North Cyprus  
 


Painters
  Feridun Işiman
f e r i d u n   ı ş ı m a nSinger and painter. Born in Küçük Kaymaklı, Nicosia in 1949, Feridun Işıman got his firts encounter with music when he was young. During his secondary education he was involved in the school choirs and the school orchestra. After commpletion of his secondary studies in Cyprus, he studied Fine Arts (Painting) at the Gazi Institute in Ankara, Turkey. During his studies at Gazi, Işıman joined a student band Meçhuller which performed at many student gatherings at there.

Upon finishing his degree and returning to Cyprus, Işıman opened his atelier. But it was a time of inter-communal difficulties, and he left Cyprus for Finland where he worked first as a theatre stage decorator, and then as an arts teacher at a Finnish school.

In 1975, he returned to his native Cyprus once more, permanently. He started working as an arts teacher in Güzelyurt where he has been for the past 19 years. Işıman also worked in the State Classical Music Choir as a chorist. In 1983 he opened his first painting exhibition as member of the Tandewalt group. During this time he also got it contact with the popular Turkish Cypriot band Gazi Set and was offered to work with them. So Işıman became the lead singer of the group as well as playing the guitar in the group. However, after a few years of together, Gazi Set broke up and Işıman joined with the other 3 members of the group (Halil Akansel, Hasip and Aygun) creating the successful new band of the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Güzelyurt Gelişim. Later, with the joining to , of Mustafa Tozakı, the group was strengthened and had some hit songs such as "Vasiyet", "Gelmesem de Olur", "Sevgiliye" and "Yok edin".

It was in 1987 that the group's fame reached beyond the Cyprus to Turkey, where they performed successfully at the International Mediterranean Song Contest in Antalya, with their song "Sevgiliye". This song continues to be the groups most popular song until now. Feridun Işıman and Mustafa Tozakı are currently in the process of releasing their solo-casettes. Although there have been rumours in the Turkish Cypriot magazine media that the moves of the two band members releasing their singles points to a future breakdown of Güzelyurt Gelişim, both artists and the group have denounced such rumours.



"Ann", oil painting (49 x 59cm)

"Ann"
oil painting (49 x 59cm)

 
  

"Girl with a straw hat", oil painting (28 x 39cm)

"Girl with a straw hat",
oil painting (28 x 39cm)

 

     
 

 Arts & Culture