Extended untill June 23

Experience the exhibition celebrating Melek Celâl, a trailblazing artist working during the late Ottoman Empire and early Turkish Republic, at the Sabancı University Sakıp Sabancı Museum (SSM). Generously sponsored by Sabancı Holding with contributions from Gilan, this immersive showcase has been extended until Sunday, 23 June.

A Forgotten Woman of the Republic: The Many Ways of Melek Celâl offers a poignant exploration into the life and legacy of Melek Celâl, a distinguished female artist who left an indelible mark on the intellectual landscape of the early Turkish Republic. From her pioneering display of nudes at the Galatasaray Exhibitions in 1924 to her groundbreaking solo exhibition in 1935, her journey is chronicled through an extensive array of paintings and sketches, as well as patterns inspired by Anatolian motifs, articles on urban planning, calligraphy, and Turkish embroideries. The exhibition also features a rich archive, including photographs, postcards, memoirs, and letters, offering profound insights into Melek’s remarkable life.

The scientific research project titled Melek Celâl: Beyond Vision is also featured in the exhibition, shedding light on her artistic technique, the restoration processes her works have undergone, and the structure, colour, paint layers, and texture of the materials that she used.

Visit A Forgotten Woman of the Republic: The Many Ways of Melek Celâl at SSM Gallery -2, open daily except Mondays, from 10:00 to 18:00, until 23 June 2024.