Zehra Şonya

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Zehra Şonya, born in 1972 in Limassol, is a renowned Cypriot sculptor and academic. She has had a distinguished career spanning multiple disciplines, including art education, project coordination, and exhibition curation.

After graduating from Girne Anafartalar High School in 1991, Şonya pursued her higher education at Hacettepe University, where she earned her degree in Sculpture Department at the Faculty of Fine Arts in 1993. She then went on to complete her Master's Degree Program in the same section and received her master's degree from the university in 2001.

In 1997, Şonya graduated as a first in Section and Faculties, marking an impressive achievement in her academic journey. This success was followed by her involvement with various projects, including working as a Project Coordinator of Visual Arts at the Center of "Cyprus Studies" under the Peace and Democracy Movement, which aimed to support peace on the island.

During this period, Şonya also collaborated with the Akdeniz European Art Association (EMAA), contributing to numerous projects such as project coordination, editorship, project development, software design, catalog creation, and book design. Her expertise in these areas has been instrumental in shaping the artistic landscape of Cyprus.

In addition to her professional pursuits, Şonya has taught part-time at the University of Lefke's Graphic Design Department from 2006 to 2008. She currently conducts art and aesthetic classes at the Faculty of Education Sciences at Eastern Mediterranean University and serves as a project coordinator for Visual Arts at the DAU Cyprus Research Center.

Şonya's contributions to the world of art have been recognized through her involvement in various exhibitions, including those organized by the Mediterranean European Society of Art in 2017 and 2019. Her work has also been showcased in solo exhibitions, such as the one featuring Turkish sculptor Şinasi Tekman, who is considered the first Cypriot Turkish artist.

In recognition of her achievements, Şonya was awarded the Success Award at the free sculpture competition organized by Hacettepe University's Faculty of Fine Arts and Contemporary Sculptures in 1997. Furthermore, she has written a book titled "First Cyprus Turkish Statuetraş Şinasi Tekman" (1933-2005), which provides insight into her subject's life and work.

Throughout her career, Şonya has demonstrated a commitment to promoting art education,