The Masterpieces from the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey Art Collection exhibition opens at Cer Modern Arts on 5 May.

Exhibiting this art collection that testifies to the progress of Turkey helps raises public morale and the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey thus helps raise the nation’s level of culture; works of art exhibited abroad additionaly in the meanwhile promote Turkish culture on the international arena. The Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey collection that consists of the masterpieces of Turkish painting also leads the way for private contemporaray art museums that emerged in the early 2000s.

Creating an art collection offers a clue into human nature and a solution into the mysteries of life. Art is the comprehension of the meaning of human existence; it emphasises the virtue of existence and analyses the past and the future.

A study from a history of art perspective of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey art collection reveals its start with the works of painters who adopted the romantic and realist romantic influences of the latter half of 19th century. Examples of the quest for Modernism are the works of artists who, having personally assimilated Impressionism in the museums and exhibitions of Paris, later created their own interpretations. Influences of Hofmann’s figurative expression, and paintings displaying a modernistic approach bear witness to this period of Turkish painting. This collection also holds examples of Cubism, as Modernism came to be perceived, that subsequently evolved into abstract interpretations. That being said, the most valuable works of art in the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey art collection comprise internationally renowned masterpieces created by post-1950. It is this period, and its masterpieces, that attract the highest accolades and notice at international exhibitions.

Our exhibition and book entitled Masterpieces from the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey Art Collection showcase a collection of unimaginable value, created as the indication of modernisation and awareness of contemporary art, and the masterpieces therein. Painstakingly selected in line with the principles of art history, these masterpieces demonstrate the periods in Turkish painting, the generations of artists in various art movements, the details that speak of their time and the places of their creators in the scheme of art.

A few of these artists and their works are noted below.

The Requiem for the Last Sounds by Erol Akyavaş, an example of the powerful Castles and Locations series, demonstrates the progress of Turkish painting with its aesthetic values, composition, subjective interpretation and distinctive technique. Another Akyavaş masterpiece is the 1992 Extremity, the lynchpin of his Places, Times and Spaces series, displaying a musical composition of the calligraphic abstract.

Selim Turan’s 1950 Abstract Composition makes an abstract reference to Rembrandt van Rijn’s 1657 Carcass of Beef.

Abidin Dino’s Antibes paintings and Avni Arbaş’ still life also take their place amongst these masterpieces.

Hakkı Anlı’s 1968 masterpiece of the 20th century abstract expression Untitled reflects the cyclical movement that forces the boundaries of the meaning of life.

Alaettin Aksoy’s Triangle depicting three figures and querying the complicated relationships in life, Mehmet Güleryüz’ depiction of the tragedy of those who sacrifice themselves as they try to rescue the generations devastated by increasingly polluted waters of the world and Ömer Uluç’s celebrated Popular Icons: Belly Dancer all represent that particular period.

Serhat Kiraz and Şükrü Aysan represent concepts, installations and innovations in contemporary works, whereas Canan Tolon’s piece draws attention to urbanisation’s contribution to the destruction of nature.

Exhibiting the Masterpieces of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey Art Collection at Ankara’s Cer Modern Arts Centre underlines the importance of the collection. Gathering the pieces in this exhibition in a book that explains why these are masterpieces reveals the rise of Turkish art historiography. The information given includes the period, style, technique and historic significance of the work of art as well as background material on the artist, which proves the importance of the collection and preserves it for posterity.

Prof Dr Kıymet Giray

artists

Abidin DİNO

Adnan ÇOKER

Adnan TURANİ

Alaettin AKSOY

Ali Rıza BAYEZİT

Avni ARBAŞ

Bedri BAYKAM

Burhan DOĞANÇAY

Burhan UYGUR

Canan TOLON

Devrim ERBİL

Ergin İNAN

Erol AKYAVAŞ

Fikret MUALLA

Habib AYDOĞDU

Hakkı ANLI

Hikmet ONAT

İbrahim SAFİ

Kemal ÖNSOY

KOMET (Gürkan COŞKUN)

Mahmut CUDA

Malik AKSEL

Mehmet GÜLERYÜZ

Mithat ŞENMübin ORHON

Mustafa ATA

Nejad DEVRİM

Neşe ERDOK

Nuri İYEM

Ömer ULUÇ

Özdemir ALTAN

Sabri F. BERKEL

Selim TURAN

Şeref AKDİK

Serhat KİRAZ

Şükrü AYSAN

Utku VARLIK

Yüksel ARSLAN

Yüksel Tomurcuk ATAGÖK

Zeki Faik İZER

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Exhibition Supporters: