Famous Turkish painter Fethi Kayaalp has passed away. (1923-March 8, 2026)
Fethi Kayaalp's funeral will be held on Tuesday, March 10th, following the noon prayer at the Alaybey Mosque in Bozcaada, and he will be buried in his hometown of Bozcaada.
Short Biography;
Who was Fethi Kayaalp? (1923 – March 8, 2026)
Ali Recep Fethi Kayaalp is one of the artists who made significant contributions to Turkish painting during the Republican era, particularly in the fields of engraving, drawing, printmaking, and restoration. Although he was not very visible in art circles due to his quiet and introverted personality, he carved out a unique place for himself in Turkish art with his technical mastery and especially his line-based works. Kayaalp served Turkish painting culture for many years as a painter, engraver, restorer, art expert, and educator.
His Life;
Ali Recep Fethi Kayaalp was born in 1923 in Ezine district of Çanakkale, into a family whose origins traced back to Bozcaada. His father was from the Bozcaada gentry, with family roots in Ioannina and Crete; his mother's side traced back to Muslim immigrants who migrated from Rumelia to Çanakkale after the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. During the Greek occupation, his family faced significant hardships; his father was exiled to Piraeus and, upon his return, was unable to enter Bozcaada for some time. Following the Turkish army's landing on Bozcaada in September 1923, the family resettled on the island. Kayaalp spent his childhood years in Bozcaada and completed his primary education there. He began his secondary education at Kabataş High School in Istanbul. His interest in painting became evident at an early age, leading him to pursue art education. In 1939, he began attending classes at the Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts as an external student. A year later, he continued his education as a registered student at the academy. At the Academy, he studied in the Engraving Workshop led by Léopold Lévy and Sabri Berkel, focusing particularly on metal printing techniques. He completed his painting education at the Nurullah Berk Workshop and graduated in 1947. A large portion of the works he produced during his student years, along with his diploma, were destroyed in the Academy Fire of 1948.