As part of the 103rd anniversary of the August 26th Great Offensive, İş Sanat brought its Anatolian Exhibitions, featuring works selected from the Türkiye İş Bankası Artworks Collection, to Afyonkarahisar. The exhibition features portraits and paintings reflecting our nation's will for freedom and the War of Independence.
We will be celebrating the 103rd anniversary of the August 26th Great Offensive, a pivotal moment in the Turkish War of Independence and a pivotal event in the founding of our Republic. During this important week, İş Sanat brought its Anatolian Exhibitions, featuring special selections from the Türkiye İş Bankası Artworks Collection and sharing them with art lovers in Anatolia, to Afyonkarahisar.
The "Great Victory" exhibition, held at the bank's Kocatepe branch, was hosted by Ayşe Canan Atlığ, Director of the Türkiye İş Bankası Painting and Sculpture Museum (RHM); art historian Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayşe Köksal and other citizens attended.
Speaking at the opening, Türkiye İş Bankası RHM Director Atlığ gave a brief introduction to the works. Atlığ explained the purpose of the "Anatolian Exhibitions" initiated by İş Sanat: “We wanted to expand our collection beyond Istanbul. The branches in Anatolia were essentially used as galleries at one time. Many of these works were available to the local public in different branches across Anatolia. Therefore, inspired by this spirit, we launched our "Art for All Anatolian Exhibitions" project.
We consider August 26, 1922, the beginning of the Great Offensive, to be a significant milestone in our nation's will to freedom. Exactly two years later, on August 26, 1924, our bank was founded to ensure the economic independence of our nation. Therefore, we commemorate these two significant days with this opportunity.”
Art historian and Yeditepe University Faculty Member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayşe Köksal, emphasizing the importance of the works exhibited here, said, “The works here are actually two-layered: one is Atatürk's portraits, and the other is a documentation of how the war was fought and won. This documentation draws on the artist's imagination. In the portraits and paintings, we see a process evolving from the Ottoman Empire to the founding of the Republic of Turkey. More than the war itself, the works here demonstrate a specific and profound transformation.”
Source: https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/kultur-sanat/herkes-icin-sanat-anadolu-sergileri-afyonkarahisar-da-buyuk-zafer-in-yansisi-2428894