AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY ANKARA
AND THE GALLIPOLI MEMORIAL CLUB
17 March 2009
JOINT MEDIA RELEASE
JOINT EXHIBITION FROM TURKEY AND AUSTRALIA TO MARK 18 MARCH
The Directorate General of Press and Information and the Australian Embassy in Ankara will hold a joint exhibition to mark the 18 March Commemoration of Martyrs’ Day and the Anniversary of the Çanakkale Naval Battle.
Minister of State, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Aydın and the Australian Ambassador, Mr Peter Doyle will open the ‘Atatürk and Çanakkale’ photographic exhibition and the Third Çanakkale Art Prize Exhibition on Thursday, 19 March 2009 at 18.30 at the Art Gallery of the Turkish Press and Information in Balgat.
The Çanakkale Art Prize is an initiative of the Gallipoli Memorial Club (Sydney) and Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University. Prizes are awarded to artists in Turkey whose paintings best represent the values and traditions embodied in those who served in the Gallipoli campaign of 1915 and the bonds of friendship between our two nations. Its sister competition, the Gallipoli Art Prize, is run in Australia and New Zealand.
“18 March is a time to remember and honour the Turkish soldiers who fought in Canakkale 94 years ago. This exhibition of works by 24 Turkish artists honours their memory and the memory of the Australian soldiers who served in the Gallipoli Campaign. This 10 year art competition and its sister competition in Australia, the Gallipoli Art Prize, is a model of how Australian and Turks are working together in the modern age to expand our special and enduring friendship,” Ambassador Doyle said in Ankara.
Asuman Tuncay received the First Prize Award, Süheyla Karaloğlu the Governor’s Prize and Serkan Şen received the Ambassador’s Prize in this year’s Art Prize.
Distinguished jury members include Prof. Dr. Ali Akdemir, Rector of Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University; Prof. Rahmi Aksungur, Rector of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University; Prof. Dr. Süleyman Saim Tekcan, Dean of Fine Arts Faculty, Işık University, Mr Bedri Baykam, artist, author and Turkey representative of the International Association of Plastic Arts and Mr Peter Rennert, Australian Consul, Çanakkale.
The project is supported by Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, İstanbul Işık University, the Çanakkale Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association and the Australian Government.
The twenty-four works will be exhibited in Ankara, which follows exhibitions in Çanakkale and İstanbul. The exhibition can be viewed between 10 am and 6 pm until Friday 27 March 2009 excluding Sundays.
For media contact:
Australian Embassy
Elif Barutcuoğlu-Wade
Phone: 0312-459 9504
Mobile: 0532-216 6256 e-mail: [email protected]
Çanakkale Art Prize Organising Committee Secretary
Özge Büyük: 0506-590 70 85 [email protected]