following the funks

EVENTS: Arkas Sanat Merkezi’s Landscape of Water Exhibition

From September 20 to December 29, 2017, Arkas Art Center (Arkas Sanat Merkezi) is hosting Landscapes of Water (Su Manzaraları) collection. As a member of the IWAI, I attended with a group of ladies on a special guided tour to hear about the collection. You may remember this groups from last year’s Christmas Bazaar or our outing to the Costumn Museum in Doğanbey and Priene.

Located in a beautiful sea view side the French Honorary Consulate Building, the Arkas Art Center was created with the art-lovers in mind sharing collections and art interest with others as the wish of Mr. Lucien Arkas, the President of the Board of Directors of Arkas Holding. The building itself has a long history.  Construction of the building started in 1825 and took about 10 years to complete. Throughout the next 100 years, the structure has survived several earthquakes and an even a couple of fires.

The French Government assigned the building to be used for a 20 year period for cultural and artistic purposes, and after renovations, opened in 2011. Now it is one of the first centers in Izmir that has hosted international painters.

Spanning throughout the 10 exhibition rooms over 2 floors, Landscapes of Water contain landscape paintings dating from the first half of the 19th century to the second half of the 20th century.  The paintings represented several artistic movements such as such as the Barbizon School, Impressionism, Symbolism, Post-Impressionism, Fauvism, and Expressionism. Artist represented include works of Eugéne Boudin, Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot, Maurice de Vlaminck, Francis Picabia, Henry Lebasque, and Hippolyte Camille Delpy, among others.

The Arkas Art Center says:

“Landscapes of Water “reflects” the historical evolution of the pictorial medium over the course of the 19th and 20th centuries. Here you will find the remarkable They invite the viewer on a fabulous odyssey through diverse geographic areas, from the banks of the Seine and the Scottish lakes to the summits of the Alps, by way of the warm light of the Mediterranean, the North Sea and the rivers of Europe.”

Being my first art gallery viewing in Izmir, I found the gallery to be well-maintain and beautifully displayed. I found the impressionist pieces to be some of my favorite, similar to a Monet type of painting. Both upstairs and downstairs are projector screen which brings the paintings and movement of the sea to life. I found an area for children to color their own painting to match the ones on display. A favorite of everyone was a luminous sunset painting that looked as if it was glowing, but instead just showed the power of colors and the impressive creations of an artist with oil paints, a canvas, and a brush.

How to get there:

The center does not have any private parking. From the Alsancak Ferry, the center is about a 12-minute walk West along the coast. From the Pasaport Ferry, it is a 7-minute walk East along the coast.

Entrance Information:

Entrance is free. Lockers are available for large bags, belongings, jackets, umbrellas, etc. on the ground floor.

Tours:

Free guided tours are provided in Turkish or English for a minimum of 5 people upon request on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Tours for children are also available in similar form. See information below for contact details and operating hours.

For more information:

ARKAS ART CENTER

Monday: Closed

Tuesday-Sunday: 10:00 – 18:00  (Entrance Free)
Thursday: 10:00 – 20:00  (Entrance Free)

Website: http://www.arkassanatmerkezi.com

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