TWO oil paintings by Cypriot artist Hun Adamoğlu were exhibited at the Aberdeen Artists Society.
The annual exhibition was usually held at the ‘Art Gallery’ in Aberdeen and the museums of Aberdeen. However, due to Covid-19 restrictions, the 2021 exhibition took place online. The painting titled The Wild Aloe Vera of Mare Monte has been awarded two prizes; The AAS Prize for Excellence and The GRP Aberdeen Ltd Prize for Drawing and Painting 2021.
Wild Aloe Vera of Mare Monte
The judges comment regarding the work “A stunning rendition of the Aloe Vera subject matter – beautifully ‘drawn’ and composed, blending the soft greens of the plant with lighter tone focal points providing many layers of compositional complexity. Stunning tones and exquisitely composed in High Renaissance manner, reminiscent of the work of Titian.”
Adamoğlu made the following statement to Londra Gazete: “I am a London based Artist and have been living in the UK since the 1980s. On occasion, I travel to Cyprus, where I collect visual information for paintings and illustrations, primarily in the form of pencil sketches. There are aspects of a scene that leave a mark, an irresistible attraction, such as the aloe vera set within the Mare Monte rocks, which I feel an overwhelming urge to depict, may that be as a drawing or painting.
View of St Sophia Cathedral
“I came to the UK as a small child and so, as a result, a void exists within myself which would have been filled with experiences of Cyprus; so for me, painting subjects of Cyprus in its essence is a process to find what was lost, or should I say a method to discover what was never obtained.
“Of course, I was delighted to have been chosen to exhibit at The Aberdeen Artists Society open exhibition, but I must confess it was indeed a surreal experience when I discovered I had been awarded the prizes.”