ARTS
Ottoman Art
The art under the Ottomans was very different from the
art in the Turkish Republic. Until 1923 and the founding of the republic, all mainstream
artistic expression conformed (more or less) to the laws of Islam, which forbade
representation of any being 'with an immortal soul' (i.e. animal or human). Sculpture and
painting as known in the west did not exist-with the notable exception of Turkish
miniature painting, which was for the upper classes.
Instead of painting and sculpture, Islamic
artists worked at arabesque decoration, faience, filigree, geometric stained glass,
gilding, pottery and metalworking, glassblowing, Marquette, repousse work, calligraphy and
illumination, textile design (including costumes and carpets), horticulture and landscape
gardening. Turks may have invented the art of marbling paper, which is still practised
today. Ottoman architecture is outstanding.
Republican Art
Under the republic, Atatürk encouraged
European-style artistic expression. The govemment opened official painting and sculpture
academies, encouraging this `modern' secular art over the religious art of the past.
In this century, Turkish artists and writers
have been in touch with European and US trends in the arts. Some have followed slavishly,
others have borrowed judiciously, mixing in a good portion of local tradition and
inspiration. By the 1970s and 80s, Turkish painting had become vigorous enough to support
numerous different local schools of artists whose work is shown by museums, galleries,
collectors and patrons.
By the late l9th century some Ottoman writers
were adapting to European forms. With the foundation of the republic, the ponderous
cadences of Ottoman courtly prose and poetry gave way to use of the vernacular. Ataturk
decreed that the Turkish language be `purified' of Arabic and Persian borrowings. This,
and the introduction of the new Latinbased Turkish alphabet, brought literacy withiri the
reach of many more citizens. Several Turkish writers, including Nazim Hikmet, Yashar Kemal
and Orhan Pamuk, have been translated into other languages and have met with critical and
popular acclaim abroad.
Folk Arts & Crafts
Turkish carpet-making transcends the
boundaries of folk art and fine art. Embroidery and lace-making are still practised ip
rural Turkey, as they have been for centuries. Primitive landscape painters once used
horsedrawn wagons and carts as theit venue; now it's the wood-panelled sides of trucks.
Turkish artisans also craft decora wooden
spoons, lathe-turned wooden items,lamps and stoves in tinplate, onyx and alabaster
carvings, pottery and glass. Almost no-one leaves the country without a blueand-white
nazar boncu?u (evil-eye charm), usually of glass but now also of plastic.
Music
There are many kinds of Turkish music, almost
all of them unfamiliar to foreign ears. Ottoman classical, religious (particularly
Mevlevi) and some folk and popular music uses a system of makams, or modalities, an
exotic-sounding series of tones similar in funetion to western scales. In addition to the
familiar western whole- and half-tone intervals, much Turkish music uses quarter-tones,
unfamiliar to foreign ears and perceived as `flat' until the ear becomes accustomed to
them.
Film
Cinema appeared in Turkey just a year after
the Lumiere brothers presented their first cinematic show in 1895. At first it was only
foreigners and non-Muslims who watched movies, but by 1914 there were Cinemas run by and
for Muslims as well.
The War of Independence inspired actor Muhsin
Ertugrul, Turkey's cinema pioneer, to establish a film company in 1922 and make patriotic
films. Comedies and documentaries followed. Within a decade Turkish films were winning
awards in international competitions, even though a mere 23 films had been made.
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