“COLOURS OF TURKEY, CRADLE OF CIVILIZATIONS”

 OPENING: 15th December, 2017- 1st February 2018

Makerere University Institute of Heritage Conservation and Restoration is presenting the “Colours of Turkey, the Cradle of Civilizations” Exhibition. Turkey is the cradle of civilizations, a melting pot of cultures connecting Asia and Europe. She hosted a 12 thousand year history of humanity in her territory. Turkey has a splendid climate embracing four seasons together, and possesses a nature housing all tones of green and blue as well as all the colors. 13 great civilizations as well as historical and cultural values belonging to 3 religions exist in Turkey.

For thousands of years in the lands of Anatolia many different civilizations have come to life and have laid to rest eternally under the Anatolian earth. These are such civilizations as Hittites, Phrygians, Lydians, Ionians, Urartu, Persians, Byzantines, Macedonians, Romans, Turks. Many excavations have been carried out on these lands as layers upon layers of these civilizations have left behind breathtaking artifacts. These artifacts are in the shape of statues, mosaics, wall reliefs, pillars, mansions, churches etc.

Scholars have traced back the history of mosaics as back as the forth millenium BC to the Temple of Uruk in Mesopotamia, the time of the Sumerians which are a Turkish civilization from Central Asia, and the earliest known civilization on earth.
The show presents six remarkable artists from Turkey. The artworks on show comprise of paintings and photographs, these visually narrate the rich history and civilization of Turkey.

Sedef Yavuzalp is married to Ambassador Osman Yavuzalp and the mother of two boys. She graduated from the American College in Paris with a BA in International Affairs with the degree of “magna cum laude” in 1987. She received an MA from the Universite Libre de Bruxelles with a degree of “distinction” in international and strategic relations. Despite her busy work schedule as an Ambassador, she has reflected her love for art to her paint brush at every occasion since 2012. She is inspired by the rich and deep-rooted history and culture of Turkey as well as the history, culture and mythology of the East African region.

Mine Ülger married with 1 boy. She reflects her talent to the toile in Turkey and Uganda. Her paintings have been exhibited in various competitions. She was a student of very prominent Turkish painters in 1994.

Hasan Pekmezci was born in Konya, in 1945. He is married with 2 children. His teachers and art teachers discovered his talent in art. He passed the exams of Painting Seminar of Istanbul Çapa Teachers’ College in the first position, in 1965. Istanbul was an arts center during these years, too. Then, he worked at a little village school in Urfa.

ükran Pekmezci was born in Çankırı, in 1946. Her painting teacher in primary school guided her for painting. She passed the exams of Çapa Teachers College. She graduated in 1965 and became a primary school teacher in a village. In 1967, she entered İzmir Buca Education Institute Painting Department in the 1st place. She worked as a painting teacher in different schools in Turkey. After retirement, she has taught in the Atelier of Printmaking at Gazi University until 2000.

Hüseyin Yıldırım was born in Ankara in 1962, he graduated from Faculty of Training, Painting Teaching Program, Gazi University, in 1983. He served as a painting teacher at various secondary schools and Yunus Emre Training College in Eskişehir on 1985-1991.

Önder Aydın graduated from the Gazi Institute of Education in 1979 majoring in Art Teaching. Later he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree. He worked as an art teacher for many years. He painted children’s books. He is currently a member of the Association of Plastic Arts (PSD), the Ankara Contemporary Arts Foundation (CEGSAV) and a founding member of the Art Again Group.

We call upon you to come and be part of this wonderful visual trip to TURKEY.