MFA Gallery: Chic links

By Sibel DORSAN

Artistic events have long helped to consolidate friendships between nations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara has taken the idea a step further by opening an art gallery on its own premises. Originally conceived with the Ministry staff in mind, the gallery is also open to the public.

Ankara has innumerable art venues, but there is always room for one more – especially one located in the sharp, spacious surroundings of a truly modern building. Curiously, it all came about more by “accident” than “design”. This space was not built as a gallery, but as part of the new headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the up-and-coming Balgat district. To display art was the brainwave of Deputy Undersecretary Ambassador Ahmet Erozan.

Perhaps the plain white walls and wide illuminated corridors whispered something into the Ambassador’s ear. For barely weeks after the Ministry moved in, the spotlights had been adjusted and the picture hooks were in place. On May 2 this year, as part of the Ministry’s 86^th birthday celebrations, a joint exhibition of works by 33 Ankara-based artists brought the impromptu gallery to life.

Bilateral cinema

“Initially, we aimed to create a warm atmosphere.” states Erozan, pointing to the many meeting halls which open onto the corridors. Exhibitions of art works would provide an ‘ambiance’ in which to forget the stress of an intensive working day. But already the gallery has been taking on other functions. Ministry officials and their colleagues in Ankara’s foreign missions are finding common ground as they tour the exhibitions. Turkish art and artists are being promoted to an international audience. And other countries are seeking a look-in.

A display of photographs of Romanian architecture is just one of the events scheduled for next year. This summer, the terrace was twice turned into an open-air cinema as Russian and Chinese films were screened with the support of the two countries’ embassies. Once the construction of a closed hall, with a capacity of 150 people is completed, it will be possible to hold movie nights and musical performances all year round.

Praise for Gürsöz

Nuri Abaç, Şeref Bigalı, Şefik Bursalı, Turan Erol, Yalçın Gökçebağ, Hayati Misman, Adnan Turani, Osman Zeki Oral… The programme for the first exhibition read like an A-Z of contemporary Turkish painting. Next to grace the walls were the photographs of Levent Bilman. The contrasting and highly original creations of Ercan Gülen and Sıtkı Olçar went on show in October.

If the idea came from Erozan, then most of the hard work has been shouldered by curator Hatice Gürsöz. “Without her, we would never have got this far,” he says. The MFA Gallery may not be the most accessible from city centre streets. But more and more art-lovers may soon be finding their way there. Watch www.mfa.gov.tr > Ministry > cultural events.

(DIPLOMAT  -  November 2005  -  Ankara)