time in the studios of three valuable teachers. After that she decided to continue alone on the path of art. Feza Sanıvar soon found her own style by combining various techniques such as ceramics, marbling, sewing, and embroidery with the art of painting. In the beginning, art is an experimental job until one knows which road to travel.

The handmade paper she makes to recycle paper, is created from plants found in Cyprus and she was given awards for her research work.

Furthermore, she worked in the art of felting and introduced the art to art lovers in workshops.

Her soaps are still another important field and the soaps she made from silk cocoons were also published in the local press.

She took part in twelve solo exhibitions and numerous group exhibitions. She also has honourable mentions in ceramics and awards in painting.

Feza Sanıvar continues her research and studies using plants unique to Cyprus in her personal studio in Girne.

Diren Sanıvar

Diren was born in 2004 in Nicosia. She has always shown great interest and a passion for painting.

After completing her high school education at Girne American College, she continued her education at Eastern Mediterranean University's Visual Arts and Visual Communication and Design Department.

With this exhibition, Diren shows her works done in different techniques and materials such as charcoal, acrylic, watercolour and gouache for the first time in public.

In the exhibition "Expressions", which for her are the first steps into the life of an artist, you will see a collection of her portraits, often using herself as a model.

Diren tries to explain to the visiting art lovers human emotions with her portraits, and to learn their reactions are especially important for her since it is her first public show.

Diren has been painting since a very young age and continues working at her home in Girne during her school-free time also.

To see more pictures please visit my Facebook page
https://cyprusscene.com/2023/09/20/mother-and-daughter-artists-exhibit-together-in-nicosia/