Biography

Artist, Poet, Writer, Designer, Curator and Art Critic Umit INATCI was born at Limassol, in Cyprus on the 28th of November 1960. He completed his higher education in “Pietro Vannucci” Fine Art Academy in Perugia-Italy with distinction (110/110 e Lode) in 1984. His artworks are taking place world widely in many private and public collection and museums. He had organized solo and group exhibition in countries like Italy, Cyprus, England, Turkey, USA, Nord Iraq, Iran, Belgium, France, Denmark, UAE, China, Albania, Greece and Kosovo... He is an art critic and curator with numerous publications and organizations. He is an author of 40 books on literature, art and socio-political analysis. He worked as a graphic and furniture designer and art director for different design, advertising and publishing companies. He worked as TV Program Producer for CYBC Cyprus. He produced documentary films and video art. He has been an academic member of different universities as Dean of Faculty and Founder Rector until 2018. He is a member (former chair) of Administration Council of Cyprus Artist & Writer Union. He is a founder of ‘‘İnsan Zaman Mekan’’ Art & Literature Magazine. He is a founder and chair of Umit Inatci Art Center and founder and Chief Editor of Art Axis International Art Magazine. Apart from his artistic activities, he is one of the peace and reconciliation pioneer activist in Cyprus.  He was forced to quit his job many times because of his oppositional statements against the Turkish authorities.Therefore, in many case he had to leave the country and work abroad. He had to live in England, Italy, Northern, and Southern Cyprus at different times. He is married to Ercan İnatçı and they have two daughters named Devin and Deva. Actually, he is living and working at Famagusta Cyprus (North).

Ümit İnatçı’s books (Poetry, essays on art, novel, short story, philosophical essay, political analysis in Turkish):

1983-Sinirin Düğümü, şiir. 1991-Tel Sarar da Tel Sarar, deneme/yanıtlama. 1991-Sepet İçinde Deniz, üç şiir kitabı bir arada. 1994-Uç Gövdeni Kon Düşüme, şiir. 1995-Aldatıcı Sorunlar İkilemi, siyaset/kritik. 1996-Tahta Tabanca, öykü. 1996-Kübik Konuşmalar, şiir. 1997-Ansızınlığımdan Notlar, şiir. 2001-Tükeniş Güzergâhı, şiir. 2002-Sorular Kuşatınca, siyaset/kritik. 2003-Üçleme, şiir. 2003-Düşün Kanatları, öykü. 2003-Kıbrıs’ın Turuncusu, inceleme/siyaset, 8 yazarlı. 2005-Yirminci Yüzyıl’da Kıbrıs Sanatı, üç dilde, 3 yazarlı. 2006-Yarılma, şiir/felsefe. 2008-Serdüş, şiir. 2008-Kopma, Sanatçı ve Sanat Üzerine. 2008-Kıbrıslılık, kimlik üzerine, 8 yazarlı. 2009-İhtiyatsız Yazılar, siyaset/kritik. 2009-Soluma, deneme. 2010-Daralma, şiir-düzyazı şiir-öykü. 2011-Bakışma, sanat-yapıt okumaları. 2012-Sanat ve Direniş, deneme. 2012-The Art of Ümit İnatçı, sanat/monografi (English). 2013-Salınma, şiir. 2015-Akıl Yarası, şiir. 2015-Zoraki Sol, siyaset, deneme/kritik. 2016-Görsel Sanatlar / Öğretmen El Kitabı, didaktik. 2016-Kuyu-İç ve Hiç, roman. 2016-Nerdeyse Hiç, şiir. 2017-Miserere Mei Deus, tarihsel roman. 2018-Sürüklenme, şiir. 2019- Hafıza İzleri, anı, iki dilde 2 yazarlı (Tr./Yun.). 2020-Kuyu-İç ve Hiç, roman(Greek). 2021-Kutsanmış Vahşet, şiir. 2021-Lacivert Ağrısı, öykü. 2021-Zihinsel Deneyler, düzyazı şiir. 2021-Parçalı Yazılar, Deneme. 2022-Oyuncul Düşünceler, felsefi denemeler. 2022-Armonia Mundi, şiir-düzyazı şiir.

Solo Exhibitions:

1978 – Famagusta Cultural Center, Famagusta/Cyprus. 1981 – Mantignana Cultural Center, Mantignana-PG/Italy. 1983 – Saray Hotel Exhibition Hall, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1984 – Vortex Gallery, London/England. 1989 – Fluxus Art Gallery, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1989 – Gloria Gallery, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1990 – Sala del Grifo e Leone, Perugia/Italy. 1990 – Cassino Municipality Art Center, Cassino/Italy. 1990 – Umbertide Cultural Center, Umbertide/Italy. 1990 – Apocalypse Gallery, Nicosia Cyprus. 1991 – Chiostro di S. Francesco, Montone/Italy. 1992 – Apocalypse Gallery, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1993 – Skali Cultural Center, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1995 – Apocalypse Gallery, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1995 – Commonwealth Institute Today Gallery, London/England. 1995 – Hilton Hotel Art Gallery, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1997 – Santa Caterina, Luigi Pecci Contemporary Art Museum, Prato/Italy. 1998 – Famagusta Municipality Art Center, Famagusta/Cyprus. 2000 – Apocalypse Gallery, Nicosia/Cyprus. 2001 – Krebsen Gallery, Copenhagen/Danmark. 2002 – Apocalypse Gallery, Nicosia/Cyprus. 2002 – European Parliament Exhibition Hall, Brussels/Belgium. 2002 – Studio Pulchri, The Hague/Holland. 2003 – Gallery Morfi, Limassol/Cyprus. 2005 – Apocalypse Gallery, Nicosia/Cyprus. 2007 – Apocalypse Gallery, Nicosia/Cyprus. 2007 – Journalist’s House, Nicosia/Cyprus. 2008 – Roxy Art Center, Istanbul/Turkey. 2010 – Vije, School of Visual Comm. Tahran/Iran. 2010 – European Council Art Platform, Srtasbourg/France. 2010 – Apocalypse Gallery, Nicosia/Cyprus. 2011 – Pegasus Art Gallery, Limassol/Cyprus. 2012 – Ataturk Cultural Center, Nicosia/Cyprus. 2013 – Eastern Mediterranean University Art Center, Famagusta/Cyprus. 2013 – Shanidar Gallery, Erbil/Iraq. 2014 – İsmet V. Güney Art Center, Nicosia/Cyprus. 2014 – Qahili Gallery, Pristine/Kosovo. 2015 – The House Art Rooms, Kyrenia/Cyprus. 2016 – Artemisia Gallery, Perugia/Italy. 2018 – The House Art Rooms, Kyrenia/Cyprus. 2018 – Milli Reasurans, Istanbul/Turkey. 2018 – Pafos Municipality Art Center, Pafos/Cyprus. 2019 – Famagusta Municipality Art Center, Derinea/Cyprus. 2020 – Larnaka Municipality Art Center, Larnaka/Cyprus. 2021 – Ataturk Cultural Center, Nicosia/Cyprus.

Selected Group Exhibitions:

1981 – Preggio Cultural Festival, Preggio/Italy. 1982 – “Pre-Visioni” S. Francesco Al Prato, Perugia/Italy. 1982 – “Gallenga” International Photography Exh. Perugia/Italy. 1983 – “Essendo Dato Un Spazio” Villa Costanzi. Spello/Italy. 1983 – Famagusta Cultural Center, Famagusta/Cyprus. 1983 – Preggio Cultural Festival, Preggio/Italy. 1985 – “Colori nel Mondo” International Art Biennal, Rocca Paolina, Perugia/Italy. 1986 – TC Artists, Ataturk Cultural Center, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1988 – “Group Fluxus” Fluxus Art Gallery, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1989 – “Group Fluxus” Fluxus Art Gallery, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1989 – Atatürk Cultural Center, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1990 – “A View of the New” Commonwealth Inst.-Today Gallery, London/England. 1990 – “Perspective for Future” Famagusta Gate, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1990 – “Perspective for Future” Cyprus House Cultural Center, Athens/Greece. 1991 – Cypriot Art Collection, Gloria Gallery, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1991 – Cypriot Art Collection, Apocalypse Gallery, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1992 – Painting Collection by EDON, Famagusta Gate, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1992 – Pafian Artists, Kyklos Gallery, Pafos/Cyprus. 1993 – 1st Sharjha International Art Biennal, U.A.E. 1993 – EKADE Pancyprian Art Exhibition, Famagusta Gate, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1993 – “Cyprus Art from State Gallery” Limassol/Cyprus. 1993 – Cypriot Art Collection, Apocalypse Gallery, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1994 – CyBC Art Exhibition, Skali Cultural Center, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1994 – EKADE Pancyprian Art Exhibition, Famagusta Gate, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1994 – “Poetic Dialogues I” Morfi Gallery, Limassol/Cyprus. 1994 – “Poetic Dialogues II” Skali Cultural Center, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1995 – Artists Studied in Italy, Italian Embassy, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1995 – Cypriot Artists (By Sotheby’s) Cyprus Bank Cult. Center, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1996 – “Nicosia Cultural Capital of Europe” Nicosia/Cyprus. 1996 – “Fish” Pierides Foundation Art Center, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1997 – “Working Toghether” Famagusta Gate, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1998 – Istituto Europeo delle Arti Operative, Perugia/Italy. 1998 – Near East University, Nicosia/Cyprus. 1999 – Eight Artist, Galeri Binyıl, Istanbul/Turkey. 1999 – Summer Collection, Galeri Binyıl, Istanbul/Turkey. 2000 – “Transigensy”, Cyprus Art Association Center, Famagusta/ Cyprus. 2001 – “TC Artists 1934-2000” Ataturk Cultural Center, Nicosia/Cyprus. 2002 – European Parliament, “State Gallery Collection” Brussels/Belgium. 2002 – Gallery Apocalypse, “Cypriot Art Collection” Nicosia/Cyprus. 2003 – Gallery Morfi, “Cypriot Art Collection” Limassol/Cyprus. 2004 – State Museum of contemporary Art, “Cosmopolis” Thesaloniki/Greece. 2006 – Nicosia Art Center, “Accidental Meetings” Nicosia/Cyprus. 2006 – “Powerlesness” Cyprus Art Association, Famagusta/Cyprus. 2006 – Istanbul Art Fair, Istanbul/Turkey. 2007 – Ceramic Workshop & Exhibition, Ataturk Cultural Center, Nicosia/Cyprus. 2007 – Cyprus Art Association “For Ali Atakan Memory”, Famagusta/Cyprus. 2007 – TC Art Collection, İsmet Güney Art Center, Nicosia/Cyprus. 2008 – Apocalipse Gallery, (Contemporary Cypriot & Greek Art) Nicosia/Cyprus. 2008 – Palazzo Medici Clarelli, Cypriot Artists, Rome/Italy. 2008 – Sidestreets, Nicosia/Cyprus. 2008 – Roudi Art Center, Alona/Cyprus. 2010 – Sidesteets, Nicosia/Cyprus. 2010 – Mediterranean Artists, Salone Borromini, Roma/Italy. 2010 – Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta/Cyprus. 2010 – Famagusta Gate EKATE, Nicosia/Cyprus. 2010 – “China-Europe-Never Ever Forever” Chengdu/China. 2011 – Ada Sanat Art Center, Istanbul/Turkey. 2010 – “On Paper” Ataturk Cultural Center, Nicosia/Cyprus. 2011 – Contemporary Cypriot Artists, Casina della Civetta, Roma/Italy. 2011 – “The Object” Lanitis Foundation, Limassol/Cyprus. 2012 – Yannis Karayannis Art Collection, Larnaka Municipality Art Center, Larnaka/Cyprus. 2012 – “Zaman Aşımı” Karşı Sanat, Istanbul/Turkey. 2011 – Pegasus Art Foundation, Limasol/Cyprus. 2012 – Pegasus Art Foundation, Limasol/Cyprus. 2012 – EMU Art & Design Center, Famagusta/Cyprus. 2013 – Purdue University Patti & Rusty Rueff Gallery, Lafayette/USA.  2013 – Pafos Castle “Beyond the Walls” Pafos/Cyprus. 2014 – Qahili Gallery, Pristine/Kosovo. 2014 – Berat Art Center, Berat/Albania. 2014 – Art Gallery 55 “Traces in the Space” Limassol/Cyprus. 2014 – Lanitis Foundation ‘‘The Magic of Writing’’ Limassol/Cyprus. 2014 – “Artisti Ciprioti-Italiani” La Sapienza University, Rome/Italy. 2014 – Pafos Archaelogical Museum ‘‘Water Magic & Theraphy’’ Pafos/Cyprus. 2014 – ‘‘Global Art’’ Museum of Contemporary Art Prishtina/Kosovo. 2014 – ‘‘Rojava’’ Municipality Art Center Diyarbakır/Turkey. 2014 – Permanent Collection, Shanidar Gallery, Erbil/Nord Iraq. 2015 – Cassino Contemporary Art Museum (Curator: Bruno Cora), Cassino/Italy. 2016 – Cassino Contemporary Art Museum, Achille Pace Memory, Cassino/İtalya.2016 – “Opera Prima”, Museo Civico Archeologico Curator: Aldo Iori), Amelia/Italy.2016 – “Hypostas”, Imoga Art Gallery, Istanbul/Turkey. 2016 – 26’ncı Tüyap Uluslararası Sanat Fuarı, İstanbul/Tr.2016 – Cyprus House art Center, Atina/Yunanistan. 2016 – Qahili Gallery, Pristine/Kosova. 2017 – “Scatti di Poesie” Monopoli-Bari, İtalya.2018 – “Rhythm”, Ataturk Cultural Center, Nicosia/Cyprus. 2019 – Qahili Gallery, Pristine/Kosovo. 2022 – Gloria Gallery, 45th Anniversary, Nicosia/Cyprus. 2022 – Ismet V. Guney Exhibition Hall, Nicosia/Cyprus.

Catalogue & Monographs:

1988 – Ümit İnatçı, Paintings (Cyprus), 1985-88, 36p. 1990 – Ümit İnatçı, Paintings, text by Antonio Gatto (Italy), 1988-90, 28p. 1997 – “PiktografieLirike”, text by Bruno Cora (Italy), 1995-96, 64p. 1997 – “Yazılar-Segni” Paintings, text by Aldo Iori (Italy), 24p. 2001 – “Pikrografie Lirike 2000” Paintings, text by Aldo Iori (Danmark), 32p. 2012 – “Insigna” text by Emre Zeytinoğlu, Cyprus, 32p. 2012 – “The Art of Ümit İnatçı” Various art critics, Cyprus, 360s. 2015 – ‘‘An-arche’’ Ümit İnatci, 74p. 2018 – “Hieros Gamos” text by Lisa Paul Straidfeld, 40p. 2020 – “Anthropogenesis versus Cosmogenesis” text by Bruno Cora, 96p. 2021 – “Armonia Mundi” Bruno Cora, 64p.

Selected Art Books & Collective Catalogues:

1982 – “Pre-Visioni” Pietro Vannucci Fine Arts Acc, Perugia-Italy. 1985 – “La Calcografia” Bruno Paglialonga, Eugenio Riccitelli Ed. 1985 Pescara-Italy. 1987 – “Kıbrıs Türk Resminden Bir Kesit” Cyprus. 1988 – “III. Devlet Resim Heykel Sergisi”, Cyprus. 1990 – “Perspective for Future” Cyprus and Greece. 1993 – “Cyprus Art from the State Gallery” Cyprus. 1994 – EKATE 30. Anniversary of foundation Cyprus. 1995 – Cyprus Contemporary Art “An Itinerary” Cyprus. 1996 – “Fish” Pierides Foundation, Cyprus and Greece. 1998 – “XX Century Cypriot Art” State Gallery Coll. Cyprus. 1999 – “Sekiz Genç Sanatçı” Galeri Binyıl, Istanbul-Turkey. 2001 – Ministry of Culture Art Coll. 1934-2000, Cyprus. 2003 – Cyprus Contemporary Art, Cyprus. 2004 – Thessaloniki “Cosmopolis-European Art Biennale” Greece. 2005 – “Accidental Meetings” Cyprus. 2005 – Twentieth Century Cypriot Art, Cyprus. 2006 – “Kudretsizlik-Powerlesness” Cyprus Art Ass., Cyprus. 2006 – “Artist 2006” TÜYAP 16th Istanbul Art Fair, Turkey. 2007 – “The Art of Innovation” Cyprus. 2008 – Roudi Art Center “5 Cypriot Artists” Cyprus. 2010 – 1st Famagusta “International Ex Libris Exhibition, Cyprus. 2010 – “Espressioni Pittoriche - Artisti Mediterranei” Ministry of Culture, Rome-Italy. 2010 – 50th Anniversary of the Rep. of Cyprus Famagusta Gate, Cyprus. 2010 – “China-Europe-Never Ever Forever” Çengdu/China. 2011 – “% 100 Peace” Ada Sanat Art Center, Istanbul/Turkey. 2011 – “The Object” Lanitis Foundation, Limassol/Cyprus. 2012 – “ID. Euro” Pegasus Foundation” Cyprus. 2012 – “Voice of the Object-Object of the Voice” Cyprus. 2012 – “Beyond the Walls” Pegasus Foundation, Cyprus. 2012 – Arte Contemporanea a Cassino, text by Bruno Cora, Italy. 2013 - “Quartet” Purdue University & EMU, Famagusta/Cyprus-Lafayette/U.S. of America. 2014 – “Artisti Ciprioti-Italiani” Rome La Sapienza University, Italy. 2014 – “Trauma & Therapy” Archeological Museum of Pafos, Niki Loizidi, Cyprus. 2014 – ‘‘Global Art’’ Museum of Contemporary Art Prishtina/Kosovo.

Film/Video:

1985 – “Lo Specchio” Short Film, Director/Actor. 1997 – “Stand By” Art Director/Actor, Director: Pasquale Misuraca. 2009 – Ismet Vehit Güney Biography (Written & Directed). 2010 – Cevdet Çağdaş Biography (Written & Directed). 2011 – Fikret Demirağ Biography (W&D). 2013 – “Cemetery of Vowels” Video Performans. 2015 – “Inversion” Video Art. 2020 – “Space Jungle-Annunaki) music by Okan Ersan-video clip by Ümit İnatçı.

Awards: