Adana celebrates its annual festival

ADANA - Anatolia News Agency

Adana Municipality acting president Zihni Aldırmaz speaks at the event. DHA photo

The 14th annual “13 Kare Art Festival” is currently taking place in Adana until Dec. 8.

The festival started 15 years ago when Adana Amateur Photography Association (AFAD) members decided to organize an event for friends who had died during an accident on a photography excursion for AFAD members.

The festival opened with words and a presentation from writer Füruzan Yerdelen. Later on, Adana Municipality acting president Zihni Aldırmaz attended the festival, along with all the artists and writers who had previously spent time in a parade on the streets of Adana. The municipality orchestra also accompanied the street parade.

The parade ended in front of the “75th year Art Gallery,” where guests attended the photography exhibition of Özcan Ağaoğlu titled “İranabak.”

During his speech, Aldırmaz said the festival was a very important event for Adana.

Sad incident

He also reflected on the sad incident that happened 15 years ago, prompting the first festival. He said 13 people died while going to take photographs with the aim to make “art.”

“We support art and artists everywhere in Adana. We have a very rich artist past in Adana and we are proud of that, and our biggest richness is the art works that our artists have created,” he said.

Aldırmaz also commented on a lost sculpture from Adana, titled “Mısırlı Hemşire Satsneferu” (The Egyptian Nurse of Adana), saying that the Culture and Tourism Ministry was working on returning the sculpture home.The festival will end on Dec. 8.