By Janet Ekstract
ISTANBUL- “Years Through My Binoculars” is the title of a new solo exhibition by eight-year-old artist Zeynep Yagmur Cevik from Istanbul. An unlikely location for the exhibition, Bilecik – her grandfather’s hometown, is the place she chose for her first solo exhibition, thanks to the Deputy Mayor of Bilecik, Melek Mizrak Subasi, who offered her assistance in arranging the show where 10 of Cevik’s paintings are on display. This young, female artist started painting at just 10-months-old when she picked up her first paintbrush. The third-grader told the press that she is especially interested in depicting female subjects in her paintings, that have so far, attracted a large following. Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Cevik said she knew she had a talent for art, during a connect-the-dots activity in her kindergarten class while drawing a mermaid.
Her parents have encouraged and lovingly supported their daughter’s artistic talent from early childhood. Cevik’s mother – Damla Boza Cevik, a special education teacher, explained that when she saw her daughter’s talent, she and her husband enrolled her in an art course but the child prodigy soon felt the need to branch out on her own. Her mother said that Zeynep enjoys working alone, using vibrant colors and has a unique style that mainly focuses on female-themed paintings. Zeynep’s mother said that she and her husband fully support their daughter “unconditionally, because we believe it’s crucial she uses the power of her imagination.”
The young prodigy has won several painting competitions including the Turkiye Technology Development Foundation Painting Competition then earning second place in the Chamber of Ship Engineers Painting Competition while also earning an honorable mention in the Blue Child Association Painting Competition. As Zeynep commented in a recent interview: “Women make up half of the world. Women raise other women all around the world. Women are all different, but all of them should be valued.” The young artist’s plan is to donate exhibition proceeds to charity. As Subasi said: “We wanted to encourage her to open an exhibition here to support her. We never want our talented children to be lost in the shadows.” This young artist said she dreams of a world where women and children live freely without violence and as Bilecik’s deputy mayor said: “We wanted to encourage her to open an exhibition here to support her. We never want our talented children to be lost in the shadows.”
