Çanakkale Art Prize Competition 2008

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Çanakkale Art Prize Competition 2008

Gelibolu Memorial - Art Prize Competition

THE SURPRISE NAME WHO EXPRESSED WAR AND FRIENDSHIP THROUGH ART HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED WITH A MAGNIFICIENT CEREMONY

The biggest art prize of Turkey has been concluded. The results have been announced with a magnificient ceremony in Çanakkale. Turkey’s Australian Ambassador Peter Doyle also attended the ceremony which the names of the winners were kept secret until the very last moment. While the First Prize winner was Asuman Tuncay, Governorship Prize winner was Süheyla Karaloğlu and Embassy Prize winner was Sekan Şen, Evren Sungur also was awarded the Rectorship Prize.

A Special Prize was awarded to a living history, 98 year-old Fatma Hızal who lived in Büyük Anafarta Village attached to Eceabat District and whose father died in Dardanelles War while serving for his country. The Prize was received by a close relative Özay Gündoğan on behalf of herself.

Turkey’s Australian Ambassador Peter Doyle, Çanakkale Australian Consul Peter Rennert, Governor of Çanakkale Orhan Kırlı, Çanakkale 18 Mart University Rector Prof.Doc. Ali Akdemir, Gallipoli Memorial Club Representative and Board of Directors Member Craig Hickey and numerous selected guests attended to ceremony.

The Award Ceremony for Çanakkale Art Prize which is organized third time by Gallipoli Memorial Club, the headquarters of which is in Sydney Australia, with the cooperation of Çanakkale 18 Mart University was held in Çanakkale 18 Mart University Rectorship Building in Terzioğlu Campus on 20 October 2008 Monday at 6 p.m. Winning artists got quite excited and became happy when their names were announced.

Turkish artists who underlined importantly the fellowship of the communities of two nations by the messages of peace and Australia-Turkey friendship they treated on their works of art expressed they were glad because of their supports to one of the most beautiful examples of peace on these lands where the War was made by touching importantly upon the historical facts imprinted on nations’ memories during the Dardanelles War conduced an art event based on peace and friendship today.

Turkey’s Australian Ambassador Peter Doyle made a speech in the event and congratulated the artists who participated in the competition by touching upon Dardanelles War had been maintaining its importance for both nations. Çanakkale Australian Consul Peter Rennert began to speak after Mr. Doyle and said ; “Here today, I would like to talk about these 81 Turkish artists who took the responsibility of enlightenment on themselves by means of their arts which have high principles and reflects these common history. These competition has also been organized to express the extraordinary farsightedness of a leader, of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s. “

On the other hand, Gallipoli Memorial Club Representative and Board of Directors Member Craig Hickey talked about the ceremony mentioning the Gallipoli Memorial Club had been found to provide friendship, companionship and help for war veterans who faced hard conditions after coming back from World War 1 and said ; “The respect of Australians to Turkish soldiers Mehmets who defended their countries and to their commander Mustafa Kemal was born here on 1915.” Hickey added the friendship between two countries had been maintaining to be the source of inspiration to other countries and said ; “Our purpose is to assemble all the unique works of arts of Turkish, Australian and New Zealander artists who reflect all these thoughts to canvas. Our suggestion : exhibit this collection on 2015, the 100th anniversary of the war, as a part of the commemorative ceremonies and then exhibit them permanently in our museum which is planned to be built in Sydney”.

Governor of Çanakkale Orhan Kırlı, who attended the ceremony as a guest, said they found a chance to see how the wars that happened in the past were evaluated with a humanistic and peaceful look through the works that participated in the competition. Governor Kırlı expressed commemorative ceremonies that were held for Dardanelles War every year kept going more systematic and improved increasingly and said ; “We commemorate our hero soldiers who fought and died for their countries with mutual organizations. The ceremonies simply happen in the nature of an invitation of international peace. We are glad of participating in these ceremonies and making a contribution to the organizations as Turkey”.

The project which Çanakkale 18 Mart University, Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, İstanbul Işık University, The Association of Industrialists and Businessmen of Çanakkale (ÇASİAD) and Australian Government cooperated comprises a 10-year period. Çanakkale Australian Consul Peter Rennert who made a statement about the subject stated “2008 Çanakkale Art Prize” constituted the third step of the 10-year period project. Mr. Rennert said after the completion of the project with the organization of the last Çanakkale Art Prize which will be hold in 2015, in the 100th Anniversary of Dardanelles War, twenty paintings in total which won the First Prize in the competitions held in Turkey, Australia and New Zealand throughout in 10 years will be exhibited with the various exhibitions that will be hold in Turkey, Australia and New Zealand.

The works which were awarded a prize were determined by lay people Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University Rector Prof. Rahmi Aksungur, Çanakkale 18 Mart University Rector Prof. Doc. Ali Akdemir, Işık University Fine Arts Faculty Dean Prof. Doc. Süleyman Saim Tekcan, Çanakkale Australian Consul Peter Rennert and well-known artist-author and Turkey spokesman of International Association of Plastic Arts Bedri Baykam.