27.02.2017
Kuveyt Turk presents an exhibition entitled Song of the Birds, where lovers of art enjoy a group of miniatures as the everlasting example of the art of painting in both Western and Eastern cultures
Based on the book of the same name written by man of letters and mystic Feridüddin Attar, the exhibition of miniatures entitled
Mantiku’t Tayr (Song of the Birds) was unveiled at the exhibition hall of Kuveyt Turk’s head office located in Esentepe district of Istanbul on Monday 27 February. A children’s book of the same name, published by Kuveyt Turk’s own publishing house Kültür Yayinlari, was promoted at the exhibition.
Created by a team led by the miniaturist Özcan Özcan and taking two years of hard work at their workshop, this exhibition tells the story of thirty birds guided by the Hüdhüd bird and setting to search the legendary bird Simurg. The opening ceremony was hosted by Ufuk Uyan, CEO of Kuveyt Turk, and was attended by Özcan Özcan and his students, Aysenur Kapusuz who wrote the above mentioned children’s book entitled
Mantiku’t Tayr (Song of the Birds), and the painter Cemal Akyildiz.
In his speech at the ceremony, Mr. Uyan said: “
Kuveyt Turk believes from the heart that contributing to the development of the banking industry is as important as preserving the cultural assets in accordance with the social values. I would like to thank the miniaturist Özcan Özcan and his students once again for working hard for two years to create this exhibition. We are also happy to publish a children’s book written by Ms. Aysenur Kapusuz and based on and inspired by the rare works displayed in this exhibition. This book entitled Song of the Birds aims to tell the divine ultimate union, the faith in Allah, and that we should equip our heart with goodness and steer it away from evil to reach that faith, in purest form. Thanks once again to all people for their contribution to this exhibition.”
In his speech the miniaturist Özcan Özcan said: “
It took us two years to create this exhibition and its theme is to encourage people to take an introspective divine journey and to understand themselves, like Feridüddin Attar did in his book. The interest shown in this exhibition is important in indicating that the arts would be revived by not imitating or consuming the existing works of art, but recreating works of art. I would like to express great gratitude to Kuveyt Turk for its support.”
This exhibition will stay open for a month and admission is free
Kuveyt Turk adds the exhibited works of art in the Islamic Arts Collection and aims to make them accessible to greater masses. Furthermore, it aims to introduce the art of miniature, which developed with the influence of various styles over the centuries, to children in order to pass it to future generations.
Telling the story of birds symbolizing various human characters, Simurg symbolizing the divine ultimate union and the seven levels which one’s self must overcome, the exhibition Song of the Birds meets visitors to increase the awareness of this cultural heritage.
Kuveyt Turk organized this special exhibition to support the precious works of art from which it takes inspiration for its banking services and to pay its respects to artists, this ‘journey from the language of the birds to the language of the colors’, and invites everybody to it. This exhibition is open to the public from 27 February to 31 March 2017 and admission is free.