Annual Report 2012

TRUSTEES' 2012 ANNUAL REPORT

We are pleased to share with you the progress the Turkish Cultural Foundation (TCF) has made in 2012.

In 2012, TCF allocated a total of $3,511,981 to grants, operational and program disbursements to pursue its mission.

Continuing to be one of the leading private grantmakers in the area of Turkish cultural preservation and promotion, in 2012, TCF provided a total of $ 440,465 in grants and fellowships to organizations and individuals.

Last year saw the completion of the Ayaslı Research Center, a state of the art research building which TCF donated to the Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara, Turkey. The construction of the building started in 2011 and was completed in less than a year at a total cost of nearly $ 6.6 million. The Ayaslı Research Center was officially handed over to METU and inaugurated with a ceremony  on March 5, 2012.

Established in 2011 and 2010, respectively, the TCF Culinary Arts Center (YESAM) and the TCF Cultural Heritage Preservation and Natural Dyes Laboratory (DATU) are maturing into leading resources on Turkey's culinary and textile heritage. DATU and YESAM scholars work year-round to advance the cultural preservation and public education missions of TCF through research, publications, seminars and collaborations with other cultural institutions.

We continued to spread our Turkish educational outreach across the United States with the Spotlight on Turkey program in cooperation with the World Affairs Councils of America (WACA). In 2012, with three Teacher Study Tours organized by TCF under this program, the number of TCF Teacher Study Tour alumni reached 425 teachers from across the United States. Over 500 teachers participated in the 2012 Teacher Workshops with a student impact figure of nearly 56,000. Since this program’s inception in 2007, over 2,700 American teachers and an estimated 300,000 students benefitted from this TCF-WACA program. A new addition to our programs, in 2012, TCF established the Cultural Exchange Fellowship, designed specifically to support cultural and artistic exchanges among artists and culture professionals.

TCF programs and grants that foster people-to-people cultural exchanges also grew last year, facilitating cultural, artistic, and educational connections across the globe. TCF Lectures on Turkish culture, art and cuisine in Istanbul, the United States and Europe were attended by over 4,200 participants. Cultural events organized or funded by TCF grants, such as Turkish cultural and film festivals, workshops, exhibitions, concerts and other performances brought Turkish culture to tens of thousands of Americans. Serving our public educational mission, the TCF online portals on Turkish culture, music and cuisine were visited by over 2.7 million people from 205 countries and regions in 2012, spreading knowledge on Turkey’s cultural heritage.

It remains our passion and commitment to help build people-to-people bridges between Turkey and the United States, while connecting people across the globe around culture and art. We would like to thank everyone who participated in our work in the past year and helped us to foster a better understanding and appreciation of our shared humanity and cultural heritage.

Yalçın Ayaslı, Sc.D.
Founder and Chairman
Board of Trustees
  Serpil Ayaslı, Ph.D.
Founder
Board of Trustees

 

In 2012, TCF funds were distributed as follows:

The following chart provides an overview on how TCF funds were allocated in 2012. For a full listing of all Foundation grants, please visit here.

 

EDUCATIONAL & CULTURAL OUTREACH

TCF Lecture Series in Turkish Culture and Art

The TCF Lecture Series in Turkish Culture and Art takes place in the United States and at the TCF office in Istanbul. In 2012, the TCF Lecture Series featured 38 lectures on various topics related to Turkish culture and were attended by over 3,000 participants.

TCF Lecture Series in Turkish Culture and Art – United States

The U.S. leg of the TCF Lecture Series in Turkish Culture and Art featured TCF resident scholars, who spoke at leading cultural institutions on a variety of topics related to Turkish culture and art.

The following lectures were presented in the United States in 2012:

"Impressions of Ottoman Culture in Europe: 1453-1699" by Dr. Nurhan Atasoy, TCF Senior Scholar in Residence at the American Turkish Society in New York City

"In the Sultan's Gardens: Ottoman Gardens and the Decorative Arts" by Dr. Nurhan Atasoy, a t the Textile Museum in Washington, DC.

"Impressions of Ottoman Culture in Europe: 1453-1699" by Dr. Nurhan Atasoy, TCF Senior Scholar in Residence at the Smithsonian Institution's Freer and Sackler Galleries of Art in Washington, DC.

"Analyses of Dye, Weaving and Metal Thread in Ottoman Silk Brocades and their Reproduction" by Dr. Recep Karadağ, DATU at the Textile Society of America 13th Biennial Symposium "Textiles and Politics" in Washington, DC.

"The Mamluk Kaaba Curtain in the Bursa Grand Mosque and Comparing it with other Mamluk Textiles in the Washington Textile Museum Collection" by Dr. Sumiyo Okumura, TCF Art Historian, at the Textile Society of America 13th Biennial Symposium "Textiles and Politics" in Washington, DC.


TCF Lecture Series in Turkish Culture and Art - Istanbul

The TCF Istanbul Lecture Series takes place at the TCF Istanbul office and at YESAM and features lectures in Turkish and English. The English lectures aim to introduce the rich cultural and artistic heritage of Turkey to members of the consular corps and the expatriate community in Istanbul. The TCF Istanbul Lecture Series takes place under the coordination of Dr. Nurhan Atasoy.

In 2012, the TCF Istanbul office organized 17 lectures, attended by 516 participants.

The TCF Istanbul lectures are recorded and available for streaming on the TCF website. In 2012, the TCF lecture videos were viewed over 27,000 times by people from 114 countries all around the world.

The 2012 TCF Istanbul Lecture Series in Turkish Culture and Art featured the following topics and speakers:

"Classical Music in the 21st Century? Problematics in Perception, Description and Politization" by Dr. H. Alper Maral, Yıldız Technical University, Faculty of Art and Design, composer.

"European Music in Ottoman Istanbul" by Dr. Evren Kutlay, Koç University, College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Music and Performing Art, musicologist and pianist.

"Early Chinese-Turkic Encounters in East Asia" by Prof. Dr. İsenbike Togan, Boğaziçi University, Honorary member of the Turkish Academy of Sciences, Lecturer.

"The Birth of Chinese Civilization and Relations with Ancient Turks" by Prof. Dr. Ahmet Taşağıl, Mimar Sinan University, Chair of the Department of History.

"The Cultural Values of Istanbul and the Hagia Sophia Museum" by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Haluk Dursun, President of the Hagia Sophia Museum.

"Tracing the Ottoman Rugs in Transylvania" by Stefano Ionescu, Independent scholar on Oriental Carpets.

"Impressions of Ottoman Culture in Europe: 1453-1699" by Dr. Nurhan Atasoy, TCF Senior Scholar in Residence, & Dr. Lale Uluç, lecturer at Boğaziçi University.

"An American in Ankara (1921)" by Prof. Dr. Heath Lowry, Princeton University, Atatürk Professor of Ottoman and Modern Turkish Studies.

"Architecture of a Multi-layered City: Istanbul" by Prof. Dr. Ahmet Eyüce, Bahçeşehir University, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Design.

"The Imperial Processions of the Ottoman Sultans in the 17th Century" by Dr. Günhan Börekçi, Istanbul Åžehir University, Lecturer at the Department of History.

"Interior refurnishment of Çırağan Palace in the light of Art History" by Hande Tözün, Designer at Tözün Interior Design.

"Costumes in Harem" by Prof. Dr. Nurhan Atasoy, TCF Senior Scholar in Residence, Istanbul University.

"The Ottoman Burial Tradition Inferred by the Caftans and Fabrics Discovered in the Mausoleum of the Crown Princes' in the Hagia Sophia Complex" by Sibel Arca, Curator, Topkapı Palace Museum.

"Architectural Culture and the Concept of Propriety in the Age of Mimar Sinan" by Prof. Dr. Gülru Necipoğlu, Harvard University.

"Turkish Works of Art in Poland" by Dr. Beata Slota, Curator, National Museum in Krakow.

"The Image of Turks in Austria" by Dr. Lale Babaoğlu Balkış, Boğaziçi University.

"Christian Art under Ottoman Rule" by Prof. Dr. Machiel Kiel, Utrecht University.

"Thank you for the Turkish Cultural Foundation’s generous support of The Textile Museum’s 2012-13 lecture series, An Empire of Beauty, that accompanied our current exhibition The Sultan’s Garden: The Blossoming of Ottoman Art. The lectures by Nurhan Atasoy and Recep Karadağ were among the highlights of the series and drew the highest attendance."
Bruce P.Baganz, President, Board of Trustees, The Textile Museum.


TCF Scholars' Lectures

In addition to the TCF Lecture Series, TCF helps to advance knowledge and scholarship on Turkish culture and art through the contributions of its senior scholars in the form of presentations, papers, and lectures organized by other organizations.

Dr. Nurhan Atasoy, TCF Senior Scholar in Residence

Dr. Nurhan Atasoy, TCF Senior Scholar in Residence, gave a lecture on “Ottoman Culture in Europe: 1453-1699” at Ghent University in Belgium.  

Dr. Atasoy also gave several lectures in March 2012 to the Istanbul Tourist Guides Guild. Her lectures focused on “Ottoman Silk”, “Turkish Carpets in Europe”, “Ottoman Imperial Costumes”, and “Imperial Ottoman Tents.”  In May, she gave a talk on "Ottoman Imperial Costumes" at Işık University. Dr. Atasoy gave a lecture in September at the Topkapı Palace Museum on “Splendor and Elegance: Fashion at the Harem.”

In October, Dr. Atasoy gave a lecture titled “The Enigma of Ibrahim Pasha’s Palace” at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London and also addressed art connoisseurs at Christie’s London, where she discussed Ottoman and Western artistic and cultural exchanges.

In December, Dr. Atasoy was also one of five featured authors at the “Asian Art and Culture Book Fair” at the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Smithsonian Institute’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Prof. Dr. Recep Karadağ, TCF Cultural Preservation and Natural Dyes Laboratory, DATU

Dr. Recep Karadağ attended many scientific conferences and presented papers on the work of DATU and Ottoman textiles and natural dyes. Most notably, Dr. Karadağ spoke at the 2nd International Congress of Chemistry for Cultural Heritage in Istanbul, the 6th General Intensive School on Conservation Science in Evore, Portugal, and the 31st Meeting of Dyes in History and Archaeology Conference (DHA 31) in Antwerp, Belgium. He also presented a paper on "Analytical Methods for Textile Objects" at the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Dr. Sumiyo Okumura, TCF Resident Art Historian

TCF Resident Art Historian Dr. Sumiyo Okumura gave a lecture on "The Influence of Turkic Culture on Mamluk Carpets" at the University of Tokyo, Institute of Oriental Culture in Japan.

TCF Culinary Arts Center - YESAM Lecture Series

A lecture series on Turkish cuisine was launched at YESAM in 2012. Throughout the year, YESAM hosted a total of 17 lectures which were attended by 780 participants. The lecture videos can be viewed on the YESAM website.

The 2012 TCF YESAM Lecture Series featured the following topics and speakers:

Nedim Atilla, Journalist and Food Culture Expert:
Culinary Cultures of Bartın – Amasra – Saranbolu
Exquisite Flavors from Western Anatolia
Flavors of Spring
Mardin: The City of Stone, Faith, and Flavor
Giresun - The Hidden Cuisine of the Black Sea
Sephardic Cuisine
The Cuisine of Kayseri
Antioxidant Wild Herbs of Autumn
Christmas Traditions in Santa Claus' Homeland: Christmas in Anatolia
From Rumeli Part I: 100th Anniversary of the Balkan Wars with Bosniak Cuisine
From Rumeli Part II: 100th Anniversary of the Balkan Wars with Macedonian Cuisine

Dr. Nevin Halıcı, Food History Expert:
Evolution of Turkish Cuisine – Turkey's Regional Cuisine
Evolution of Turkish Cuisine – The Seljuk Period
Evolution of Turkish Cuisine – The Ottoman Period
Evolution of Turkish Cuisine – The Republican Period

Deniz Gürsoy, Culinary Writer:
A Historical Perspective on Turkish Cuisine

Oluş Molu, Board Member at Vinolus Wines:
Organic Agriculture and Wine Production


Spotlight on Turkey National Educational Program

Since 2007, TCF has partnered with the World Affairs Council of America (WACA) in organizing the Spotlight on Turkey program. Sponsored by TCF, the program is organized by TCF, WACA, and WACA chapters across the United States. Spotlight on Turkey consists of three stages and year-round programs that include Teacher Workshops, Teacher Study Tours, and educational/cultural programs for students and the general public.

In 2012, the program was undertaken by TCF and 23 local chapters of WACA in the following cities and regions: Las Vegas (Nevada), Seattle (Washington), South Dakota, Raleigh (North Carolina), Cleveland (Ohio), Dayton (Ohio), Mid-Hudson Valley (New York), Montana, Reading (Pennsylvania), Hawaii, Washington DC, New Hampshire, Inland Southern California, Sante Fe (New Mexico), Harrisburg (Pennsylvania), Albany (New York), Minnesota, Vermont, Central Florida, Jacksonville (Florida), Rochester (New York), and Palm Springs (Florida).

"The Turkish Cultural Foundation's Spotlight on Turkey program is easily one of the most popular among our member councils because it combines education and culture and places an emphasis on classroom learning. Our councils enjoy partnering with local schools to offer workshops, recruit and select teachers to participate in the summer study tour, and create community events that invite local citizens to learn more about Turkey's rich culture and history. The program is a big hit with our councils and so well respected! We are grateful for our partnership with the Turkish Cultural Foundation and for their sponsorship of this important program."
Todd Culpepper, President & CEO, World Affairs Councils of America

"Through our participation in the TCF Spotlight on Turkey program, the World Affairs Council of Montana has been able to connect with educators across our vast state, bringing them together to learn about the fascinating history, culture, and art of Turkey. Montana educators have traveled from the farthest reaches of the Big Sky state to learn about Turkey and to find ways to bring this interesting and important country into their classrooms. It is because of our partnership with TCF and the subsequent workshops, that not only have we reached these teachers, but we have also been able to help educate their communities through community outreach programs. This outreach and these international education opportunities are at the very core of our mission, and through the TCF Spotlight on Turkey program, our organization and state has been greatly enriched."
Aimee Ryan, Executive Director, Montana Worlds Affairs Council

Teacher Workshops on Turkey

As part of the program, TCF sponsored and helped organize 23 Teacher Workshops on Turkey. A total of 501 teachers from 318 schools attended these workshops in 2012. The estimated student impact of the workshops nationwide was nearly 56,000. The total number of teachers who have attended the TCF-WACA Teacher Workshops on Turkey since 2007 reached over 2,700 in 2012 with an estimated audience of 300,000 students across America.

Teacher Study Tours to Turkey

TCF organized and sponsored three Teacher Study Tours in the summer of 2012 and introduced 77 American educators to Turkey. Since the program's inception in 2007, TCF has hosted 425 American educators on these educational tours in Turkey.

"The TCF Teacher Study Tour has helped me become aware of a country that has the potential to be an important player in world affairs. Studying for this trip enabled me to fill in gaps of my knowledge about Turkish history – things not covered in our standard textbooks – such as the post World War I invasion of Turkey by Greece. It has also given me a fuller appreciation of the amazing Atatürk."
Ms. Elva Card, W.T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, Virginia

"This experience has re-organized my approach to humanities studies about this region. I now have so many ideas about introducting aspects of Turkish culture to my students! From history to ethnicites, from geography to art, from architecture to patterns of politics and power, from literature to cuisine - I am full of knowledge shared with me through TCF from guides, scholars, museums, and sites. My life is changed because of this trip, no exaggeration! I cannot wait to spread this knowledge to others: what an amazing, generous and phenominal gift. I am humbled."
Ms. Kimberlee Rizio, Long Trail School, Manchester Center, Vermont

Portrait of Turkey

 
Elisabeth O'Donnell, 2012 Teacher Study Tour participant, displaying the Turkish flag in her classroom.
  The final tier of the Spotlight on Turkey Program features public educational and cultural programs called Portrait of Turkey. Organized by participating WACA chapters with support from a TCF grant, this program engages the teachers who return from the TCF Teacher Study Tours in creative ways and reaches out to their students and the general public to spread the word about Turkey and Turkish culture in communities nationwide. In 2012, participating WACA chapters organized 27 Portrait of Turkey events that were attended by nearly 2,200 people.

TCF also reached out to thousands of social sciences teachers and administrators at the 92nd National Council for Social Studies Conference in Seattle, WA on November 16-18, 2012. TCF promoted both Turkey and TCF educational initiatives and resources at the event, particularly the Spotlight on Turkey program. The TCF presentation also included the screening of Broad Horizons, a documentary on the TCF Teacher Study Tours. TCF was represented at the conference by Seattle teachers who participated in the TCF tours and by members of the Turkish American community in the area.

"Experimental learning at its finest. This proves that a Teacher Study Tour can be hands-on, scholarly, AND fun! I would recommend this study tour to any educator who is interested in bridging the gap of ignorance with knowledge, understanding and respect. Two weeks is just the tip of the iceberg . . . but it's an amazing start to a life long journey. This study tour has awoken a passion to learn more and a desire to share this knowledge with students and other Americans."
Ms. Beth Latini, Pittsford Mendon High School, Canandaigua, New York

Oregon Geographic Alliance Teacher Study Tour

TCF provided a major grant to Portland State University to sponsor a study tour to Turkey of geography teachers organized by the Oregon Geographic Alliance in partnership with National Geographic. 13 teachers participated in this tour.

TCF and the Media

Many TCF programs received broad media coverage in 2012. TCF was mentioned over 130 times in the mainstream media in the U.S. and in Turkey, mostly in the Turkish print media. TCF's Teacher Study Tours program was featured in 16 regional news articles, reaching an audience of up to 500,000 readers in nine U.S. states.

 

The work of the TCF Cultural Heritage Preservation and Natural Dyes Laboratory - DATU and the TCF Culinary Arts Center - YESAM received many favorable reviews and mentions in the Turkish media.

The opening of the Ayaslı Research Center was also covered extensively in the Turkish press. Additionally, TCF's Executive Director Güler Köknar was featured in two CNBC World specials on Turkish culture, tourism, and history, titled "The Other Side: Dispatches from Turkey" and "Going Global: Turkey." The network reaches nearly 380 million households worldwide. "Going Global: Turkey" aired six times in 2012 and will continue to air through Fall 2013.

Other Cultural Outreach

Minnesota Year of Turkey

TCF supported the Minnesota Year of Turkey by donating a work by Malik Bulut, Turkish sculptor and TCF-sponsored SOFA artist. This piece raised funds to contribute to the Minnesota International Center's project that celebrated Turkey in 2012 through a variety of educational and cultural programs.

TCF Becomes a Member of World Crafts Council - Europe

  TCF has been accepted as an Associate Member of the World Craft Council-Europe (WCC-Europe), a member of the World Crafts Council. WCC-Europe promotes

design-led crafts and applied arts by collecting and disseminating information in related fields. WCC-Europe also organizes various contemporary art and design competitions for European artists. By joining WCC-Europe, TCF aims to provide a platform for Turkish artists to learn more about international art opportunities through the WCC network. A special section on current international art events has since been added to the TCF Portal.

TCF on the Web

TCF continues to expand and improve its award-winning websites. Its efforts to promote Turkish culture worldwide continued in 2012 with new content added to TCF portals on Turkish culture, music and cuisine.

In 2012, the TCF portals received 2,765,776 visitors from 205 countries and regions.

The Turkish Culture Portal was reconfigured as an open source platform in 2012 to allow interested individuals to share knowledge on Turkish culture. Web users can now edit existing articles and add new pictures and content to hundreds of topics featured on the portal.

Turkish Culture Portal
www.turkishculture.org

The Turkish Culture Portal highlights some of the distinct characteristics and qualities of Turkish culture and its contributions to human work and thought. The website is intended as a casual and entertaining walk through of topics related to Turkey's rich culture. Its content will always be a work in progress, given the depth and the multiple dimensions of the subject.

Turkish Music Portal
www.turkishmusicportal.org

The Turkish Music Portal is the first public educational website dedicated to Turkish music and was inaugurated in January 2006. It explores the history of Turkish music, reviews the instruments of Turkish classical and folk music, and introduces the composers and performers of all types of Turkish music. It is available in Turkish, English, French and German. A new addition to the Turkish Music Portal in late 2011 was the first online Turkish Music Dictionary, a project funded by TCF.

Turkish Cuisine Portal
www.turkish-cuisine.org

Inaugurated in 2007 and available in English and Turkish, the Turkish Cuisine Portal is a rich resource featuring the many different aspects of Turkey's diverse culinary culture, including history, sociology, beliefs, ingredients, techniques, and recipes.

TCF YESAM Portal
www.culinaryartcenter.org

In 2011, TCF inaugurated the portal for its newly established Culinary Arts Center (YESAM). The website features information on YESAM events, summaries, lecture videos, monthly recipes, and other information on Turkish cuisine.

TCF DATU Portal
www.tcfdatu.org

The TCF Cultural Heritage Preservation and Natural Dyes Laboratory (DATU) Portal provides information on the institutional work of DATU. The portal contains a wealth of scientific knowledge on natural dyes and features an expansive database of plants, insects, and other materials used in the generation of natural dyes. Scientific articles published by the DATU research team can also be accessed here.

CULTURAL PRESERVATION & DOCUMENTATION

Spearheading and supporting projects that preserve the cultural heritage of Turkey are among the pillars of TCF. Progress was made on several existing TCF programs in this area and new projects came to fruition in 2012.

TCF Culinary Arts Center - YESAM

  TCF inaugurated the Culinary Arts Center-YESAM (Yemek Sanatları Merkezi) in 2011 on the 4th floor of the ARMAGGAN store in Nuruosmaniye, Istanbul. Headed by renowned chef and culinary expert Vedat Başaran, the mission of YESAM is to research, document and revive the culinary heritage and traditions created by the people of Turkey over the centuries on the expansive geographies they inhabited.

To this end, YESAM develops theoretical and practical educational methods to promote Turkish culinary culture in Turkey and across the world to preserve this heritage for future generations.

A year-round lecture series on Turkish cuisine was launched at YESAM in 2012. In addition to presentations by Turkish culinary experts, the lecture program is accompanied by tastings of the lecture-relevant cuisine offered by Nar Restaurant.

Cultural Heritage Preservation and Natural Dyes Laboratory - DATU

  In 2010, TCF inaugurated the Cultural Heritage Preservation and Natural Dyes LaboratoryDATU in Istanbul under the sponsorship of the ARMAGGAN brand. The mission of DATU is to document, preserve and promote Turkey's textile heritage through scientific research and field-based studies. DATU now holds the world's most extensive collection of natural dye
materials and has become one of the most advanced laboratories on natural dyes. DATU also contributes to the revival of the natural dye production and application process in contemporary textiles by conducting research on designs, motives and weaving techniques that accurately reflect regional and historical characteristics of Turkish textiles.

 

In line with the TCF mission to preserve Turkey's cultural heritage, DATU provides free analytical services to leading museums in Turkey and elsewhere that helps identify, date, restore, and conserve their artifacts and particularly their textile collections. DATU shares scientific information gained from these efforts with the scholarly community and the public, helping to advance knowledge and appreciation of Turkey's textile heritage. In 2012, the DATU team led by Dr. Recep Karadağ published seven papers, six of which were presented at international science conferences.

In 2012, DATU provided the following services to museums and institutions:

Topkapı Palace Museum

  Ottoman silk brocades were analyzed with nondestructive and microanalysis methods in the Topkapı Palace Museum. A total of 3,451 analyses were conducted on 287 objects. The DATU analyses of the historical textiles will assist with the restoration and conservation work at the Museum while helping to
determine the correct date and geographical origin of the textiles.

Turkish and Islamic Art Museum

112 analyses were conducted on 18 carpets and kilims from the Turkish and Islamic Art Museum to properly assess the best methods for the cleaning and restoration of the textiles.

Ankara University, Department of Archeaology Science

DATU analyzed 5 objects that belong to the Ankara University, Department of Archeaology Science. The objects were pigment and textile samples from the Koru Tumulus excavation, believed to belong to the Persian king, Cyrus the Great (547 BC). The dye and pigment analysis by DATU provided further evidence that the excavated tomb belonged to a king's family.

Anatolian Civilizations Museum

DATU analyzed ceramic samples from the Museum and identified chemical and physical properties of the pigments in the ceramics from the Roman period.

Hacettepe University, Department of Biology Science

The wine residue detected by DATU analyses helped identify the purpose of Roman terracotta artifacts.

Harbiye Military Museum

DATU conducted dyestuffs analyses on 17 objects and 90 samples. Results enabled DATU to prescribe appropriate restoration and conservation methods.

Hagia Sophia Museum

DATU helped the Hagia Sophia Museum to properly identify the original pigment used on its buildings to be applied in restoration work.

General Directorate of Foundations

DATU analyzed carpet and kilim collections of the Istanbul, Ankara and Sivas branches of the General Directorate of Foundations. Dyestuff analyses on 75 samples from 12 carpets and kilims helped develop proper cleaning and restoration methods.

DATU Pigment Collection

In 2012, DATU produced a collection of 32 natural organic lake pigments. The DATU Pigment Collection is the largest such collection and represents the first of its kind produced from dye insects and dye plants indigenous to Turkey. The pigments may be used in decorative arts, as well as in the restoration of paintings, frescos, miniatures, paper marbling and illumination art. The collection also includes certificates detailing the chemical and physical properties of each pigment, as well as its source.

  The work of DATU on natural dyes goes hand-in-hand with the research and field-based studies conducted by the DATU team on Turkey's material culture. Led by Dr. Ozanay Omur, the DATU team conducts research on designs, motives and weaving techniques that accurately reflect
regional and historical characteristics of Turkish textiles. Since its inception, DATU has undertaken comprehensive studies of Anatolian carpets, kilims and needlework – or oya.

Through its cooperation with ARMAGGAN, DATU not only helps to preserve Turkey's rich textile heritage, but also to revive it. TCF-DATU and ARMAGGAN joint projects support sustainable rural employment which has created income opportunities for over 250 women across Turkey.

"TCF-DATU provided dye analysis and natural dye applications of the textiles at the Military Museum. As a result of this service, our restoration and conservation work on the textile collection at our Museum has become more scientifically sound. The Foundation analyzed 45 such pieces in our collection in 2012. We are grateful to TCF for the support it has provided to our Museum in restoration and conservation of these historical artifacts."
Colonel Serdar Arıncı, Head of the Restoration and Conservation Section, Military Museum

"The Topkapı Palace Museum and the Turkish Cultural Foundation began their joint collaboration in February 2011. Their project entitled "Topkapı Palace Museum Imperial Costumes Restoration and Conservation/Non-Destructive Microanalysis Applications" lasted for two years and resulted in the analysis of 970 artifacts. As a result of this project and the support from TCF-DATU, we received reports and scientific data for every piece in the Imperial Costumes collection to be used in the restoration and conservation of the garments. TCF's support helped our Museum to preserve this valuable collection of Ottoman textile art for future generations. We hope that this support will continue and thank TCF-DATU for its contributions to this project."
Sibel Alpaslan Arca, Topkapı Palace Museum, Imperial Costumes Section Head

Who's Who in Turkish Culture and Art

Work continued on the "Who's Who in Turkish Culture and Art" online database featuring living Turkish artists, artisans and experts. The goal of the project is to help identify practicioners of Turkish traditional and modern arts, promote Turkish artists worldwide. The project also enables people of common cultural interests to collaborate on projects that celebrate Turkish cultural heritage. The database is organized under various categories such as Visual Arts, Turkish Traditional Arts, Applied Arts, Literature, Music, Theater, Movie, Documentary and TV, Dance and Ballet, Academics, Fashion Design, and Restoration & Conservation. Accessible from the TCF Turkish Culture Portal, the database reached 2,400 artist entries by the end of 2012.

Cultural Preservation & Documentation Grants

Makam New York

  A TCF grant to Makam New York helped underwrite the First Annual Turkish Music Institute. The workshop was held in New York on May 29 through June 2 and featured three classes in practical use of music theory, intonation, and modal repertoire analysis and interpretation.
The workshop was taught by Ahmet Erdoğdular, Ömer Erdoğdular, and Ross Daly.

Eyüp Music Foundation

  In 2012, TCF continued to support the Eyüp Music Foundation (Eyüp Musiki Vakfı), one of Istanbul's oldest musical societies. TCF's support helps provide music education to children who are unable to pursue it formally, and enables them to stage concerts for the Foundation.
In 2012, the TCF grant underwrote a concert in January celebrating Erol Sayan, one of the leading contemporary composers of Turkish classical music.

Turkish Music Dictionary and Turkish Folk Music Dictionary

TCF continued its support for a multi-year, multi-disciplinary research and documentation project on Turkish music. The project's first phase to create an online Turkish Music Dictionary was completed and made available on the TCF Turkish Music Portal in 2011.

The second phase of the project is the creation of a Turkish Folk Music Dictionary, the first of its kind. The project is led by Turkish ethnomusicologist Dr. Melih Duygulu, who previously coordinated the TCF Turkish Music Portal project. In 2012, Dr. Duygulu's team visited 32 provinces across Turkey, compiling 800 Turkish folk music terms. About half of these were recorded for the first time.

In addition to "excavating" musical terms, the team collected bard chants (aşık havaları), lyrics/poetic sayings, henna songs, lullabies, laments, religious/mystical music samples and singing techniques and even local culinary traditions, through interviews and by participating in local celebrations. The field research is scheduled for completion in late 2013.

EDUCATION

Ayaslı Research Center at the Middle East Technical University (METU)

In May 2011, TCF and METU signed a protocol paving the way for the establishment of the Ayaslı Research Center (ARC). The ARC was donated to METU's Electrical Engineering Department by TCF as part of its founding mission to advance cultural, educational and scientific ties between the United States and Turkey. The construction of the building was completed in 2012. An official ceremony at the building on March 5, 2012 brought together METU President Prof. Dr. Ahmet Acar, TCF Founders and METU alumni Dr. Yalçın Ayaslı and Dr. Serpil Ayaslı, as well as METU faculty, alumni, and students.

The ARC building is a leading example of energy sensitive construction and the first of its kind in Turkey. It uses flexible membrance technology and supplies its own electricity through solar energy. The building is designed to collect and use rainwater. The ARC houses 19 research labs, 2 clean rooms, an anechoic chamber, and an antenna tower, as well as seminar and meeting rooms, student reading, and social areas. For its design and features, ARC was highlighted in Tasarım, a leading Turkish architectural magazine.

Scholarships and Fellowships

TCF Fellowship in Turkish Culture and Art

In its fifth year, TCF awarded the Fellowship in Turkish Culture and Art to 16 scholars. This TCF fellowship aims to support Ph.D. students and scholars who conduct studies on Turkey's cultural and social history, literature, music, and art with a view to increase interest and publications in Turkish cultural studies. Since its inception in 2008, a total of 25 post doctorate and 43 Ph.D. dissertation fellowships have been awarded.

2012-2013 TCF Fellows

  Dr. Birgül Açıkyıldız-Åžengül
Ph.D. in Art History, University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne (2006)
Current Position: Aga Khan Post-doctoral Fellow at Harvard University, Assistant Professor at Mardin Artuklu University
A City at the Crossroads of 19th Century Transformations: Mardin

  Dr. İkbal Elif Mahir Metinsoy
Ph.D. in Contemporary and Modern Turkish History, Universite de Strasbourg Cultures et Societes en Europe (2012) and Boğaziçi University, Atatürk Institute for Modern Turkish History (2012)
Changing Fashions of Ottoman Women during the Second Constitutional Period (1908-1923)

  Dr. İlgin Veryeri Alaca
Ph.D. in Fine Arts, Hacettepe University (2005)
Current Position: Teaching Assistant at the Department of Media and Visual Arts at Koç University
Exploring and Preserving Turkish Art and Cultural Heritage through Picture Books

  Dr. Lilyana Stankova
Ph.D. in Art History, University of Sofia, Bulgaria (2011)
Current Position: University of 3rd Age and other institutions of education in Paris
Intercultural Exchange in Ornamental Practices in the Balkans during the Ottoman Period: Orthodox Liturgical Metalwork Objects and Woodcarving in Relation to Ottoman Aesthetics

  Dr. Mehmet Ali Åžanlıkol
Ph.D. in Composition, New England Conservatory (2004)
Current Position: Visiting Fellow at Harvard University, Center for Middle Eastern Studies and Music Department
19th Century Classical Ottoman / Turkish Music Notated in Byzantine Neumes

  Adrienn Papp
Ph.D. Candidate, Archaeological history, Eötvös Lorand University of Science
Archaeologist, Budapest History Museum, Department of Middle Ages Research
Thermal Baths in Buda in the Ottoman Period of Hungary

  Aude Aylin de Tapia
Ph.D. Candidate, Ottoman History, Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), Paris
Orthodox Christians and Muslims in 19th century Cappadocia: Everyday Life, Languages, Culture and Socio-economic Relations

  Elizabeth Nolte
Ph.D. Candidate, Modern Turkish Literature, University of Washington
Charting the Troubled Times: Locating Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar's Literary Legacy in the Era of Republican Transformations

  Gözde Yazıcı Çörüt
Ph.D. Candidate, Ottoman and Russian History, University of Manchester
The Muslim Population of the Kars Oblast at the Russo-Ottoman border between 1877 and 1914

  Kiraz Perinçek Karavit
Ph.D. Candidate, Cultural and Artistic Interactions in Asia, Boğaziçi University
Mobile Art along the Silk Road: Mehmed Siyah Kalem's Paintings

  Nick Danforth
Ph.D. Candidate, Modern Turkish History, Georgetown University
The History of Hatay as a Turkish Province

  Nir Shafir
Ph.D. Candidate, Ottoman History, University of California, LA
The Road from Damascus: Travel and Knowledge in the Ottoman Empire, 1620-1720

  Pınar Ceylan
Ph.D. Candidate, Economic Study, London School of Economics and Political Science
Ottoman Inheritance Inventory: A Source for Economic Geography and Price History

  Rüstem Ertuğ Altınay
Ph.D. Candidate, Performance Studies, New York University
Catching the Trains: Fashion, Modernization, and National Identity in Turkey

 

Stefan Peychev
Ph.D. Candidate, Urban history, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Public Baths and Urban Space: The Case of Ottoman Sofia


 

Zehra Tonbul
Ph.D. Candidate, History of Architecture, Boğaziçi University
German Academic Formalism and its Influence on the Historiography of Medieval Art and Architecture of Turkey

Other Research Fellowships

Impressions of Ottoman Culture in Europe: 1453-1699

  A ground-breaking new book, "Impressions of Ottoman Culture in Europe: 1453-1699,"by Dr. Nurhan Atasoy, TCF Senior Scholar in Residence, and her co-author Dr. Lale Uluç was published by ARMAGGAN Publications in 2012. TCF underwrote the authors' multi-year research that was conducted in 14 countries.

The book explores the impressions of Ottoman material culture on Europe in the early modern age when the expansion of Ottoman territory created common borders and intensive political, diplomatic and trade ties with Europe. Following its release, the book was widely covered in the Turkish media and was favorably reviewed in Newsweek, Saudi Aramco, Cornucopia and Halı magazines.

"Nurhan Atasoy, the grand dame of Ottoman history and chronicler of its artistic wonders, may well spark another revolution with her new work, Impressions of Ottoman Culture in Europe: 1453–1699. Meticulously researched and adorned with lavish illustrations, the book documents the seminal influence of Ottoman visual tastes on the Western mind during the centuries of Ottoman expansion. One only has to think of how well the world recognizes the Roman or British or Chinese empires' signature aesthetics to realize what a lacuna she has addressed: the cultural impact of a vast empire at the world's center in a critical era as the Renaissance brewed across its borders."
Excerpted from an article by Melik Kaylan, Newsweek, May 27, 2012

The Historical Geography of Asia Minor

  In 2012, TCF awarded a major grant to Dr. Özge Özgür to support the translation into modern Turkish and publication of a book by Ioannis Kalfoğlu, titled "The Historical Geography of Asia Minor." Published in Istanbul originally in 1899, the book was written in Turkish using the Greek alphabet and was intended for the Greek Orthodox Turcophone, Karamanlı, audience.

Celebration, Entertainment and Theater in the Ottoman World

  A grant was provided to Dr. Arzu Öztürkmen, Bosphorus University, and Dr. Suraiya Faroqhi, Istanbul Bilgi University, to support the publication of a book titled "Celebration, Entertainment and Theatre in the Ottoman World." The book gathers 24 original essays exploring a broad range of historical performances in the Ottoman Empire. Offering a reappraisal of research on Ottoman festivities, celebrations and entertainment, the volume also examines the European-style theater that flourished in Istanbul during the last decades of the Ottoman Empire. The book will be released in 2013.

Turkish Language and Culture Studies

Ottoman Studies Foundation Intensive Ottoman and Turkish Summer School

In 2010, TCF awarded a five-year grant to the Ottoman Studies Foundation's Intensive Ottoman and Turkish Summer School (IOTSS) at the Sevgi Gönül Building in Cunda, Turkey. Co-sponsored by Harvard and Koç University, the school attracts students from all around the world and provides instruction in reading and translating Ottoman Turkish texts in both manuscript and printed form.

The 16th Session of IOTSS took place on July 9–August 17, 2012, and was attended by 19 students who were selected from among 35 applicants to the program. Students came from leading universities in the United States, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Canada, Turkey, and Israel. The third-year grant by TCF was allocated to tuition scholarships for four students: Jill Stockwell, Princeton University; William Freyer, Stanford University; Stelios Irakleous, Leiden University; and Nicholas Danforth, Georgetown University.

TCF funding also partly underwrote the expenses of the school's teaching staff. The 2012 session of the School was taught by Dr. Evangelia Balta, National Hellenic Research Foundation; Prof. Selim Kuru, University of Washington, Dr. Yorgos Dedes, SOAS, University of London; Domenico Ingenito, University of Oxford's Wadham College and the Oriental Institute; Gregory Key, University of Arizona; and Prof. Nurcan Abacı, Bursa University.


National Hellenic Research Foundation Ottoman Language and Paleography Course

TCF awarded a major grant to the Institute for Historical Studies at the National Hellenic Research Foundation in Athens, Greece. The TCF grant served to underwrite an introductory course on Ottoman language and paleography at the Ottoman Studies Research Program, led by Dr. Evangelia Balta. Dr. Balta's program includes a project on Ottoman Epigraphy, which aims to create a corpus of Ottoman inscriptions in Greece and organize a series of seminars with a focus on Ottoman Epigraphy. The course was taught by Dr. Dimitris Loupis, who is also a TCF Fellow, and runs the project. The course was offered for free and was attended on average by 40 students, scholars, archeologists, museum and other culture professionals.

"Undoubtedly learning the Ottoman language is a unique experience in dealing with a generally unknown area. Furthermore it creates a peaceful bridging of Greece and Turkey. Through such a well-organized seminar a common linguistic past and present is revealed, and we realize that the two peoples have more things that bring them together rather than keep them apart."
Alkiviadis Pantopoulos, MA student in Byzantine Archaeology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

"The seminar of Ottoman language and paleography organized by the National Hellenic Research Foundation is extremely interesting and of crucial importance to my research on Ottoman numismatics and epigraphy. This seminar, which is the first of its kind to be offered by a Greek public institution, is crucial to strengthening cultural ties between the two countries."
Nikos Panoutsopoulos, Archaeologist

Stanford University - Turkish Language Course

In support of university-level Turkish language instruction in the United States, TCF provided a multi-year grant to Stanford University's Mediterranean Studies Forum for a full-time lecturer position in Turkish Language and Literature. During the 2011-2012 academic year, the TCF grant made possible three Turkish language and three Turkish literature courses, as well as one independent research course. A total of 27 students enrolled in these courses. Dr.Burcu Karahan Richardson, the lecturer and also a TCF Fellow, collaborated with other Stanford language instructors on curriculum development, led the organization of three academic events about contemporary Turkey, and participated in off-campus activities about Turkish language and literature instruction. Overall, the course helped raise further awareness about Turkey both at Stanford University and in the broader San Francisco Bay Area.

"On behalf of the Mediterranean Studies Forum and the School of Humanities and Sciences at Stanford University, I would like to thank TCF for their generous support for the Turkish Language and Literature Lecturer position at Stanford. Your foresight has paid marvelous dividends in ensuring a solid foundation for the study of Turkish language and literature at Stanford. We appreciate your continuing partnership in this effort and send our sincere thanks on behalf of our students and faculty."
Dr. Burçak Keskin-Kozat, Associate Director, The Mediterranean Studies Forum, Stanford University

"Dr.Burcu offers our students the opportunıty to gaın a better understandıng of the Turkish culture and language...Your organization’s support of this exceptional lecturer enables the School of Humanities and Science as a whole to sustain excellence while embarking in new directions."
Dr.Richard P.Saller, Dean of Humanities and Sciences, Stanford University

Primary Education

Turkish American Community Schools

In reflection of its commitment to support Turkish language and heritage education for Turkish American children, TCF established the Turkish American School Grant in 2005. Since then, TCF has awarded 26 grants to support the establishment or expansion of Turkish American community schools nationwide. In 2012, the Turkish American Friendship Society of U.S. (TAFSUS) and the Turkish American Society of Northeast Ohio (TASNO) received the TCF School Grant.

TCF also provides free educational materials to Turkish American schools. "Anatolia Before You", published with support from TCF by the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara; Prof. Justin McCarthy's "Turkey and the Turks" curriculum guide; the DVD series on "Karagöz" Shadow Puppet Theater; and a bilingual book and music series titled "Musical Tales of the World" by Åžebnem Oral, were gifted to the Orange County Turkish School and the ATA School of TAFSUS in 2012.

Vocational Training

Glass Furnace Foundation

For the sixth year, TCF awarded a grant to the Glass Furnace Foundation (Cam Ocağı Vakfı) in Istanbul to support international exchanges in glass art and the education of Turkish glass artists and craftsmen. The TCF grant provided funding for a full-year paid apprenticeship for a young craftsman and a master craftsman at the Glass Furnace Foundation, as well as scholarships to aspiring Turkish glass artists to participate in the Foundation's on-campus workshops taught by internationally acclaimed glass artists. In 2012, Lino Tagliapietra, one of the world's most famous glass artists, demonstrated at the Glass Furnace Foundation.

"Thanks to the TCF grant given to the Glass Furnace Foundation, I was able to participate in the glass course taugt by artist Anthony Gelpi and had the chance to improve my artistic skills. This was the most productive time in my entire education and I thank TCF for this opportunity."
Ecem Küpeli, student artist at the Glass Furnace Foundation Summer School

"The two-week workshop that I attended at the Glass Furnace Foundation helped me to overcome many of the difficulties I encountered while developing my technique. Working under the supervision of a professional was immensely beneficial. I want to sincerely thank TCF for giving me the chance to learn from Karen Willbrink and for helping young artists like me to excel."
Barış Can Aksakal, student artist at the Glass Furnace Foundation Summer School

CULTURAL PROMOTION & EXCHANGES

TCF continued to contribute to the promotion of Turkish art and culture by supporting cultural music and film festivals, exhibitions, and performances across the United States. TCF also facilitated cultural and artistic exchanges between Turkey and the U.S. by enabling institutions, as well as individual artists, to celebrate and share knowledge on culture.

TCF at SOFA

Six Turkish modern artists, competitively selected by TCF, joined dozens of international artists and tens of thousands of art enthusiasts at the Sculpture Objects & Functional Art - SOFA Fair on November 2-4, 2012 in Chicago.

The SOFA Fairs bring together groundbreaking modern artists, sculptors, designers, curators, and collectors from around to world for a series of exhibits, lectures, and discussions. TCF was the only nonprofit organization presenting at the fair.

This year's TCF exhibition was curated together with ARMAGGAN Art & Design Gallery in Istanbul. The exhibition featured works by Çetin Ateş, Adnan Doğan, İpek Kotan, Zeynep Torun, Ahmet Yazıcı, and Belgin Yücelen.

This year, İpek Kotan's Limoges vessels were featured on the SOFA homepage, as well as on SOFA banners in the Navy Pier exhibition hall. Çetin Ateş, Belgin Yücelen and İpek Kotan also gave booth talks about their work to visitors at the show.

"SOFA Chicago 2012 was a very large platform bringing so many galleries and more than 800 artists together from all over the world. It was an honor for me to be there and present my sculptures with other unique artists. Thousands of art lovers visited SOFA and shared their thoughts with the artists. I would like to thank the TCF and ARMAGGAN Art & Design Gallery for supporting us and giving us this priceless chance."
Çetin Ateş, SOFA 2012 Participating Artist

"Showing my works at SOFA Chicago was an extraordinary experience. I had the chance to meet world-class collectors and galleries and sell my works in one of the finest art & design fairs in the world. I feel both honored and grateful for having been chosen to participate at SOFA and would love to have the chance to exhibit there again."
İpek Kotan, SOFA 2012 Participating Artist

"I am grateful to TCF for allowing me to show my sculptures together with other sophisticated contemporary artworks at SOFA. It was both an educational and motivational experience. It was also a great opportunity to introduce my art to this community and make new connections. The TCF booth was very well organized and professional - I was proud to be able to represent Turkish Contemporary Art. The friendships we established with TCF are priceless."
Belgin Yücelen, SOFA 2012 Participating Artist

"The TCF showcase of Turkish contemporary art at SOFA gives Turkish artists an incredible opportunity to present their work to a discerning international art audience. Participating in SOFA also enables Turkish artists to meet fellow artists from across the world."
Åžanel Åžan, Curator, ARMAGGAN Art & Design Gallery

Sofa Chicago 2012

TCF Cultural Exchange Fellowship

Established in 2012, the TCF Cultural Exchange Fellowship aims to support international exchanges between artists and culture professionals in Turkey and across the world. The Fellowship is awarded competitively each year to Turkish individuals who participate in programs and residencies in their field outside of Turkey and to non-Turkish individuals who visit Turkey to participate in cultural and artistic projects. In its first year, 19 individuals received the TCF Fellowship and engaged in a wide range of cultural and artistic programs.

2012-2013 TCF Cultural Exchange Fellows (Turkish)

  Dr. Utku Dervent, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Fine Art at Istanbul Aydın University, participated in international artists' and writers' residency program at the Vermont Studio Center, USA.

  Nazlıhan Eda Erçin, creative drama and performance teacher at Eskişehir Gelişim College, participated in the Double Edge Theatre's Summer Intensive Program in Shield, Massachusetts, USA.

  Nazlıhan Eda Erçin, creative drama and performance teacher at Eskişehir Gelişim College, participated in the Double Edge Theatre's Summer Intensive Program in Shield, Massachusetts, USA.

  Gonca Gümüşayak, MA student in Modern Dance at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, participated in the danceWEB Europe Scholarship Residency Program for Contemporary Dance and Performance during the Vienna International Dance Festival, Austria.

  Dr. Selin İpek, historian at the Topkapı Palace Museum, presented a paper on "Ottoman Fabrics of 18th and 19th centuries" at the 13th Biennial Symposium of the Textile Society of America in Washington DC, USA.

  Dr. İlkay Kanık, food writer and lecturer at Marmara University, presented a paper titled "Food, Memory and Cultural Heritage: The Case of YESAM (TCF Culinary Arts Center)" at the "Global Gateways and Local Connections: Cities, Agriculture, and the Future of Food Systems" conference organized by New York University and The New School, USA.

  Berna Kurt Kemaloğlu, folk dance performer and a Ph.D. candidate in Traditional Culture, Performing Arts, and Social Sciences at Yıldız Technical University, presented a paper titled "How is Dance Transformed as it Moves from Place to Place?" at the 27th Symposium of the International Council for Traditional Music (ICTM) Study Group on Ethnochoreology at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick, Ireland.

  Tuba Kurtuluş, curator at the Topkapı Palace Museum, presented a paper on "A Group of Heated Stamp Designed Textiles in the Topkapı Palace Museum" at the 13th Biennial Symposium Textile Society of America in Washington, DC, USA.


 

Ferit Odman, jazz musician, performed in the showcase program at the "JazzNL Gateway to Global Jazz" in Amersfoort, Netherlands.


 

Elif Temuçin Uyanıksoy, playwright and co-founder of Theatre BeReZe, presented a play in the "New Visions, New Voices" project at the Kennedy Center, Washington, DC, USA and represented Turkey at the International Network for Children's Theater Playwrights, "Write Local, Play Global."


 

Füreya Ünal, a pianist as well as a faculty member at California State University Fullerton and Santa Ana College, and founder and co-artistic director of the Divan Consort, performed several concerts in China, at the Beijing Normal University, Fudan Normal University, and Nanjing University.

2012-2013 TCF Cultural Exchange Fellows (Non-Turkish)

 

Dr. Beata BiedroÅ„ska-SÅ‚ota, curator at the Textile Department of the National Museum in Krakow, Poland conducted research at the Topkapı Palace Museum and Sadberk Hanım Museum on Ottoman textiles in Polish collections.


 

Roberley Bell, sculptor and professor at the College of Imaging Arts & Sciences at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), exhibited at the 7th edition of the Contemporary Istanbul Art Fair.


 

Judith Dennis, a film director, screened her collection of short films called The Dancer Films at the Flying Broom International Women's Film Festival in Ankara.


 

Hallgerdur Hallgrimsdottir, a photographer, journalist and educator, took photos in Turkey as part of the "Visual Narratives: European borderlines" project, an international collaboration in photography.


 

Margaret Mahan, a paper artist and co-director of "Peace Paper", taught workshops on paper making to students at Darüşşafaka High School in a collaborative project with Marmara University, the Kağıthane Municipality, and Turkish artists.


 

Dr. Drake Mabry, a painter and musician, studied ebru painting and ney flute with ebru artists Ayla Makas and Neyzen Burcu Karadağ in Istanbul.


 

Lucy K. Mensah, a Ph.D. candidate in English at Vanderbilt University, participated in the Institute for World Literature, organized by Harvard University's Comparative Literature Department at Bilgi University, Istanbul.


 

Bjargey Ólafsdóttir, took photos in Turkey as part of the "Visual Narratives: European borderlines" project, an international collaboration in photography. She will also gave a presentation on Icelandic photography as part of the same project.



"The experience I had with Double Edge Theatre changed my path as a researcher, performer, educator. It was a gradual, challenging and spiritual rediscovery: a rediscovery of who I desire to be and potentially can become as a performer/researcher. I am immensely grateful for the Cultural Exchange Fellowship that TCF provided me with to have this unique and transforming experience."
Nazlıhan Eda Erçin, creative drama and performance teacher, Eskişehir Gelişim College

"The generous help of TCF made it possible for me to attend the "JazzNL - Gateway to Global Jazz" conference in Amersfoort, the Netherlands. It was a great opportunity for me to present my music to a knowledgeable jazz audience. I was able to meet with numerous international artists and professionals. I am thankful to TCF for this opportunity and I believe that my participation at JazzNL will further enable me to present my music and represent Turkish musicians around the world."
Ferit Odman, jazz musician

"Thanks to the support of TCF, the Kağıthane Municipality, and Darüşşafaka School, the "Peace Paper" Project was well-received during a two-month residency in Istanbul. While our time and activities were mostly divided between Kağıthane's new paper studio and Darüşşafaka's new paper club, we still managed to bring our studio to outside conferences and host one-day workshops, including an interactive demonstration at the Kocaeli Papermaking Conference; a demonstration at IRCICA's conference The Family in Muslim Countries & Communities International Symposium; a public workshop for the Volunteer Festival on Heybeliada Island; and a presentation at Darüşşafaka's annual Rice Day Celebration. I hope that our work will attract further attention to paper and arts projects in Turkey."
Margaret Mahan, paper artist and co-director of "Peace Paper"

"My trip to China was a wonderful experience on so many levels. My chamber music ensemble Divan Consort will be releasing a CD in the very near future. One of the pieces we will record is by a Chinese composer, Chen Yi. Having now been to the Beijing Opera, I can say that I have a better appreciation of his music. I would like to thank TCF for making this concert tour possible through the Cultural Exchange Fellowship."
Füreya Ünal, pianist and faculty member, California State University Fullerton and Santa Ana College, and founder and co-artistic director, the Divan Consort

Turkish Culture, Music, Film and Dance

TCF supported leading Turkish cultural festivals in Boston, Charlotte and Seattle, organized, respectively, by the Turkish American Cultural Society of New England, the American Turkish Association of North Carolina Charlotte and the Turkish American Cultural Association of Washington (TACAWA). Thousands of Americans experienced Turkish music, art, and culture, and sampled Turkish food at these festivals.

TCF also provided a grant to support the third annual International Children's Friendship Festival in Seattle, organized by the TACAWA. The celebration was held on April 23rd, Turkish National Sovereignty and Children's Day, and featured musical and dance performances from various ethnic communities as well as a children's forum on education.

Promoting Turkish cinema in the United States remained on the cultural agenda of TCF in 2012. The Foundation once again became the main sponsor of the 11th Boston Turkish Film & Music Festival, co-presented with the Museum of Fine Arts of Boston. A major TCF grant to the Moon and Stars Project of the American Turkish Society (ATS) supported the expansion of Turkish film festivals in the United States. As a result of TCF cooperation and funding, Turkish cinema was brought to nearly 2,000 audiences as part of the 1st Seattle Turkish Film Festival, the 6th Turkish Film Series in Milwaukee, the 8th Annual Turkish Film Festival in Madison and the 1st Annual Turkish Film Series in Chicago. TCF also supported a cinematic event at the Lincoln Center titled, "The Space Between: A Panorama of Cinema in Turkey," organized by the American Turkish Society (ATS) and the Film Society Lincoln Center. TCF's grant also enabled other cultural programming of ATS in 2012, including a music workshop and concert by Kardeş Türküler.

Turkish Culture, Music, Film and Dance

A TCF grant to Makam New York helped underwrite the first annual Turkish Music Institute. The workshop was held in New York on May 29-June 2, 2012.

For the fourth consecutive year, a major TCF grant supported the organization of the Annual Nazim Hikmet Poetry Competition and Festival organized by the American Turkish Association of North Carolina. The Festival was held on April 15, 2012 at the Page Walker Arts & History Center in Cary, NC and celebrated the life and poetry of Nazim Hikmet, regarded widely as the greatest Turkish contemporary poet. This year's festival also paid tribute to Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. A poetry competition preceded the festival, which received 700 poems from 250 poets from North Carolina, across the United States, and around the world.

TCF provided a grant to NY2Dance, a non-profit dance theatre company in the U.S., under the artistic direction of Nejla Y. Yatkın, an acclaimed Turkish American dancer and choreographer.
For the fourth year, TCF sponsored Istanbulive, a celebration of Turkish contemporary music in New York City. Istanbulive4 took place on July 28 at the Lincoln Center "Out of Doors" festival and headlined legendary Turkish folk singer Selda Bağcan. The festival also featured İlhan Erşahin's Wonderland, Hüsnü Åženlendirici, and The Secret Trio.

Exhibitions

TCF continued to provide major funding to American museums and art institutions to promote Turkey's traditional and contemporary arts. Tens of thousands of people visited these exhibitions in 2012, advancing TCF's mission to promote Turkey's artistic and cultural heritage and contemporary arts.

Making Room: The Space Between Two and Three Dimensions
Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art

A major grant from the Turkish Cultural Foundation supported an exhibition at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in North Adams, MA. "Making Room: The Space Between Two and Three Dimensions" featured works by an international group of artists who combine two- and three-dimensional media in a single work. The TCF grant supported the participation of Turkish modern artist İnci Eviner in the exhibition, which remained on show from February 25, 2012 through March 1, 2013. In her featured film "Harem", presented at the exhibition, Eviner transforms a 19th-century engraving into a high-definition video. Eviner slowly erases the figures from German artist Antoine Ignace Melling's idealized interpretation of a harem and replaces them with animated women bustling with activity in their stead.

Familiar/Asina – Rochester Institute of Technology

  TCF provided a major grant to the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) for a photography and video exhibit by contemporary Turkish artists. Titled "Familiar/Asina," the exhibition took place from October 25 - November 16, 2012 at the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences and featured Nancy Atakan, Özgül Arslan, İpek Duben, Gül Ilgaz, İz Öztat, and RIT professor and TCF Cultural Exchange Fellow Roberley Bell.

Elegance Under Foot: Turkish Weavings
Kansas University Spencer Museum of Art

  A TCF grant to the Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas supported an exhibition on Turkish kilims, titled "Elegance Under Foot: Turkish Weavings." The exhibition consisted of 182 Turkish kilims owned by a private collection.

salt 6 – Utah Museum of Fine Arts

  TCF helped to support this exhibition of Emre Hüner's work at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. The exhibition entitled "salt 6" offered a sampling of many media in which Hüner works. The exhibition includes five ink drawings from the series Shrine of the Post
Hypnotic as well as two new video installations titled "Aeolian Processes #1 and #2." The film installation comprised of two 16mm films projected onto sculptural structures evocative of early 20th-century Russian Constructivist-style kiosks. The exhibition remained open from October 26th, 2011-January 13th, 2012 and was organized by Jill Dawsey, associate curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego and former chief curator at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts.

Turkish Art on Everest

  A TCF grant brought Turkish modern art to the summit of Mount Everest. A project by Turkish artist Taylan Akdag, the summit exhibition featured reproductions of the works of young Turkish artists in the "One" exhibition at the ARMAGGAN Art & Design Gallery.

Tolerance – Seattle, Houston

  TCF sponsored an exhibition by 23 Turkish ceramic artists, curated by Işık Gençoğlu of Istanbul Concept, at the 46th Annual Conference of the National Council of Education for the Ceramic Arts-NCECA in Seattle on March 28-31. 2012. The exhibition was organized under the theme "Tolerance," and later traveled to Houston.

Album Amicorum - Dolmabahçe Palace Gallery

  A TCF grant helped artists participate in an international exhibition of paper marbling art titled "Album Amicorum: Gems of Friendship in a Frightened World," which opened on October 15, 2012 at the Dolmabahçe Palace Gallery in Istanbul. The project was conceived in 2007 by American paper marbling artist Tom Leech, who first invited renowned Turkish ebru artist Hikmet Barutçugil to participate. From there, the project grew to include 21 artists from 14 countries.


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