Resim Heykel Müzesi

Metu Spring ‘14 Arch 409

Perspectıves in the Conservation and Valorization of Cultural Heritage

Mıd-Term Submission on

Çağda Türkmen 1715234

Ankara Painting and Sculpture Museum Department was opened in 1980 when the historical Türkocağı building restored. It has 6 halls for permanent exhibitions, 3 galleries for temporary exhibitions, atéliers for painting, sculpture, ceramic, photography and restoration, a library of specialization on plastic arts, a caféteria, and an acoustical multi-purpose hall for concert, theatre, movies etc. performances with 426 audience capacity. There are painting-pattern preparation courses in October - June exhibition season.

The building in which Ankara State Painting and Sculpture Museum settled is built on Namazgâh Tepesi by Master Architect - Engineer Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu (1888-1982). Being one of the most beautiful examples of 1st National Architecture Period, it is designed as the Central Building of Türk Ocakları. Türk Ocakları were established after 2nd Constitutionalist Period. They were such ınstıtutions that support Turkish War of Independence, propagate Atatürk principles and the virtues of rebuplican regime in a cultural way, and take state assistance. In 1926, a project competition is announced for the Central Building of Türk Ocağı. The project of Architect A. Hikmet Koyunoğlu, who designed Etnography Museum on Namazgâh Tepesi, is chosen as the first candidate via Atatürk’s directives. Construction of the building, which Atatürk liked and confirmed on its watercolor paint, is started on March 21st of 1927.

Atatürk wanted Turkish Ornamentation to be used and only Turkish workers to work in the construction. A valuable amount of Turkish stonemasons had been died in Turkish War of Independence. Architect Koyunoğlu completed the construction by gathering gravestone masters and providing marble from Marmara Island (1930). Marble-mason Hüseyin Avni, Ironsmith Hakkı, Stonemason Baki and Hüseyin from Ankara are the masters whom the architect mentiones with respect. During the construction, Atatürk made check-visitings regularly. When Türk Ocakları are closed at the beginning of the year, the Central Building is transferred to Cumhuriyet Halk Fırkası. After Halkevleri are opened in 1932, Ankara Halkevi is started to service in this building. Ankara Halkevi brought joy to the cultural life of the Capital. Important meetings, ceramonies, concerts, theatre / opera / ballet performances are realized in the magnificent hall of the structure.

The History

After the closing of Halkevleri in 1952, the building is used for Türk Ocakları which are opened again. Between 1952 and 1961, together with Türk Ocakları, State theatres and municipality wedding events are happened here.

Because of the disagreement of these 3 institution, the building left neglcted. Harmful hand-overs continued till 1980, when the building is renovated and opened to serve as state museum of painting and sculpture. Today it is open to visit everday except Monday, on Talât Paşa Boulevard, between 09.00-12.00 and 13.00-17.00.

The collection of Ankara State Museum of Painting and Sculpture is collected in great efforts but with a little spending. In 1976, the building was received from Ministry of National Education with 4 precious paintings: Silah Taciri by Osman Hamdi Bey, Timur’un Mezarı Başında by V. Vereshchagin, Genç Kız Portresi by Zonaro, and gazi’ye Şükran by Emel Cimcoz (Korutürk) - They became the first works of the collection. The paintings from public institutions are scanned by an artist group (Üren, Kaptan, Peker, Epikman, Erol, Bursalı, Özel, and Oral), and 500 paintings are selected to enter the museum. According to a circular of the prime ministry, these paintings were collected, renovated, and became the biggest collection of the museum. Despite some institutions’ objection, with the help of Adnan Ötüken (the founder of National Library), a group of precious paintings are added to the collection, too. Auction Sales in foreign countries are also used to gain works to the museum.

26 paintings by Fikret Mualla are bought from Paris to put into the museum. More works are provided to the museum via donations. 40-pieces Şeref Akdik collection of the painter’s wife Sara Akdik, 7-pieces calligraphy collection of Çelik Gülersoy, İbrahim Çallı portraits of Emel Korutürk, another İbrahim Çallı Portrait of Bülent - İbrahim Cimcoz, one apiece works by Ayvazovski, Hikmet Onat, Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu, Eşref Üren and Arif Kaptan of Mehmet Özel can be counted. Half of the works of the museum consists of the works bought from exhibittions. These are selected by a committee with a priority to the works which won prizes from State Painting and Sculpture exhibitions. By 1st October of 1992, the museum has 1289 works by 399 artists. This number consists of 890 paintings, 211 sculptures, 118 prints, 54 ceramics, 16 turkish ornamentations. Among them, nearly 260 works are open to visit in exhibition halls.

The Collection

The Layout

I visited the museum with Mehmet. He is a stranger in the town, me either, so we lost in the site. At the first trial, we entered into the Performance Hall. There was an event that evening, so they asked us to leave. Second trial was even worse We entered into the wrong museum! However, I was happy about that because it was a chance to see it. Finally, we found the entrance and our friends Hamide & Nilay. In general, I found the layout of the museum chaotic. No idea about what was where. Actually, I didn’t understand the plan before coming home and checking the website. Yet, The works and the atmosphere they created was fabulous! As an architecture student, and also an old theatre-player, I am really influenced with the paintings and sculptures. Beyond their artistic values, the historical path of the works were fascinating. I liked the corridors at most. from cubism to orientalism, the variety of the movements made us move along the halls easily. After the museum, that sunny Sunday, we passed along Sıhhiye and have an ice-cream at the park. I strongly advise everyone to visit the museum at least once :)

Observations

References

T. C. Kültür ve Turizm bakanlığı Güzel Sanatlar Genel Müdürlüğü http://www.guzelsanatlar.gov.tr/TR,2411/ankara-resim-ve-heykel-muzesi-mudurlugu.html Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism http://www.kultur.gov.tr/EN,39521/ankara---state-museum-of-painting-and-sculpture.html T. C. Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı Kültür Varlıkları ve Müzeler Genel Müdürlüğü http://www.kulturvarliklari.gov.tr/TR,43549/ankara---resim-heykel-muzesi.html Ankara Resim ve Heykel Müzesi Sanal Tur Uygulaması http://www.kultur.gov.tr/genel/SanalMuzeler/ResimHeykelMuzesi/index.html Türkiye’nin Mimarlık Yayını Arkitera http://www.arkitera.com/haber/14101 Dictionaries http://www.macmillandictionary.com/ http://tureng.com/search/ photographs by Nilay Nida Can & Hamide Rıhtım