Due to the nature and characteristics of art, art books are often perceived as existing outside of social life, and societies tend to keep their distance from art. The book Sanat–Toplum–Yaşam [Art–Society–Life] has been prepared with the intention of bridging this gap, and with the awareness that the geography of Mesopotamia—where civilisation first took root—imposes a duty upon the people living there today in this context, and that becoming a civilised individual or society is only possible through the intertwining of philosophy, science and art. The book examines the nature and principles of art, whilst emphasising its contribution to and benefits for the elevation of social life. Historically, the stages from Cave Art to the present day have been examined; the philosophical, scientific and artistic experiences of societies that have developed over the centuries have been summarised within historical periods, and a style that is easy to read has been chosen with the aim of appealing to a wide readership. Undoubtedly, more comprehensive readings on art, science and philosophy are possible. The aim here is to draw attention to the impact of this interplay on social life, and to emphasise the importance of shaping our thoughts and actions—whether as individuals, as a society, or as a governing body—in this direction, and of formulating our demands and contributions within this context. The book has been published with the support of KTMMOB.

About the author:

Ergün Derviş was born in 1939 in Aşağı Arodez, Paphos, Cyprus. He completed his architectural studies at Istanbul Technical University in February 1964. Until the end of January 1966, he fought as a freedom fighter in Erenköy for twenty-two months; during this period, he served as both headteacher and mathematics teacher at a secondary school established in Yeşilırmak in consultation with the Ministry of National Education. He subsequently worked at the General Directorate of Highways in Ankara for over five years. In 1971, he returned to Cyprus permanently. At various times, he served as a member of the board of directors and as president of the Architects’ Association. He contributed to the Arkitekt journal as the Cyprus representative. Until his retirement in 1984 to practise as a freelance architect, he served as Head of the Construction Department at the Evkaf Directorate. His professional architectural career continues at varying levels of intensity. In 2020, his book Ulusal Sorumluluğumuz Kıbrıs [Our National Responsibility – Cyprus] was published.

He dedicates the book Sanat–Toplum–Yaşam [Art–Society–Life] to the memory of his wife, Gülseren Derviş.