Yunus Emre InstituteUnder the banner of community spirit and friendship, the Consulate General of the Republic of Türkiye and Yunus Emre Institute London were thrilled to launch its 5th Annual Turkish Community Art Exhibition on Friday 5th May 2023.
Taking place in 2019, the First Turkish Community Art Exhibition was organised by the Consulate General of the Republic of Turkey and Yunus Emre Institute London to proudly celebrate the artists within our community in the United Kingdom. After two years of being held online due to the pandemic, the Turkish Community Art Exhibition came back to life this year with a dazzling opening ceremony on Friday, May 5th, 2023, at the Yunus Emre Institute London’s Art Gallery.
The Exhibition was launched with an opening ceremony which was attended by the successful artists and important figures that included Dr Mehmet Karakus, Director of Yunus Emre Institute London; as well as the exhibition’s juries Nilay Islek, Sumer Erek, and Terry Katalan. With an unshakable love for art and culture, the Turkish artistic community has proven itself to be a powerhouse of talent and creativity. Thanks to their hard work and dedication, the Turkish Community Art Exhibitions have been a resounding success, showcasing hundreds of exceptional and original works from artists of all abilities and mediums. This annual exhibition is a shining example of the vibrant Turkish artistic community and its pivotal role in fostering strong bilateral relations between Türkiye and the United Kingdom.
During the opening of the exhibition the Director of the Yunus Emre Institute London, Dr. Mehmet Karakuş expressed his delight in coming together in person again after a two-year hiatus, highlighting that the exhibition’s content has been improved each year, surpassing the previous year’s level. After the jury members Nilay İşlek, Sümer Erek, and Terry Katalan expressed their admiration for the exhibition and its crucial role in bringing the art community together, the participating artists were presented with certificates of participation. The evening continued with a selection of Turkish cuisine and enjoyable conversations, providing the artists with an opportunity to get to know each other closely.
Collective undertakings such as this exhibition play an important role in making art accessible to a wider audience and platforming artists, while stoking community interaction, dialogue, and unity. Therefore, the Institute’s greatest thanks go to all members of the Turkish Community in the United Kingdom who have presented their works for this exhibition. We would also like to thank our valued jury, Nilay İşlek, Nagihan Seymour, Terry Katalan, and Sümer Erek for their time and judgement in choosing from a great selection of over 100 artworks from over 60 artists. A separate thanks must go to the team at Yunus Emre Institute London who put the exhibition together: project coordinator, Ayşe Gökçen Yücel; editors Şehribanu Turan, Elif Uysal, and Ayşe Kaya.
The final exhibition was comprised of nearly 70 art pieces from 49 artists including, in alphabetical order, Abdullah Harun İlhan, Ali Ergin, Ardıç Aguş, Ayfer Hakkı, Aylin Çalım, Aynur Elif Boyraz, Ayşe Kongur, Ayşe Özlem Yüksel, Bahar Ulus, Demet Tokbay, Derya Harman, Erdal Çetin, Eylül Özmen Yüksel, Fatma Karaer, Feten Ben Dhieb Sahin, Gita Serin, Gizem Gözde Uçar, Gültekin Uzuner, Gyula Bela Lunczner, Hanife Kiatip, Hatice Gür, Küb-ra Kırca Demirbağa, Lyubov Kiradjieva, Mehmet Özmen, Melissa Vipritskaya Topal, Memed Turkmen, Merve Kah-raman, Metin Salih, Mevlüde Yalçın, Mine Bayar, Müge Kaymakçan Koçak, Nida Yanıkoğlu Çergel, Nur Akyıldız, Ramazan Ekrem Öztürkmen, Refie Nureddin Rufi, Sasan Sahafi, Senem Peace, Şerife Orak, Serpil Çalışkan, Sevda Uykan, Sevim Çakır, Sıla Şen, Tanya Harison, Yasemin Öztürk.
You can keep up to date with the exhibition by following Yunus Emre Institute London’s Instagram page, @yeelondra, and by following #TCAE2023!
