The Arkin Rodin Collection Gallery, a private collection of Erbil Arkin, founder of ARUCAD, which was opened to visitors in recent months, welcomed Camp Cypus students.
ARUCAD Founder Erbil Arkin’s private collection of 27 pieces by world-renowned French sculptor Auguste Rodin, collected since 2004, was opened to visitors at The Clock Tower in Kyrenia last May. This week’s visitors to the gallery included students aged 8-12 at Camp Cyprus. The students toured the sculpture gallery with their instructors, by following the rules of the pandemic.
Camp Cyprus Coordinator Ayşe Öztoprak, who has an understanding of teaching her students with experiential and sensory learning methods, said regarding the gallery: “Art develops people and gives different perspectives, but you can’t find a lot of activities in terms of artistic activity in Cyprus. ARUCAD is like a breath of fresh air to the island. The children had been away from this kind of artistic activity for two years. When something like this has been created at The Arkin Rodin Collection Gallery, they found that there could be different ways, techniques and perspectives. Time will tell what children have gained from this experience. We, as teachers, wanted to give them this artistic experience.”
After touring the gallery and learning about Rodin, the children freely painted the sculptures under the supervision of their teachers. Nevin Halis, an art instructor at Camp Cyprus, said, “Such artistic events and galleries need to increase in Cyprus. The children knew who the sculptor Auguste Rodin was, but this is where they first met his sculptures and thus himself. They were able to paint freely without the worry of metaphor and catching the beauty.”
The Arkin Rodin Collection Gallery is open to visitors from 10:00 to 19:00 on weekdays and weekends at The Clock Tower in Kyrenia with 27 special collection pieces. Art lovers can visit individually or in groups by making an appointment on 0392 650 11 11.