The Sakıp Sabancı Museum continues its series of monographic exhibitions, delving into the lives and works of significant Turkish artists. A Forgotten Woman of the Republic: The Many Ways of Melek Celâl, spotlights a pioneering female artist of the late Ottoman Empire and early Turkish Republic. Sponsored by Sabancı Holding and with contributions from Gilan, this compelling exhibition is on view at the SSM from 26 December 2023 to 28 April 2024.
Centred around the life and art of Melek Celâl, the exhibition highlights her groundbreaking achievements. Notably, she became the first female artist to show nude works at the Galatasaray Exhibition in 1924, and later, in 1935, the first woman to open a solo exhibition. Featuring a diverse array of the artist's paintings and sketches; as well as patterns inspired by Anatolian motifs; articles on urban planning, calligraphy, and Turkish embroideries, the exhibition also includes a rich archive, comprising photographs, postcards, memoirs, and letters that provide a comprehensive view of Melek’s life.
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