İsmet Tatar is a painter and paper artist based in North Cyprus. Tatar’s work includes 2-dimensional organic and mix-media materials and 3-dimensional installations.
Tatar has been teaching and developing paper-making skills through inspiration gathered from the customs and traditions of Cyprus. She produces paper from the natural plants grown in her garden as well as locally gathered recycled materials. Her works takes up subjects of “Earth/Land” as a way to record and reflect on notions of change and the relationship between humans and the land they inhabit.
With her work Ismet Tatar confronts the problems of her country and makes them her own. She then tries to find the roots of the problems as well as the answers by making them visual with symbols of paper and colour she takes and produces from nature. In her exhibitions she brings forward projects with burning questions of property, identity, women’s rights, environment in general and catastrophes like wildfire. Through the exhibitions she had in many countries of the world she however learnt that the same problems exist worldwide.
She is a member of IAPMA (International Association of Hand Papermakers and Paper Artists), EMAA (Eastern Mediterranean Art Association) and co-founder of the Cyprus Paper Artist Association. She regularly contributes to international congresses and juried exhibitions around the world. She has had numerous solo and group exhibitions home and abroad. Her works are part of public and private collections.
AWARDS:
2024: TRNC Culture Department Directorate's Lifetime Service to Art Award.
2024: GİKAD 40 Women Entrepreneurs on the 40th anniversary of our Republic Award.
2017: “Special Mention Juri Award”, Florance International Biennial of Contemporary Art X1. Edition.
2017: “SAKÜDER” Special Art Award, 6. International Art Exhibition, Ankara
2011: “Honorable Mention Winner”, International competition in Sofia Annual Paper Art Exhibition
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022 "Meditations in Blue", Rustems Art Gallery, Nicosia, N. Cyprus
2019 “To be - Stone”, EMAA Capital Art Centre, Nicosia, N. Cyprus
2015 “Geomorphologies: Collecting specimens and creating space”, EMAA Capital Art Centre, Nicosia and Rauf Raif Denktaş Culture and Congress Center, Famagusta- TRNC
2008 “Tranquil Moments”, EMAA Art is in Nicosia Exhibitions, Saçaklı Ev, Nicosia –TRNC
2006 “And Land”, EMAA May Exhibitions, The Konak, Nicosia-TRNC
2005 “Mysterious Texture of the Earth”, Art Gallery of the Iktisat Bank , Nicosia-TRNC
2003 Unnamed, Bellapais Monestery Art Gallery, Kyrenia-TRNC
2000 “Tree and Woman “- Taş Art House, Dogankoy, Kyrenia-TRNC
1999 “My name is Olive Tree” - Taş Art House, Dogankoy, Kyrenia-TRNC
1998 “Watercolour Painting Exhibition”, Turkish House, New York-USA
1997 “Before and After the Fire” – Saçaklı Ev, Nicosia-TRNC
1995 “A Journey in the Life of Woman” – AKM, Nicosia-TRNC
1984 “Batik and Finger Paint Exhibition” – AKM, Nicosia-TRNC
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
"Pavlikeni and The World" Artist Residence Exhibition" Pavlikeni, Bulgaria.
"Sofia International Paper Art Biennial" Sofia Paper Art Fest, Bulgaria.
"Ist Producing Women Art Meeting" Exhibition, Kyrenia Municipality Hall, Kyrenia, Cyprus.
"Inner Wheel 100. Year My Clean Country" Exhibition, Merit Hotel, Nicosia, Cyprus.
"Kadın-lık Halleri" Exhibition, Rauf Raif Denktaş Kültür ve Kongre Sarayı, Famagusta, Cyprus.
2023
"Elegant Cypriot Artists" Exhibition, HT Gallery, Gonyeli-Nicosia, Cyprus.
"Shanghai International Paper Biennale" One World One Family, Shanghai, China.
"ACPA - Turkey Paper Artists Association "Paper Touch 2" Exhibition, Ankara Music and Fine Arts University, Ankara, Turkey
"Sapphire - The Eternal Love" Exhibition, Bellapais Monastery, Kyrenia, Cyprus.
"Paper Alive" IAPMA Congress - Exhibition Dresden, Germany.
"ACPA - Turkey Paper Artists Association "Paper Touch 5" Exhibition, AKM,Nicosia, Cyprus
2022
"Encounters Through Paper" International Paper Bienale Exhibition, Israel.
2021
"International Postal Artist Book Exhibition" Sao Paola, Brazil.
"ACPA- Turkey Paper Artists Association - Postal Artist Book Exhibition, American University of Cyprus 55-57, Nicosia, Cyprus.
"ACPA- Turkey Paper Artists Association - Postal Artist Book Exhibition, Music and Fine Arts University, Ankara, Turkey.
"ACPA- Turkey Paper Artists Association - Postal Artist Book Exhibition, Çeşme,İzmir, Turkey.
"Feats On Paper" Shangai International Paper Art Biennale Exhibition, Fengxian Museum, Shangai, China.
Points Visual Arts Online Exhibition, Egypt.
“ Paper Touch 4” Exhibition, ACPA, EMAA, Nicosia – North Cyprus
9. International Turkish Cultural Congress "Paper Art Exhibition", Arabahmet Cultural House,Nicosia, Cyprus
2020
“ACPA Paper Pencils Exhibition" Rüstem Art Gallery, Nicosia - Cyprus.
"Aynı Gökyüzü Altında" Group Exhibition, Rüstem Art Gallery, Nicosia - Cyprus.
"Aynı Gökyüzü Altında" Online Exhition on Art Step.
"Social Distance" Online Exhition on Art Step.
Tatar has been teaching and developing paper-making skills through inspiration gathered from the customs and traditions of Cyprus. She produces paper from the natural plants grown in her garden as well as locally gathered recycled materials. Her works takes up subjects of “Earth/Land” as a way to record and reflect on notions of change and the relationship between humans and the land they inhabit.
With her work Ismet Tatar confronts the problems of her country and makes them her own. She then tries to find the roots of the problems as well as the answers by making them visual with symbols of paper and colour she takes and produces from nature. In her exhibitions she brings forward projects with burning questions of property, identity, women’s rights, environment in general and catastrophes like wildfire. Through the exhibitions she had in many countries of the world she however learnt that the same problems exist worldwide.
She is a member of IAPMA (International Association of Hand Papermakers and Paper Artists), EMAA (Eastern Mediterranean Art Association) and co-founder of the Cyprus Paper Artist Association. She regularly contributes to international congresses and juried exhibitions around the world. She has had numerous solo and group exhibitions home and abroad. Her works are part of public and private collections.
AWARDS:
2024: TRNC Culture Department Directorate's Lifetime Service to Art Award.
2024: GİKAD 40 Women Entrepreneurs on the 40th anniversary of our Republic Award.
2017: “Special Mention Juri Award”, Florance International Biennial of Contemporary Art X1. Edition.
2017: “SAKÜDER” Special Art Award, 6. International Art Exhibition, Ankara
2011: “Honorable Mention Winner”, International competition in Sofia Annual Paper Art Exhibition
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022 "Meditations in Blue", Rustems Art Gallery, Nicosia, N. Cyprus
2019 “To be - Stone”, EMAA Capital Art Centre, Nicosia, N. Cyprus
2015 “Geomorphologies: Collecting specimens and creating space”, EMAA Capital Art Centre, Nicosia and Rauf Raif Denktaş Culture and Congress Center, Famagusta- TRNC
2008 “Tranquil Moments”, EMAA Art is in Nicosia Exhibitions, Saçaklı Ev, Nicosia –TRNC
2006 “And Land”, EMAA May Exhibitions, The Konak, Nicosia-TRNC
2005 “Mysterious Texture of the Earth”, Art Gallery of the Iktisat Bank , Nicosia-TRNC
2003 Unnamed, Bellapais Monestery Art Gallery, Kyrenia-TRNC
2000 “Tree and Woman “- Taş Art House, Dogankoy, Kyrenia-TRNC
1999 “My name is Olive Tree” - Taş Art House, Dogankoy, Kyrenia-TRNC
1998 “Watercolour Painting Exhibition”, Turkish House, New York-USA
1997 “Before and After the Fire” – Saçaklı Ev, Nicosia-TRNC
1995 “A Journey in the Life of Woman” – AKM, Nicosia-TRNC
1984 “Batik and Finger Paint Exhibition” – AKM, Nicosia-TRNC
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
"Pavlikeni and The World" Artist Residence Exhibition" Pavlikeni, Bulgaria.
"Sofia International Paper Art Biennial" Sofia Paper Art Fest, Bulgaria.
"Ist Producing Women Art Meeting" Exhibition, Kyrenia Municipality Hall, Kyrenia, Cyprus.
"Inner Wheel 100. Year My Clean Country" Exhibition, Merit Hotel, Nicosia, Cyprus.
"Kadın-lık Halleri" Exhibition, Rauf Raif Denktaş Kültür ve Kongre Sarayı, Famagusta, Cyprus.
2023
"Elegant Cypriot Artists" Exhibition, HT Gallery, Gonyeli-Nicosia, Cyprus.
"Shanghai International Paper Biennale" One World One Family, Shanghai, China.
"ACPA - Turkey Paper Artists Association "Paper Touch 2" Exhibition, Ankara Music and Fine Arts University, Ankara, Turkey
"Sapphire - The Eternal Love" Exhibition, Bellapais Monastery, Kyrenia, Cyprus.
"Paper Alive" IAPMA Congress - Exhibition Dresden, Germany.
"ACPA - Turkey Paper Artists Association "Paper Touch 5" Exhibition, AKM,Nicosia, Cyprus
2022
"Encounters Through Paper" International Paper Bienale Exhibition, Israel.
2021
"International Postal Artist Book Exhibition" Sao Paola, Brazil.
"ACPA- Turkey Paper Artists Association - Postal Artist Book Exhibition, American University of Cyprus 55-57, Nicosia, Cyprus.
"ACPA- Turkey Paper Artists Association - Postal Artist Book Exhibition, Music and Fine Arts University, Ankara, Turkey.
"ACPA- Turkey Paper Artists Association - Postal Artist Book Exhibition, Çeşme,İzmir, Turkey.
"Feats On Paper" Shangai International Paper Art Biennale Exhibition, Fengxian Museum, Shangai, China.
Points Visual Arts Online Exhibition, Egypt.
“ Paper Touch 4” Exhibition, ACPA, EMAA, Nicosia – North Cyprus
9. International Turkish Cultural Congress "Paper Art Exhibition", Arabahmet Cultural House,Nicosia, Cyprus
2020
“ACPA Paper Pencils Exhibition" Rüstem Art Gallery, Nicosia - Cyprus.
"Aynı Gökyüzü Altında" Group Exhibition, Rüstem Art Gallery, Nicosia - Cyprus.
"Aynı Gökyüzü Altında" Online Exhition on Art Step.
"Social Distance" Online Exhition on Art Step.
