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Turkish painting exhibition at Al Baranda

MUSCAT — Engin Turker, ambassador of the Republic of Turkey, in cooperation with Bait Al Baranda, will organise a painting and sculpture exhibition of the works of renowned Turkish painter Gencay Kasapci.

The exhibition will be inaugurated on March 8 at Bait Al Baranda and will be open for public viewing till March 12.

Announcing this at a press conference held here yesterday, Engin Turker said: “The date has been intentionally scheduled for March 8 since we wanted the opening of this outstanding woman artist’s exhibition to coincide with International Women’s Day, which falls on that day.”

He informed that Turkish women painters have made a mark in the world of art.

“One of the first Turkish women painters, Mihri Rasim Musfik founded a special art school for girls, as the Fine Arts School was only accessible to male students at the time. She founded the Women’s Fine Arts School in 1914 and later became the director of the school which consisted of painting and sculpture departments,” he informed

Many of the leading Turkish women painters attended the school. Some of the first graduates include Nazli Ecevit, Fahrunnissa Zeyd, Sabiha Benguta, Aliye Berger and Guzide Duran

These artists are also members of the Ottoman Painters’ Association, which was founded in 1909 and continued to be active in the art scene of modern Turkey after the foundation of the Republic.

Gencay Kasapci is among the women artists who have made a difference. Born in Istanbul in 1933, Gencay graduated from the prestigious Academy of Fine Arts.

Upon graduation, Gencay went to Florence on a scholarship to study ceramics and from there to Rome. Her seven-year stay in Italy allowed her to exhibit her work in some of the best known art galleries in the world.

The ambassador informed that it would be a “wonderful opportunity” for women artists in Oman to interact as well as view with a senior artist with the calibre of Gencay Kasapci.

Engin Turker also took the opportunity to thank STFA, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Turkish Airlines and Bait Al Barnada for supporting the event.