Cultural Dialogue at the Turkish 'Akshabat International Art' Exhibition
Kuwaiti artist Waleed Sarab participates in the summit’s activities
The 13th Akçabat International Painting Summit was held in the city of Akçabat, in Turkey’s Trabzon province, featuring a select group of artists from various countries. This artistic and cultural event brought together diverse artistic experiences and styles under the umbrella of art and intercultural dialogue.
Kuwait was represented for the second time by the Kuwaiti visual artist Dr. Waleed Sarab, who was invited by the summit’s organizer and supervisor, Turkish artist Ekrem Kutlu. Kutlu continues to use this international event to strengthen communication among artists from different cultures and to provide a space for diverse artistic experiences to interact with the nature, heritage, and cultural identity of Akçabat and Trabzon.
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Sarab expressed his happiness at participating in the summit for the second time, emphasizing that returning to Akçabat holds a special meaning for him. It is not only an artistic experience but also a renewed opportunity to meet artists, exchange views and expertise, and engage with the distinctive cultural and natural environment of the region.
During the summit’s days, Sarab completed a new visual artwork as part of his artistic practice, which blends symbolism with a contemporary vision. He drew inspiration from the summit’s atmosphere and the visual and cultural scenes that Akçabat offered, which inspired the participating artists.
The summit’s program included a meeting between the artists and Akçabat Municipality Mayor Osman Nuri Ekim, who welcomed the participants and stressed the importance of art as a universal language capable of bridging peoples and cultures. Participating artists were also honored in recognition of their artistic and cultural contributions to this edition.
In addition to live artwork creation in front of the public, the summit featured a series of activities and cultural visits to several of Trabzon and Akçabat’s most prominent historical and natural landmarks. These visits allowed artists to gain a deeper understanding of local heritage and draw inspiration from it in their artistic work. Sarab affirmed that participation in such international summits represents an important opportunity to showcase Kuwaiti art on the global visual arts scene and to highlight the Kuwaiti artist’s capacity for dialogue and interaction with various schools of thought and cultures.
He also extended his gratitude and appreciation to artist Ekrem Kutlu for his kind invitation to participate for the second time, and for his efforts in organizing the summit and bringing artists together for a shared human and artistic experience. He also thanked Akçabat Municipality for its warm reception, honors, and support provided to the artists throughout the duration of the summit.
