Contemporary Arts Centre:  Çankaya’s open house

by Sibel DORSAN

The artistic hub of Çankaya Municipality is appealing more persistently to a wider public with striking exhibitions and Wednesday concerts.

It has stood for several years now on  the site of the old water cistern, just off Atatürk Boulevard, within sight of the US Embassy and earshot of Tunalı Hilmi Caddesi’s shops and cafes. It has always looked large and contemporary. But this season, there is an extra splash of artistic colour about the place, and more and more visitors can be seen coming in and out of its spacious foyer.

Since Çankaya Municipality took possession in 1996-97, the five galleries of the Contemporary Arts Centre have hosted countless national and international exhibitions, including an exhibition of works by Salvador Dali. The galleries are much admired by foreign curators, points out Canan Samur, the Municipality’s Director of Education, Culture and Social Affairs.

The centre has also worked closely with schools and the community. For the past two years, the Çankaya Municipality City Theatres formed under the leadership of Bahadır Tokmak has been putting on plays both for adults and children. Jazz and film festivals have stopped off here, and it has been the main sponsor for the Ankara Theatre Festival.

Classical sounds

All these events are open to all and without charge. Even so, the venue has remained at the periphery of Ankara’s artistic life, rather than taking the central role which its name promises and its prime location warrants. The time has come for it to blow its own trumpet more confidently. An overhaul of the accoustics and sound systems of the two hundred-seater former conference room has gone a long way to help.

The rearrangement of the room has created a new space for theatre and music. Under the guidance of respected musical advisors such as Deren Eryılmaz and Orhun Orhan, classical music concerts are being held at 19.30 every Wednesday evening. One early sponsor this season was the Embassy of Switzerland. Meanwhile, Samur explains, a second salon is undergoing modification for use for lectures, symposia and panels.

More, better and more frequent exhibitions are anticipated. The magnificent works of Italian artist Domingo Notaro have already graced the walls this fall. Downstairs, a joint display of paintings, ceramics and most impressively sculptures by young Ankara artists augurs well for the capital’s future. May the Centre inspire and support them, wherever their talents lie.

(DIPLOMAT  -  December 2005  -  Ankara)