'Solidarity for Cuba' exhibition meets art lovers: Solidarity through art, hope with the sun

All works featured in the exhibition, in which over 100 artists participated with nearly 200 pieces, were donated to support Cuba. The proceeds from the exhibition will be transferred to the "We are collecting sun for Cuba" campaign conducted by the JMKDD. Within the scope of the campaign, it is aimed to install solar panels at three health centers in the Cuban city of Santa Clara.

SOLIDARITY GROWS WITH THE COLLECTIVE POWER OF ART

The exhibition, which features contributions from numerous artists from different disciplines such as painting, sculpture, photography, and caricature, constitutes a powerful example of collective production and solidarity. The preparation process of the exhibition, whose executive committee includes Fide Lale Durak, Sait Munzur, İrfan Ertel, Belgin Akın, and Hande Akalın, also went beyond the individual contributions of the artists and grew through a wide network of solidarity.

While the artists' works were shaped around the themes of "blockade, solidarity, independence, brotherhood of peoples, and freedom," the call made emphasized that "To remain silent today is to normalize the blockade. To produce and to stand side by side is to grow the will of the peoples."

THE BLOCKADE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FADE THE SUN

Cuba's Ambassador to Ankara, Alejandro Francisco Diaz Palacios, also attended the opening of the exhibition. In his speech, Palacios stated that the Cuban people have been struggling for life under a heavy blockade for many years, expressed that such solidarity initiatives are of great importance, and thanked all the artists who contributed.

THTM Spokesperson Prof. Dr. Oğuz Oyan pointed out that the exhibition is not only an art event but also a concrete step of solidarity, emphasizing that solidarity with Cuba in Turkey has spread to broad social segments.

JMKDD Secretary General Aslıhan Ilgaz also pointed to the concrete goals of solidarity in her speech and said:

“The sun cannot be blocked. The blockade cannot block the sun. With this campaign, we aim to install solar panels at three health centers in Santa Clara. One of these centers is a cardiology hospital serving millions of people, another is a hospital that functions as a medical school, and the third is a center providing long-term care services. Energy is of vital importance for the sustainability of health services.”

WIDE PARTICIPATION, POWERFUL CONTENT

The exhibition features works by numerous artists, including Abidin Celal Binzet, Arzu Kılıçdoğan, Atilla Atala, Bengisu Muazzez Kurtuluş, Birsen Küpeli, Cebrail Ötgün, Celal Mutlu, Ekrem Kahraman, Hasan Pekmezci, İrfan Ertel, Mehmet Yılmaz, Ömer Koçağ, Metin Yurdanur, Mehmet Aksoy, Murat Germen, Coşkun Aral, Canol Kocagöz, Ayla Aksoyoğlu, Erol Batırberk, Mustafa Düzgün, Reyhan Abacıoğlu, and Saadet Gözde.

The exhibition, for which the application period was extended due to intense interest, opened later than planned, and its display in Ankara will continue until May 8. It is planned that the exhibition will meet with art lovers in İzmir and Istanbul in the coming period.

The exhibition catalog is accessible through the José Martí Cuba Friendship Association, and those who wish to contribute to the solidarity can support the campaign through this channel.

News Source: 12punto