KF뉴스레터-Introducing the Cultural Richness of Turkey

Introducing the Cultural Richness of Turkey

Located at an intersection where Asia meets Europe, Turkey connects the East with the West. The colorful history of Turkey involves some 20 civilizations, including Hittite, Roman, Byzantine, and Osman Turk, which emerged, flourished, and declined, over a period of 10,000 years. It is also the source of the Tigris and the Euphrates, which nurtured early human civilization, and said to be the home of such ancient wonders as the tomb of King Midas, Trojan Horse, and Noah’s ark. As such, Turkey is deservedly known as a real-life “museum of human civilization.”

‘Blood Brothers’
The relationship between Korea and Turkey is often described by the term “blood brothers.” In large part, this close bond between the two countries is attributed to the participation of about 15,000 Turkish troops in the Korean War, as part of the U.N.-led forces. It is said that the Turkish people are proud that Korea, which they helped at its time of hardship, has gone on to achieve remarkable economic development in just half a century. In addition, they greatly appreciated Korea’s earnest efforts to come to the aid of Turkey, in 1999, when it was struck by a massive earthquake, which caused serious casualties and widespread destruction.
Moreover, the love of Turkey’s Korean War veterans for Korea, which had been passed on to the next generation, blossomed anew in 2002, during the Korea/Japan FIFA World Cup finals. The year 2007 has been designated “Korea-Turkey Friendship Year” and also marks the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. Related to this, a diverse array of cultural events is being held this year, in an effort to reinforce this long-standing relationship. For people in Korea, this includes “Turkey Film Week” and a presentation of Turkish folk dance, in September, in addition to a performance of the Turkish Military Band and concert of the classical music of Turkey, in October.

Splendor of Turkish Art

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Korea-Turkey diplomatic relations, “The Wind from Istanbul” exhibition was presented at the Korea Foundation Cultural Center (July 18-30). This event was co-hosted by the Istanbul Cultural Center, Korea-Turkey Friendship Association, and the City of Istanbul, along with support from the Korea Foundation. In offering the Korean people a rare opportunity to view authentic Turkish art, the exhibition featured a variety of art forms of Turkey, including traditional works of “miniature” painting, oil painting on papyrus, and “marbling,” a traditional craft of Turkey that utilizes oil and water to unique patterns.
Mentioned as a prominent motif in the “My Name is Red” novel of 2006 Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk, the miniature is a traditional form of Turkish folk painting often used for the illustration or decoration of religious books, up through the mid-19th century. The exhibition featured some 40 works by Omer Dincer Kilic, Turkey’s representative miniature artist. Kilic’s works, of small-scale, detailed images with intensely vivid colors, depicted the opulent lifestyle of Turkey’s past royalty.

Capable of reaching a height of 1-2 meters, the papyrus reed grows in thickets in the wetlands areas along the Mediterranean coast. The first paper was made by people by drying out the inner s of papyrus stalks. Paper made with papyrus is lightweight and easy to roll up, making it convenient for storage and transport. It remained the standard recording medium until the early 8th century, when Arab traders were introduced to Chinese paper-making methods. The exhibition featured 13 works by Kadir Ekim, a master of oil painting on papyrus, whose works a special effect from the delicate application of oil paint onto the unique texture of the papyrus surface.
Of course, oil and water do not mix. But the traditional Turkish craft of “marbling” uses a combination of oil and water to marvelous patterns. The Osman Turks are said to have been enamored with Arabic lettering, just as the scholars of Joseon loved the Chinese characters. They thus sought to express their artist sentiments through the creation of marbling works, which could be described as a kind of Arabic form of calligraphy. The exhibition presented 15 works of Sadreddin Ozcimi, the foremost authority on marbling and one of Turkey’s most prominent artists. Children might swish around a film of oil atop a puddle of water to swirls, but the making of a work of art with this method is another matter. The marbling works featured magnificent colors and patterns, d by elaborate and highly refined techniques.

Enhanced Appreciation of Turkey

Along with the art works, the exhibition also presented some 60 photographs of the gorgeous scenery of Turkey as well as the richness of its history and culture. Situated along the one kilometer-wide Bosphorus Strait that connects Europe with Asia, Istanbul marked an end point of the legendary Silk Road and entryway into Europe. The entire city of Istanbul is a historic site that houses cultural relics of the Roman Empire and Islamic culture, ancient and modern time, and East and West. It is also known as one of the world’s three most beautiful port cities.
Roman culture was prevalent in Western Europe during the height of the Roman Empire. After its division into East and West, the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) was centered in Greece and maintained the traditions of Hellenistic culture. Over time, these cultural influences were integrated with Oriental elements, leading to the creation of Byzantine culture, whose characteristics can be seen in Turkey’s unique architecture and art works.
Turkey includes vast areas of grassland, contrary to what many people might expect. This was evident from the photography display, which featured a diversity of scenes of Istanbul and Turkey’s various ethnic groups. Above all, the unique art works and the photographic images helped visitors to the exhibition come away with a better understanding and appreciation of Turkey and its people. One such visitor, Lee Jin-yeong, remarked: “I have always had an interest in Turkish culture. So this exhibition provided me with a chance to understand Turkey more deeply. I hope these kinds of events will be more widely publicized so that more people can come and enjoy other cultures.”

The noteworthy artistic traditions of Turkey include “miniature” painting, oil painting on papyrus, and unique works of “marbling,” which are made by combining oil and water.

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Introducing the Cultural Richness of Turkey

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Introducing the Cultural Richness of Turkey

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