A new art exhibition opening in London will celebrate the aspirations and influence of the first female Ottoman contemporary artist.
A little over a hundred years ago, Mihri Müşfik Hanım, a Turkish aristocrat and artist, had wanted to establish the Istanbul Women Painters Society, but social and political conditions prevented her from doing so. Instead, in 1917 she opened an art school for women. Years later, in 2005, another female artist, Nilgün Sarp, finally brought Mihri Hanım’s concept to life by establishing the Society.
Now, exactly a century later, a special exhibition entitled Mihri Müşfik and Istanbul will open at the Yunus Emre Institute London with a private viewing on International Women’s Day. The exhibition is a collaboration between the Institute and the Istanbul Women Painters Society, supported by the Turkish Embassy, UK Turkish Culture & Tourism Office, and the Association of Turkish Women in Britain.
Mihri Müşfik and Istanbul is curated by Istanbul-born and now London based artist Terry Katalan. The exhibition comprises of 31 paintings from 16 artists, each revealing colourful aspects of Istanbul’s rich cultural and social landscape that will appeal as much to art enthusiasts as to those interested in gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Entrance to the exhibition, which runs until the end of March, is free with late night viewing possible on weekdays.
Featured painters
Ayça Akalın, Esin Ateşağaoğlu, Sumru Çınar, Güllüzar Filis, Gülşen Gürsoy, F. Gülden Gündoğdu, Mine Kaplan, Zeliha Kayalar, E. Aysun Öncü, Perihan Öztaşkın, Selva Dilek Öztaşkın, Yeşim Sezgin, Nevin Torun, H. Nurhan Uğurlu, G. Meral Yücebaşoğlu, and Yasemin G. Zanbak.
Exhibition details
Title: Mihri Müşfik and Istanbul
Duration: exhibition runs from 9th to 30th March 2017
Venue address: Yunus Emre Institute, 10 Maple Street, London W1T 5HA
Opening times: Monday to Friday: 10.30 am – 8pm; Saturday: 10.30 am – 6pm; Sunday: closed
Entrance: free of charge
For more info: email londra@yee.org.tr or call 0207 387 3036
Main photo: self-portrait of Mihri Müşfik
