By Heidi Trautmann

I would not have missed  it for anything… the opening evening of an exhibition to ‘start’ the project which will one day in the near future be the Girne Kent Art Museum, since it was a dream of mine for many years to know the art works of our local artists in a proper museum. I have been witness to many such endeavours over the years in Nicosia, promises and great plans presented at many receptions which somehow never came to anything. I have often been writing about it, also about the many treasures of art which remain hidden in the corridors and cellars of the parliament building. There is though, the Modern Art Museum at the Near East University with the most extensive and beautiful private art collection of Suat Günsel, the founder and owner of the university, but this fantastic project which is planned to be finalized this year, goes beyond an art museum of purely local art.

Now, another ‘Start’ - as the opening evening was called - has been made; the former military building has been officially presented as the new Art Museum to be in Girne, a building built at the beginning of last century, and the former Archbishopry. It is a beautiful classical building with a big entrance hall and many attached large rooms, in the centre a big staircase leading to further rooms upstairs. There is a lot to be done but most interesting for the guests and the press to see the building in the actual state of structural condition. Buildings of culture, such as museums, art galleries, libraries etc. should be in the centre of a city for everybody to reach on foot. It will make Girne even more attractive for visitors, especially since a garden around the building is being planned.

17 local artists brought their art works for an initial exhibition for the duration of one week only, for the purpose of celebrating the fact of dedication; the child has a name now and needs to grow up. Please find the details of the exhibition on the invitation, the closing date is February 07.