Elgiz family strengthens ties with Mytilene with show

The founders of Turkey's first contemporary art Museum, Elgiz Museum, have made a long-time dream come true by opening an exhibition, titled "Lines of Passage" (in medias res), at Halim Bey Mansion on the Greek island of Mytilene. 

"Displaying a small part of the Elgiz Collection here may be the most important one of our hundreds of exhibitions so far," Can Elgiz, one of the owners of the museum along with his wife, Sevda Elgiz, said during the event, which ran from Sept. 30 to Oct. 1.

Hosted by the Elgiz family, dozens of guests, including famous Turkish historian and Professor İlber Ortaylı as well as many art lovers, joined a two-day event on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 for the opening ceremony of the exhibition in Halim Bey Mansion, where Can Elgiz's great-grandfather Kulaksızoğlu Halim Bey was born. 

Guests, who were welcomed by Mytilene Mayor Spirnos Galinos at Mytilene International Airport, also had the chance to visit the sights of the island accompanied by tourist guides. 

Halim Bey served as a governor in Mytilene and was also a respected art collector, making many contributions to the island. Halim Bey died in 1920, after which both Greek and Turkish stores in Mytilene remained closed out of respect.

During the population exchange in 1923, Halim Bey's son and Can Elgiz's grandfather Sufi Bey was among those who had to leave his homeland with his family and come to Turkey's Ayvalık. 

The Halim Bey Mansion has been restored by Mytilene Municipality and now serves as an art gallery and an example of the island's Ottoman-era architecture.

"During my childhood, I always heard the name of Mytilene as a long-awaited place," said Can Elgiz, at the opening ceremony.

"It was 10 years ago when I saw...