A great tristesse goes around the exhibition hall at the Eaved House (Sacakli Ev) behind the Selemiye Mosque. Devrim Malyalizade explains that with her art she has tried to express her feelings around the never ending problem of Cyprus. I have lived with the unsolved problems for all my life. ‘It is a farce they all put up’, her pictures seem to say with the masks dancing in the obscure atmosphere, the freshly married couple with bitter faces, a woman lying on a balcony and flames and spikes around her.

Devrim was born in Yeşilyurt which is near Lefke and studied art at Mersin University. She is now art teacher at the Anadolu Fine Arts College where Asik Mene is the Head.

A fine collection. Especially her water colours and collages. Others are in acrylic and mixed media. While I talk to Devrim, her little daughter in her red ballroom dress parades in front of us. The exhibition will be open until October 28, Monday to Friday from 8 am to 5 pm.