Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu’s works meet art lovers in Manisa...
To mark the 104th anniversary of Manisa’s liberation, the exhibition "My Valiant Lion: Color, Poetry, Homeland" (Yiğidim Aslanım: Renk, Şiir, Memleket)—featuring works by Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu—has opened to the public. The exhibition is open for free visits until October 18.
Manisa Metropolitan Municipality presented works by painter and poet Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu—reflecting his artistic vision rooted in painting, poetry, and folk culture—to art enthusiasts through the "My Valiant Lion: Color, Poetry, Homeland" exhibition. Held at the Fatih Exhibition Hall to commemorate the 104th anniversary of Manisa’s liberation, the opening was attended by Manisa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Besim Dutlulu, municipal officials, Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu’s grandson Sabahattin Rahmi Eyüboğlu, and numerous art lovers.
Organized as part of the Manisa Metropolitan Municipality’s efforts to enrich the city's cultural and artistic life, the exhibition brings together works that embody Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu’s artistic philosophy. The opening ceremony for the exhibition, which showcases pieces inspired by painting, poetry, and folk culture, took place at the Fatih Exhibition Hall.
High turnout at the opening
The opening ceremony was attended by Manisa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Besim Dutlulu, Gölmarmara Mayor Cem Aykan, MASKİ General Manager Ali Kılıç, Manisa Metropolitan Municipality Secretary General Burak Deste, deputy secretaries general, department heads, Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu’s grandson Sabahattin Rahmi Eyüboğlu, and a large number of art enthusiasts. Speaking at the opening, exhibition curator Fahri Özdemir noted that Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu was one of the significant artists nurtured during the Republican era. Özdemir expressed his pleasure in inaugurating the exhibition while highlighting Eyüboğlu’s personality and his place in the art world.
“It is a great honor for me to open Bedri Rahmi’s exhibition”
In his speech, curator Fahri Özdemir said, “It is a great honor for me to open this exhibition dedicated to Bedri Rahmi—a figure of the ‘1914 Generation,’ an artist raised by the Republic, and a man regarded as a ‘teacher of teachers.’ He was a truly special individual—a great proponent of enlightenment, a revolutionary, and a contemporary thinker. I extend my sincere thanks to Besim Bey and the Department of Culture for providing me with this opportunity.”
Following Özdemir’s remarks, Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu’s grandson, Sabahattin Rahmi Eyüboğlu, also took the floor. He expressed his satisfaction that an exhibition featuring his grandfather’s works was being held in Manisa and thanked the Manisa Metropolitan Municipality.
Thanks from his grandson, Sabahattin Rahmi Eyüboğlu
Noting that the 51st anniversary of Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu’s passing was being observed, Sabahattin Rahmi Eyüboğlu said, “We are now marking the 51st anniversary of my grandfather’s death. On behalf of the family, I thank you all very much for dedicating a book to him on this occasion. From now on, whenever I think of Manisa, I will recall the opening of a Bedri Rahmi exhibition during the city’s liberation anniversary. For some time now, the thought of Manisa has also brought to mind how you have embraced Mayor Ferdi Zeyrek and supported his work. You are the ones who will come to mind when I think of Manisa. Thank you very much.” Besim Dutlulu: The municipality has cultural and artistic responsibilities
Manisa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Besim Dutlulu stated that the opening of the exhibition on the anniversary of the city's liberation held special significance for him. Noting that municipalities do not merely address the city's physical needs, Dutlulu emphasized that activities in the fields of culture and art also fall within the responsibilities of local governments.
Mayor Dutlulu said, "It brings me great joy to be at such an exhibition on this day of liberation. A municipality builds the city and constructs its roads, but there are also cultural and artistic dimensions to the work. As the Manisa Metropolitan Municipality, we are striving to further advance the excellent initiatives in this field that began during the term of our late Mayor Ferdi—whom I remember with respect."
"It makes me happy to see the artworks exhibited in Manisa"
Stating that bringing Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu’s works together with art lovers in Manisa is a vital part of the efforts in culture and art, Mayor Dutlulu expressed his happiness and excitement regarding the exhibition.
Dutlulu remarked, "It makes me happy and excited to see works exhibited in Manisa by one of Turkey’s significant artists—a figure nurtured by the Republic and whose life is intertwined with the history of the Republic. I thank everyone who contributed to this effort."
The opening was marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony
Following the speeches, the opening ribbon of the exhibition was cut. Manisa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Besim Dutlulu then toured the exhibition and examined Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu’s artworks. While receiving information about the exhibition, Dutlulu also met with the art enthusiasts attending the event.
The exhibition will be open until October 18.
The exhibition "Yiğidim Aslanım: Renk, Şiir, Memleket" (My Brave Lion: Color, Poetry, Homeland), featuring works by Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu, can be visited at the Fatih Exhibition Hall until October 18, 2026. The exhibition will be open daily from 10:00 to 21:00, and there is no admission fee.
Source: https://www.yenibakishaber.com/bedri-rahmi-eyuboglunun-eserleri-manisada-sanatseverlerle-bulustu