Headscarves depict Turkey in art event
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
İZGİ GÜNGÖR
ANKARA - Turkish Daily News
A Slovakian artist's depictions of the faces of today's Turkey in portraits that included women wearing headscarves are part of an exhibition that opened in Ankara Monday under the patronage of First Lady Hayrünnisa Gül.
The common history shared by Europe and Turkey is displayed in a photography exhibition titled "Ties and Dialogue," organized jointly by the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry and the Slovakian Embassy. The exhibit is a contribution to the 2008 European Year of Intercultural Dialogue and features works by two Slovakian artists, Martin Cako and Pavol Demes. In the first part of the exhibit, photos about Turkey's Christian heritage including mosaics, fresques, excavations and churches are showcased, while the second section features the traces of Islamic heritage in Slovakia. In addition to the photos of Christian heritage sites in Turkey, the exhibition also features portraits from modern Turkey. The photo taken by Demes on women wearing headscarves, who were described as faces of today's Turkey, is among the most interesting photos in the exhibition. Gül, who wears a headscarf, said the faces [the headscarf] were the reality of Turkey while for Demes it constituted one of the colors of Turkey, which has featured a colorful historic and cultural diversity throughout its history.
Artist seeks contrast
"Every photographer tries to seek a contrast [in what he observes] and reflects what is striking into his works. The faces I depicted were the most distinctive ones who fascinated me most both artistically and photographically. Some of them could be associated with the heated contemporary political issues in the country but I think it is crucial to reflect Turkey's historic and cultural richness including the headscarf to the world," Demes said in an interview with the Turkish Daily News.
"Those images don't reflect a sociological survey or a picture about Turkey but rather are a personal expression and contribution to my main theme: Christian heritage in Turkey. I am a real friend of Turkey. I am trying to find innovative ways to show Turkey's cultural heritage and diversity, which are both pretty important for Christianity but very little known by the world."
The event thus aims to stimulate an international interest toward Turkey especially during this year which marks the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue as well as the 2,000th anniversary of St. Paul's birth, according to him.
An artist makes people think and creates an atmosphere of discussion about the perceptions or misperceptions via his works, he said.
Demes was actually a political figure who worked with the first president of Slovakia and his interest in Turkey is personal. His works mostly concentrate on the Mediterranean town of Tarsus, St. Paul's birthplace where his name comes from.
"At first I thought that it will be difficult to carry out such a work themed Turkey's Christian heritage in Turkey where the political tension is high. I had some concerns on how such an exhibition would be welcomed. However it is surprisingly pleasant and satisfactory to see the high interest shown to the event," he said.
The exhibit, which runs through the end of April at the State Painting and Sculpture Museum in Opera, will also be displayed in Brussels, Belgium and some Slovakian provinces.
© 2005 Dogan Daily News Inc. www.turkishdailynews.com.tr
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