Who was Günay Sağun? (1930 Istanbul – 1993 Istanbul)
Günay Sağun was born on February 6, 1930, in Istanbul. He completed his primary education in Istanbul and his secondary education in Ankara. During his primary and secondary education, he took lessons from the painter Eşref Üren and began painting. Encouraged by Eşref Üren, he began his painting education at the Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts. During his higher education, he worked in the studios of Eşref Üren, Leopold Levi, Seyfi Toray, and Cemal Tollu. While still a student, Sağun participated in group exhibitions and State Painting and Sculpture exhibitions, graduating in 1953. After graduation, he began working as a painting teacher and as a painter in a public institution. From 1975 onwards, he began holding exhibitions and dedicated the rest of his life solely to painting. He held a total of 28 solo exhibitions and participated in numerous group exhibitions both domestically and internationally. He received awards, plaques of achievement, and certificates of honor from various associations and organizations. Günay Sağun won the Second Prize in the 1981 DYO Painting Competition.
Günay Sağun passed away in Istanbul on November 17, 1993.
Art Perspective:
Sagun produced watercolor and oil paintings. His works, which reflect his observational and conscious exploration of changing environmental values, are described as “capturing the past and bringing it to life on his canvases.”
In his early paintings, Sağun focused on the streets and houses of Istanbul where he was born and raised. Later, he created works depicting various regions of Turkey, including Bursa, Ankara, Safranbolu, İznik, Mudanya, Kula, İzmir, and Datça. In both his oil and watercolor paintings, Istanbul never lost its importance.
Selected Solo Exhibitions;
Taksim Art Gallery (1980)
Ministry of Culture State Fine Arts Gallery (1981)
Akbank Istanbul Art Gallery (1981)
Taksim Art Gallery (1982)
Akbank Elazığ, Konya, Ankara Art Galleries (1984)
Taksim Art Gallery (1985, 1987, 1989)
Ümit Yaşar Art Gallery (1992)
Yaşar Education and Culture Foundation (Izmir 1992)
Yaşar Education and Culture Foundation (Çeşme 1993)
Artistic Life and Production;
After graduation, he worked as a painting teacher for a while and as a painter in a public institution.
From 1975 onwards, he dedicated his life solely to painting.
Sagun used both oil painting and watercolor techniques in his works. His paintings generally depicted:
• The streets, houses, and historical fabric of Istanbul
• Various regions of Anatolia (Bursa, Safranbolu, Mudanya, İznik, Kula, İzmir, Datça, etc.). Istanbul always held an important place in his works.
Awards and Achievements;
The artist received awards from various associations and organizations for his works, such as:
• Achievement plaques
• Certificates of honor
• Second prize in the DYO 1981 Painting Competition
Late Years and Artistic Legacy;
Günay Sağun passed away in Istanbul on November 17, 1993.
After his death, his works were included in private and official collections in Turkey and abroad.
Many art critics state that Sağun has carved out a unique place for himself in Turkish painting with his "depiction of daily life memories, impressions, and emotions in a simple but impressive language."
• Sağın's visual language is based on observational, introspective, and calm emotions. • Her attachment to Istanbul is constantly evident in her works. • Drawing inspiration from different geographies of Anatolia, she has created a rich local-textural expression. • In her works, a subjective, introspective, and virtuous perspective prevails rather than an outwardly dramatic narrative.
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