Eyes of Pain and Resistance

Istanbul is hosting since one week pictures of the passt 68 years by Nuri Iyem who used for the first time in his life on his business card as profession "painter". The exposition lasts until 13 December.

"For two to three years we have been thinking about making such an archival work. Besides young painters there is no tradition in archiving works of art."

The owner of the Evin Art Gallery and Nuri Iyem's daughter in law Evin Iyem explains how the idea developed to make an exposition of 1,500 works of the painter. She was very excited when she saw all the Nuri Iyem pictures brought together at one place, she told Bianet.

It is estimated that Nuri Iyem produced at least 4000 paintings. The call announced on Nov. 17 to all owners of Iyem pictures brought together the works of art of this exposition.

All pictures will be collected in a book

500 pictures, which were delivered after the opening of the exposition is excluded from the exhibition. However the good news is that all Iyem pictures will be collected in a book after the exposition.

One of the private owners of Iyem pictures said that "when hearing about the call, I phoned the Gallery and told them that I am happy that the Iyem pictures will be shown to a wider public". He doesn't say his name, as the typical lover of art who brought pictures to the exposition...

"I know these eyes" says the retired school teacher Sevil Cilga. "While teaching in Anatolia, I always saw these eyes in the streets, on the fields, at meeting of teachers".

Expectation, pain and hopelessness together, eyes that always show a sign of hope for the children .. I followed the exposition with great emotions.

Like many others, the teacher Cilga was present at the exposition despite rainy weather.

I was always together with Iyem's women

Another woman after seeing thoroughly the paintings says: "In the days of the military rule of 12 September 1980 I felt part of Iyem's women and were together with them".

She had shared the loneliness of Iyem's women and their eyes during the military junta days of Sep.12, 1980 when many of her friends were arrested, explains Engineer Sabiha Pehlivan

"I shared my pain and mourning with them, I even cried... There is also resistance and rebellion in those eyes. Now, in my hands I feel rebellious like Iyem's women."

If you are in Istanbul and have not yet been to the exposition you should come to TÜYAP ast the exposition closes on Dec. 13.

For sure Iyem's works were not only about women and eyes. His abstract paintings, nus, paintings expressing the country's several façades: migration, city and village life, and naturmorts are awaiting for the seers.