Emin Çizenel was born in 1949 in Malia, Limassol district, and studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Constantinople. Over more than five decades, he has established himself as one of the most prominent figures in Turkish Cypriot visual art, with solo and group exhibitions in Cyprus, Turkey, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Austria and the United States. His work has been shown at venues including Galeri Nev in Istanbul, the Atatürk Cultural Center, the Museum of Modern Art in Dallas, and at the Asia-Europe Biennial.

His work has also been exhibited repeatedly in the government-controlled areas of Cyprus since the 1990s, at galleries including Fluxus, HP, Gloria and Argo in Nicosia. Most recently, a work by Çizenel featured in the 2024 exhibition "Casts of an Island", organised by collector Nikos Chr. Pattichis as the inaugural exhibition of the Psi Foundation in Limassol, marking 50 years since the Turkish invasion.

The source of the controversy

Çizenel's name has dominated media coverage on both sides of the Green Line over the past three days, following reactions to the inclusion of his work in the exhibition "A Slight Indisposition", which opened on 26 June 2026 at the Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre (NiMAC). The objections centre on the fact that Çizenel designed the flag of the Northin 1983.

Part of the installation. Photo Credits Christothea Iakovou

The work in question, "A Lost Moment", is a video installation that forms part of the State Collection of the Republic of Cyprus. It was acquired by the state around 2007 and was loaned to NiMAC exclusively for this exhibition.

NiMAC's response

In an official statement, NiMAC clarified that "A Slight Indisposition" is not a solo exhibition by any single artist, but a group show featuring works by numerous Cypriot and international creators.

The centre emphasised that, like all cultural venues of the Nicosia Municipality, it enjoys full artistic freedom, which it described as having been established over decades. It noted that its programme is not subject to review by the Nicosia Municipal Council, "let alone the individual works exhibited."

NiMAC added that it would assess the matter at an extraordinary meeting, in line with its institutional structure and mission.

Deputy Ministry of Culture distances itself

The Deputy Ministry of Culture issued a formal statement clarifying that it had no involvement in the organisation, funding or curation of the exhibition.

On the acquisition of "A Lost Moment", the Deputy Ministry confirmed that the work was purchased by the Republic of Cyprus in 2007 and has since formed part of the State Collection of Works of Art. It stated explicitly: "The inclusion of a work in the State Collection does not constitute political endorsement, nor does it imply identification with the positions, actions or symbolisms associated with its creator."

The statement also noted that the State Collection was originally established by the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education, and that since July 2022, with the establishment of the Deputy Ministry of Culture, its expansion has been continued by the Department of Contemporary Culture. The collection's objective is to document the course of modern and contemporary Cypriot art from the late 19th century to the present.

The Deputy Ministry concluded by stating that it fully understands the legitimate sensitivities of Cypriot society, particularly in cases where an individual appears connected to symbols of the occupation regime. It acknowledged the curatorial freedom of exhibition organisers while stating that it does not, under any circumstances, disregard historical memory, the illegal Turkish occupation, or the political weight carried by such symbols.

Çizenel's own positions

Beyond the controversy, Çizenel has spoken publicly on a number of occasions about the Cyprus problem and Turkish Cypriot identity. In a 2025 interview with ArtDog Istanbul, he described his work as a direct reflection of his own experiences and those of his family, having been displaced twice -- in 1963-64 and again in 1974. "I painted what I lived," he stated, a phrase he has used to summarise his artistic philosophy.

On Turkish Cypriot identity, Çizenel has argued that the community developed a distinct cultural character shaped by island life, the British colonial period and coexistence between different cultures. "The Turks who live here and the people of Turkey are like two different colours," he has said, adding that this distinctiveness has not been adequately recognised by Turkey -- a position for which he has also criticised Ankara.

Çizenel also participated in the Bicommunal Technical Committee on Culture, through which approximately 200 works of art by artists from the occupied areas were returned. He has additionally spoken of his involvement in the restoration of a Byzantine church in the Kyrenia area, describing monuments as a shared cultural heritage requiring protection regardless of community ownership.

In 2003, ahead of the referendum on the Annan Plan, Çizenel participated in a bicommunal artistic initiative coinciding with the visit of then UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to Cyprus. He created the work "The Chosen Tree, a Candle for Peace", a proposal in which a cypress tree at Bellapais Monastery would be wrapped in fabric and illuminated from below with a red light to symbolise a candle for peace, to be realised on the day a reunification agreement was signed. The plan was never realised. The work, accompanied by a letter from his friend Anber Onar, is now held in the collection of the Costas and Rita Severis Foundation and was presented in August 2024 as part of the "Sneak Peek" series.

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